Owen R. Thompson, M.D. Interviewer: Red wine, if I have a glass or two is that going to be good for my heart Dr. Thompson? Owen: Probably true, probably yes. Interviewer: If I have the whole bottle it won’t. Owen: Probably. Interviewer: Okay. Owen: It was recently within the last six months at a meeting and an expert in the prevention of heart disease addressed the specific subject and talked about alcohol and heart disease and the studies seem to indicate that moderate amounts of alcohol tend to have somewhat of a cardio protective effect and we don’t know exactly how that happens. One thing that we do know is that people who consume alcohol tend to raise their HDL which is their high density lipoprotein more commonly referred to as your good cholesterol. So they tend to have higher levels of HDL which tend to make us at lower risk for heart disease, but some studies seem to indicate that the alcohol itself independent of the HDL may have a beneficial effect in lowering your risk of heart disease. But I mentioned that you mentioned moderation. Most physicians and experts feel that six to eight ounces of wine is probably healthy for you beyond that it is unhealthy, alcohol hard liquor probably two to three ounces. Interviewer: Okay. Owen: And if people drink beer twelve to sixteen ounces and that’s probably about it. Once you get passed those levels you start to have negative effects for most people and of course in people who have family histories of addiction or personal histories of addiction or abuse the risks of taking small amounts of alcohol frequently probably are greater than the benefit. But to t he general population or especially people who have heart disease. Red wine and some of the antioxidants and other Interviewer: And that’s what it is that affects the heart. Owen: That seems to be that helps them affect the heart in a positive way. Interviewer: So wine can be a really a good thing? Owen: Yes, it can be. Yes, it can be. Interviewer: Or beer or a small amount of alcohol or heart alcohol. Owen: And you know the HDL factor is interesting of people going to apply for life insurance most life insurance companies. If their HDL is quite high run some other tests on their blood to make sure the person isn’t an alcoholic or abusing but about the only people that I see is some people have genetically are predisposed to having high HDLs are about the only people that I see who can really raise their HDL exercise a lot and many of them have taken daily amounts of four and eight ounces of red wine and it does make a positive effect on their HDL. Interviewer: Well that’s what I wanted to know, thank you.