There is consensus, that for populations as a whole there is a J-formed association between moderate alcohol consumption and CVD-risk. On the other hand, advice for ApoE4-Carriers here at the forum has generally been to abstain religiously from alcohol, because for them it causes a significantly negative shift in the ratio of HDL and LDL. I think the scientific base for that advice maybe should be questioned, looking at the framingham data:
http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/19717024
While the proof for the negative impact on the HDL/LDL ratio of ApoE4-Carriers is probably quite solid, drinking is STILL associated with a lower hazard ratio, at least for ischemic stroke!
As the risk for ischemic stroke is actually influenced in quite the same way by apolipoproteins as is CVD, we probably can conclude that moderate alcohol consumption is still beneficial to prevent CVD in ApoE4-Carriers?
There is also highly conflicting data if alcohol is actually detremental or beneficial for the cognitive (Alzheimer's) risk in ApoE4-Carriers. If I get that correctly, more recent studies here also rather came to the conclusion it could do more good than harm:
http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/21857787
Edited by Dolph, 12 January 2013 - 01:28 PM.