Search resultsEffects of moderate beer consumption on first-line immunity of healthy adults
Title
Effects of moderate beer consumption on first-line immunity of healthy adults
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2007
Authors
Journal
Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry
Volume
63
Issue
2
Pagination
153 - 160
Date published
2007
ISBN
11387548 (ISSN)
Keywords
Adult, alcohol abstinence, article, basophil, beer, controlled study, Cross-Over Studies, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, drinking behavior, eosinophil count, Female, gender bias, health status, Healthy adults, human, human cell, human experiment, Humans, Immunity, Immunity, Cellular, Leucocytes, leukocyte count, Leukocytes, lymphocyte count, male, Moderate beer consumption, monocyte, neutrophil count, Non-specific immunity, normal human, phagocytosis, respiratory burst, Sex Factors, statistical significance, Time Factors, volunteer
Abstract
Moderate alcohol consumption has shown to induce benefits on host specific (cell-mediated and humoral) immune system, but there is scarce literature regarding first-line immune responses. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in non-specific immunity after alcohol abstention and moderate beer consumption in healthy adults. After a 30 day-alcohol abstemious period, 57 healthy volunteers were submitted to a daily moderate consumption of beer (330 mL for women and 660 mL for men, respectively) during the following 30 days. White blood cell counts and phagocytic and oxidative burst activity were evaluated at three points: a) basal, b) abstemious, c) after moderate consumption of beer. Absolute values of leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes and basophiles (x10 9/L) increased significantly in women from point b to point c (6.34 ± 1.26 vs. 7.27 ± 1.97, 3.43 ± 0.88 vs. 4.13 ± 1.53, 2.14 ± 0.50 vs. 2.38 ± 0.63, and 0.05 ± 0.02 vs. 0.06 ± 0.03, respectively; p< 0.05) as well as basophils in men (0.05±0.03 vs. 0.06±0.03). A significant increase of oxidative burst capacity was also observed after the moderate consumption of beer in both women (33.90 ± 19.00 vs. 48.86 ± 21.83) and men (27.39 ± 18.13 vs. 39.25 ± 24.53). In healthy adults, after 30 days of moderate beer consumption the parameter describing the non-specific immunity improved when compared to the basal situation. For several of these parameters, the response is more enhanced in women.