Prof Ramon Estruch

Our research group at the Hospital Clinic-University of Barcelona has been working in the last 30 years on the toxic and beneficial effects of alcohol consumption on atherosclerosis and cardiovascular system. In the first studies we observed that the toxic effects are dose-dependent and subjects have to drink more than 20 kg of ethanol by kg of body weight. However, we have also observed that moderate consumption of fermented alcoholic beverages, such as beer,   improve classical and novel risk factors related to atherosclerosis, including a reduction of serum inflammatory markers, ex-vivo adhesion of human monocytes on an endothelial line and oxidative stress parameters. In addition, in the PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) trial that included 7,447 subjects at high risk for cardiovascular disease who were followed-up near of 5 years, we have observed than beer drinkers in Spain had healthier dietary habits than subjects who do not drink alcohol. Thus, we think that it is important to communicate to the society that beer in moderation may be an important component of a healthy diet, such as Mediterranean dietary pattern.