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Nutrients Sep 2021Alcohol consumption has been shown to have complex, and sometimes paradoxical, associations with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Several hundred epidemiological studies... (Review)
Review
Alcohol consumption has been shown to have complex, and sometimes paradoxical, associations with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Several hundred epidemiological studies on this topic have been published in recent decades. In this narrative review, the epidemiological evidence will be examined for the associations between alcohol consumption, including average alcohol consumption, drinking patterns, and alcohol use disorders, and CVDs, including ischaemic heart disease, stroke, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathy, and heart failure. Methodological shortcomings, such as exposure classification and measurement, reference groups, and confounding variables (measured or unmeasured) are discussed. Based on systematic reviews and meta-analyses, the evidence seems to indicate non-linear relationships with many CVDs. Large-scale longitudinal epidemiological studies with multiple detailed exposure and outcome measurements, and the extensive assessment of genetic and confounding variables, are necessary to elucidate these associations further. Conflicting associations depending on the exposure measurement and CVD outcome are hard to reconcile, and make clinical and public health recommendations difficult. Furthermore, the impact of alcohol on other health outcomes needs to be taken into account. For people who drink alcohol, the less alcohol consumed the better.
Topics: Alcohol Drinking; Animals; Biomarkers; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; Cardiovascular System; Diagnosis, Differential; Disease Susceptibility; Ethanol; Health Impact Assessment; Humans; Risk Factors
PubMed: 34684419
DOI: 10.3390/nu13103419 -
Trends in Neurosciences Dec 2021Alcohol use produces wide-ranging and diverse effects on the central nervous system. It influences intracellular signaling mechanisms, leading to changes in gene... (Review)
Review
Alcohol use produces wide-ranging and diverse effects on the central nervous system. It influences intracellular signaling mechanisms, leading to changes in gene expression, chromatin remodeling, and translation. As a result of these molecular alterations, alcohol affects the activity of neuronal circuits. Together, these mechanisms produce long-lasting cellular adaptations in the brain that in turn can drive the development and maintenance of alcohol use disorder (AUD). We provide an update on alcohol research, focusing on multiple levels of alcohol-induced adaptations, from intracellular changes to changes in neural circuits. A better understanding of how alcohol affects these diverse and interlinked mechanisms may lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets and to the development of much-needed novel and efficacious treatment options.
Topics: Alcoholism; Brain; Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; Ethanol; Humans; Neurons
PubMed: 34702580
DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.09.006 -
Annual Review of Pathology Jan 2023Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is one of the major diseases arising from chronic alcohol consumption and is one of the most common causes of liver-related... (Review)
Review
Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is one of the major diseases arising from chronic alcohol consumption and is one of the most common causes of liver-related morbidity and mortality. ALD includes asymptomatic liver steatosis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and alcohol-associated hepatitis and its complications. The progression of ALD involves complex cell-cell and organ-organ interactions. We focus on the impact of alcohol on dysregulation of homeostatic mechanisms and regulation of injury and repair in the liver. In particular, we discuss recent advances in understanding the disruption of balance between programmed cell death and prosurvival pathways, such as autophagy and membrane trafficking, in the pathogenesis of ALD. We also summarize current understanding of innate immune responses, liver sinusoidal endothelial cell dysfunction and hepatic stellate cell activation, and gut-liver and adipose-liver cross talk in response to ethanol. In addition,we describe the current potential therapeutic targets and clinical trials aimed at alleviating hepatocyte injury, reducing inflammatory responses, and targeting gut microbiota, for the treatment of ALD.
Topics: Humans; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic; Liver; Ethanol; Hepatocytes; Fibrosis
PubMed: 36270295
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathmechdis-031521-030435 -
Drug Metabolism Reviews Nov 2019This article summarizes recent experimental and epidemiological data on the toxic and beneficial effects of ethanol and its metabolites (acetaldehyde), and focuses on... (Review)
Review
This article summarizes recent experimental and epidemiological data on the toxic and beneficial effects of ethanol and its metabolites (acetaldehyde), and focuses on their immunomodulatory effects. The section dealing with the toxic effects of alcohol focuses on its chronic toxicity (liver disorders, carcinogenic effects, cardiovascular disorders, neuropsychic disorders, addiction and withdrawal syndrome, hematologic disorders, reprotoxicity, osteoporosis) although acute toxicity is considered. The role of oxidative metabolism of ethanol by alcohol dehydrogenase, cytochrome P450 2E1, and aldehyde dehydrogenase, as well as the impact of genetic polymorphism in its physiopathology are also highlighted. The section dealing with the beneficial effects of low to moderate alcohol consumption (on cardiovascular system, diabetes, the nervous system and sensory organs, autoimmune diseases, and rheumatology) highlights the importance of anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects in these observations. This knowledge, enriched by a focus on the immunomodulatory effects of ethanol and its metabolites, in particular on the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, might facilitate the development of treatments that can reduce ethanol's harmful effects or accentuate its beneficial effects.
Topics: Alcohol Drinking; Alcoholism; Animals; Ethanol; Humans; Immunologic Factors
PubMed: 31646907
DOI: 10.1080/03602532.2019.1679169 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) May 2023
Topics: Humans; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; Alcoholism; Ethanol
PubMed: 37257890
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.p951 -
Journal of Translational Medicine May 2023Alcoholism is a widespread and damaging behaviour of people throughout the world. Long-term alcohol consumption has resulted in alcoholic liver disease (ALD) being the... (Review)
Review
Alcoholism is a widespread and damaging behaviour of people throughout the world. Long-term alcohol consumption has resulted in alcoholic liver disease (ALD) being the leading cause of chronic liver disease. Many metabolic enzymes, including alcohol dehydrogenases such as ADH, CYP2E1, and CATacetaldehyde dehydrogenases ALDHsand nonoxidative metabolizing enzymes such as SULT, UGT, and FAEES, are involved in the metabolism of ethanol, the main component in alcoholic beverages. Ethanol consumption changes the functional or expression profiles of various regulatory factors, such as kinases, transcription factors, and microRNAs. Therefore, the underlying mechanisms of ALD are complex, involving inflammation, mitochondrial damage, endoplasmic reticulum stress, nitrification, and oxidative stress. Moreover, recent evidence has demonstrated that the gut-liver axis plays a critical role in ALD pathogenesis. For example, ethanol damages the intestinal barrier, resulting in the release of endotoxins and alterations in intestinal flora content and bile acid metabolism. However, ALD therapies show low effectiveness. Therefore, this review summarizes ethanol metabolism pathways and highly influential pathogenic mechanisms and regulatory factors involved in ALD pathology with the aim of new therapeutic insights.
Topics: Humans; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic; Liver; Ethanol; Alcoholism; Alcohol Dehydrogenase
PubMed: 37143126
DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04166-8 -
Gut Microbes 2021Alcohol is well known for promoting systemic inflammation and aggravating multiple chronic health conditions. Thus, alcohol may also be expected to serve as a risk... (Review)
Review
Alcohol is well known for promoting systemic inflammation and aggravating multiple chronic health conditions. Thus, alcohol may also be expected to serve as a risk factor in autoimmune diseases. However, emerging data from human and animal studies suggest that alcohol may in fact be protective in autoimmune diseases. These studies point toward alcohol's complex dose-dependent relationship in autoimmune diseases as well as potential modulation by duration and type of alcohol consumption, cultural background and sex. In this review, we will explore alcohol's pro- and anti-inflammatory properties in human and animal autoimmune diseases, including autoimmune diabetes, thyroid disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis. We will also discuss potential mechanisms of alcohol's anti-inflammatory effects mediated by the gut microbiome.
Topics: Animals; Autoimmunity; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Ethanol; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans
PubMed: 34224314
DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2021.1916278 -
Nutrients Mar 2020The effects of alcohol on cardiovascular health are heterogeneous and vary according toconsumption dose and pattern. These effects have classically been described as... (Review)
Review
The effects of alcohol on cardiovascular health are heterogeneous and vary according toconsumption dose and pattern. These effects have classically been described as having a J-shapedcurve, in which low-to-moderate consumption is associated with less risk than lifetime abstention,and heavy drinkers show the highest risk. Nonetheless, the beneficial effects of alcohol have beenquestioned due to the difficulties in establishing a safe drinking threshold. This review focuses onthe association between alcohol consumption and cardiovascular risk factors and the underlyingmechanisms of damage, with review of the literature from the last 10 years.
Topics: Alcohol Drinking; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cardiovascular System; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Ethanol; Humans; Inflammation; Oxidative Stress; Risk Factors
PubMed: 32230720
DOI: 10.3390/nu12040912 -
Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.) Mar 2023
Topics: Ethanol; Alcohol Drinking
PubMed: 36202273
DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2022.08.007 -
International Journal of Toxicology Dec 2023The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety reviewed updated information that has become available since their original assessment from 2001, along with updated...
The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety reviewed updated information that has become available since their original assessment from 2001, along with updated information regarding product types, and frequency and concentrations of use, and reaffirmed their original conclusion that Methyl Alcohol is safe as used to denature alcohol in the practices of use and concentration as described in this report.
Topics: Methanol; Consumer Product Safety; Cosmetics; Ethanol
PubMed: 37752772
DOI: 10.1177/10915818231204251