Washington, Apr 20 : A new study has found that heavy drinking in college students may lead them to increased heart diseases in the future.

The study was conducted by a team of researchers at Minnesota and was lead by Elizabeth Donovan.

As part of the study, researchers surveyed 25 college-age individuals to assess factors that can affect CRP levels such as alcohol consumption patterns, medication use, smoking habits and recent weight loss.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a blood marker for inflammation that can increase the risk for heart disease.

As part of the survey researchers divided the students into 3 groups on the basis of the amount of alcohol they consumed:

-Non-drinkers, meaning they consumed one or less drinks one day a week;

-Moderate drinkers, who consumed two to five drinks of alcohol on a typical drinking day, one to two days a week; and

-Heavy drinkers, who consumed three or more drinks at least three or more days a week or consumed five or more drinks in one sitting at least two or more days a week.

One drink was equal to 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of hard alcohol.

Researchers found that the group of college students who drank heavily had higher levels of CRP, which placed heavy drinkers at moderate risk for cardiovascular disease in early adulthood.

Moderate drinkers had significantly lower CRP levels than heavy drinkers, with the average level at 0.58 mg/L for moderate drinkers, but rising to 1.25 mg/L for heavy drinkers, while the non- or low drinkers had CRP levels of 0.85 mg/L, the difference between them and moderate drinkers was not significant.

“A J-shaped pattern emerged indicating that even in a young, otherwise healthy population, heavy drinking is associated with elevated CRP levels. CRP levels of individuals who consumed high amounts of alcohol were significantly greater than CRP levels in individuals who consumed moderate amounts. CRP levels in those who consumed no or low amounts of alcohol were greater than those who consumed moderate amounts, but the difference wasn’t statistically significant.” Donovan said.

Researchers also found certain CRP relationships:

-CRP levels and a high Body Mass Index were more strongly correlated in males.

-Higher consumption of fruit and vegetables were associated with lower CRP levels.

-Those with a family history of cardiovascular disease had higher CRP levels.

“While moderate alcohol intake appears to have some health benefits, we must advise against heavy and binge drinking,” Donovan said.

Researchers suggest that further investigation is needed as these findings as the results were from a non-random survey of a small group of college students

Drinking alcohol excessively increases such dangers as alcoholism, high blood pressure, obesity, stroke, breast cancer, suicide and accidents. Also, it’s not possible to predict in which people alcoholism will become a problem.

The findings of the research were in the reported at the American Heart Association’s Annual Conference on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. (ANI)