Moderate wine with Mediterranean diet can benefit heart health

• New research suggests that consuming small to moderate amounts of wine as part of a Mediterranean diet may lower your risk of heart disease.
• Experts warn that daily alcohol consumption has health risks that need to be taken into account.
• Lifestyle factors such as a healthy diet, daily exercise, and enough sleep are more productive ways to promote heart health.

Is having an occasional glass of wine good for your heart?

A new study has further fueled the debate over whether drinking a moderate amount of wine every day has health benefits, such as lowering the risk of heart disease.

This study was published on December 17th. european heart journalreport that drinking small or moderate amounts of wine while adhering to a Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular disease by as much as 50%.

“We found a protective effect of wine that was much greater than that observed in other studies. The 50 percent reduction in risk is much greater than can be achieved with some drugs such as statins. “It’s expensive,” said the study’s lead author. Ramon Estrichprofessor at the University of Barcelona and researcher at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, ​​Spain. news release.

“This study examines the importance of moderate wine consumption in healthy dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet. Previously, 20% of the benefits of the Mediterranean diet were thought to be due to moderate wine consumption. However, given these results, the impact could be even greater.”

The latest study is part of a larger Spanish study, mediterranean diet Applies to people at high risk of developing heart disease.

Participants in this large cohort had no cardiovascular disease at the start of the study, but had either type 2 diabetes or a combination of heart disease risk factors, including smoking, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

In the new study, researchers surveyed 1,232 participants in the group. During the four- to five-year follow-up period, 685 of the participants developed cardiovascular disease.

Researchers reported that among a group at high risk for cardiovascular disease who followed a Mediterranean diet, those who drank light to moderate amounts of wine had a 50% lower risk. This is defined as drinking half a glass to one glass of wine per day.

The researchers added that people who drank less than half a glass of wine per week had a 38% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

The researchers noted that the health benefits disappeared for people who drank more than one glass of wine a day.

Participants completed questionnaires about what they ate and drank, but also submitted urine samples at the beginning of the study and after following a Mediterranean diet for a year.

Urine samples were used for measurements tartaric acida chemical naturally occurring in grapes and grape-derived products such as wine. This type of acid is excreted in the urine and can be used to show whether you have consumed wine or grapes in the past 5-6 days.

Eric Lim, ScDUrinary biomarkers are a key component of the study, said Dr. He, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Lim was not involved in this research.

“This particular finding is a small piece of how the Mediterranean diet contributes to improved cardiometabolic health,” Lim told Healthline.

“Wine has been part of this healthy dietary pattern for centuries, and this new biomarker will help identify specific compounds associated with grape consumption. Examining this as a biomarker “This eliminates some of the concerns about accurate reporting of normal alcohol consumption,” he said.

there was contradictory data On whether daily wine consumption can contribute to improved health.

Some studies have concluded that red wine, in particular, may improve cardiovascular health and lower the risk of dementia, depression, and insulin resistance.

However, studies have also shown that excessive drinking can dramatically increase the risk of heart disease, cancer, cirrhosis, and other chronic diseases.

Some experts say wine drinkers' reduced risk of cardiovascular disease may be because people in Mediterranean countries tend to eat healthier and lead healthier lifestyles. I'm doing it.

But several experts not involved in the study contacted by Healthline said that while the new research has merit, the question of whether wine or alcohol has health benefits remains unclear. He said it was ambiguous.

“This study adds further information to the ongoing debate about the health effects of moderate wine consumption. As with all observational studies, we cannot determine the direction of causation.” said. Dr. Chen Han Chenan interventional cardiologist and medical director of the structural heart program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in California.

“Through decades of research, we have found no clear benefits of wine or alcohol consumption on heart health,” Chen told Healthline. “On the contrary, we know a lot about the harms of drinking alcohol, which is why the World Health Organization state No amount of alcohol is considered safe or beneficial. ”

Rigved Tadwarkar, MarylandThe study is “especially important for individuals at high risk for heart disease,” the medical director and consultant cardiologist at the Center for Cardiac Rehabilitation at Providence St. John's Health Center in California, who is also a consultant cardiologist, told Healthline. “This provides interesting insight into the potential cardiovascular effects of mild to moderate wine consumption.” These are people who suffer from cardiovascular disease and follow a Mediterranean diet. ”

“However, it is important to note that while this study shows a correlation between moderate wine consumption and fewer cardiovascular events, it does not establish causation,” Tadwarkar said. .

“Although this study is robust, it is observational and confounding factors cannot be completely ruled out. Also, the study population was elderly people at high risk of cardiovascular disease in Mediterranean countries. “The generalizability of the study results to other populations and age groups is limited,” he said.

Dr. Jane MorganPart of the problem, says the cardiologist and vice president of medical affairs at Hello Heart, is chemicals. resveratrolfound in grape skins and other foods.

This compound has been shown in the past to not only lower the risk of heart disease, but also to prevent type 2 diabetes and improve memory.

“Part of the conflict is with resveratrol, which is found in many red wines and is said to have cardiovascular benefits,” Morgan told Healthline.

“However, the American Heart Association appropriately point out For most people, the risks of alcohol consumption outweigh the potential benefits. “Resveratrol is not as protective as previously advertised and it's not worth consuming wine or alcohol to get the benefits,” she added.

Tadwarkar also expressed caution about wine's purported benefits.

“The debate around wine consumption and its health effects is long-standing and complex,” he says. “Previous research suggests that light or moderate consumption of wine, especially red wine, may have cardiovascular benefits, but these findings are not widely accepted. Recent research casts doubt on this concept.

Alcohol use in general has also been extensively studied for its potential negative effects on human health.

Perhaps this is why the World Health Organization (WHO) Declaration in 2023 No amount of alcohol is safe.

a 2023 survey It states that even one drink a day can increase blood pressure. a 2024 survey reported that even moderate drinking can increase cancer risk.

Current US Dietary Guidelines recommend Women should limit their alcohol intake to no more than one drink per day, and men should limit their alcohol intake to no more than two drinks per day.

The guidelines note that people with certain medical conditions, including pregnancy, and those taking medications should avoid alcohol completely.

“In general, I recommend that people limit their alcohol intake as much as possible. We have found no obvious health benefits from drinking alcohol, only harm,” Chen said.

“For those who are already consuming and plan to continue, moderation and context are key,” Tadwarkar added. “Mild to moderate alcohol consumption may have health benefits, especially in the following situations: balanced dietThe potential risks should not be underestimated. ”

“For people who don't currently drink alcohol, there's certainly no need to start using alcohol for health reasons,” he added.

Heart disease is Main cause Mortality rates for men, women, and people from most racial and ethnic groups in the United States.

In 2022, more than 700,000 people will die from heart disease in the United States.

Experts agree that lifestyle factors are important factors in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. among them, beneficial elements teeth:

• healthy eating
• regular exercise
• enough sleep
• Managing weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure
• reduce stress
• avoid tobacco

“There are certainly safer ways to improve your health besides drinking red wine, including eating a heart-healthy diet, exercising, and managing your blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, weight, and stress,” Morgan says. “Additionally, if you smoke, stop smoking and avoid second-hand smoke. Additionally, know your family history and get genetic screening if appropriate.”

“To effectively reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, we need to focus on a comprehensive approach that includes a healthy diet, regular physical activity, and lifestyle modifications,” Tadwarkar added. .

The basics are a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats found in olive oil and nuts. The Mediterranean diet, the subject of this research study, has been shown to be particularly beneficial for heart health. ”

Mr Lim said moderate alcohol consumption was only part of the equation.

“Alcohol is only one part of cardiovascular health,” he pointed out. “Reduction of diet, sleep, weight, physical activity, blood pressure, total HDL cholesterol, and stress” [are important]. Wine may be part of it, but only in small doses and spread over the week. This great new study in Spain has produced results that suggest this is still a very good message. ”

A new observational study suggests that low to moderate wine intake combined with a Mediterranean diet may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

However, this study cannot draw firm conclusions about causality, and further research may be needed.

There are conflicting studies as to whether moderate alcohol consumption provides health benefits, and current evidence suggests little or no health benefits.

Experts say lifestyle factors such as a healthy diet, regular exercise, and enough sleep are more productive ways to achieve this goal.