Rats aged 6 weeks (young), 6 months (mature), and 20 months (senescent) were offered alcohol adlibitumfor 3 weeks to study the interrelationship between alcohol, age, and serum lipids. Although the total quantity of alcohol consumption increased with age, senescent rats actually consumed less alcohol per gram body weight per day as compared to either mature or young rats. Increasing age alone was associated with higher levels of total serum cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Triglyceride levels were not affected by age. Alcohol consumption elevated high density lipoprotein cholesterol in young rats, however, did not alter this lipid fraction in either mature or senescent rats. Triglyceride levels were elevated by alcohol only in senescent rats.
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