Red or white wine consumption effect on atherosclerosis in healthy individuals (In Vino Veritas study)

AIMS: Consumption of wine has a protective effect on cardiovascular diseases. Data from prospective, long-term, head-to-head comparisons of effects of different drinks on markers of atherosclerosis have been insufficient. METHODS AND RESULTS: In Vino Veritas (IVV) study is long-term, prospective, multi-centre, randomized trial comparing effects of red and white wine on atherosclerosis. 157 healthy subjects were randomized to white or red wine consumption for one year. We did not find increase in HDL-cholesterol in the whole group (1.66±0.58 vs 1.62±0.49, p=0.180) or difference between both groups (1.60±0.53 vs 1.64±0.46, p=0.634). At 12 months there was reduction of LDL-cholesterol in both groups, but with no difference between the groups (3.37±0.75 vs 3.60±1.10, p=0.134); there was no difference between the groups in total cholesterol, CRP, fasting blood glucose and liver function tests. Both groups had comparable differences from baseline in levels of parameters of oxidative stress. CONCLUSION: We did not find any clinically relevant differences in the lipid profile, CRP, fasting blood glucose and other markers of atherosclerosis, between long-term consumption of red and white wine. Moreover, we were unable to confirm the hypothesis that wine drinking is associated with an elevation of HDL (Tab. 7, Fig. 1, Ref. 30).