Research

Effects of cognac on coronary flow reserve and plasma antioxidant status in healthy young men

Tuomas O Kiviniemi¹ , Antti Saraste^1,2 , Jyri O Toikka^1,3 , Markku Saraste¹ , Olli T Raitakari¹ , Jussi P Pärkkä¹ , Terho Lehtimäki^4,5 , Jaakko J Hartiala¹ , Jorma Viikari² and Juha W Koskenvuo¹

¹  Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland

²  Department of Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland

³  Department of Clinical Physiology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland

⁴  Laboratory of Atherosclerosis Genetics, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland

⁵  University of Tampere, Medical School, 33014 University of Tampere, Finland

author email corresponding author email

Cardiovascular Ultrasound 2008, 6:25doi:10.1186/1476-7120-6-25

Published:	3 June 2008

Abstract

Background

The cardioprotective effects of certain alcoholic beverages are partly related to their polyphenol content, which may improve the vasodilatory reactivity of arteries. Effect of cognac on coronary circulation, however, remains unknown. The purpose of this randomized controlled cross-over study was to determine whether moderate doses of cognac improve coronary reactivity as assessed with cold pressor testing (CPT) and coronary flow reserve (CFR) measument.

Methods

Study group consisted of 23 subjects. Coronary flow velocity and epicardial diameter was assessed using transthoracic echocardiography at rest, during CPT and adenosine infusion-derived CFR measurements before drinking, after a moderate (1.2 ± 0.1 dl) and an escalating high dose (total amount 2.4 ± 0.3 dl) of cognac. To explore the bioavailability of antioxidants, the antioxidant contents of cognac was measured and the absorption from the digestive tract was verified by plasma antioxidant capacity determination.

Results

Serum alcohol levels increased to 1.2 ± 0.2‰ and plasma antioxidant capacity from 301 ± 43.9 μmol/l to 320 ± 25.0 μmol/l by 7.6 ± 11.8%, (p = 0.01) after high doses of cognac. There was no significant change in flow velocity during CPT after cognac ingestion compared to control day. CFR was 4.4 ± 0.8, 4.1 ± 0.9 (p = NS), and 4.5 ± 1.2 (p = NS) before drinking and after moderate and high doses on cognac day, and 4.5 ± 1.4, and 4.0 ± 1.2 (p = NS) on control day.

Conclusion

Cognac increased plasma antioxidant capacity, but it had no effect on coronary circulation in healthy young men.

Trial Registration

NCT00330213