Wine may be good for your heart, new study says, but experts aren't convinced

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Drinking a little wine every day may protect your heart, a new study of Spaniards has found. plant-based mediterranean dietthis usually involves drinking a small glass of wine with dinner.

For people aged 60 and over who are at risk for heart disease, drinking half a glass to one glass of wine a day has a 50% lower risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes than people who don't drink wine at all. % decreased. .

But experts say this protective effect disappeared in people who drank more than one glass a day. Study author Ramon Estruch, Ph.D., researches cardiovascular risk, nutrition, and aging at the University of Barcelona.

“This study validates the importance of moderate wine consumption within a healthy dietary pattern, such as the Mediterranean diet,” Estruche, an internist at Hospital Clinic Internal Medicine in Barcelona, ​​said in a statement.

“Previously, it was thought that 20% of the benefits of the Mediterranean diet were due to moderate wine consumption, but given these results, the benefits may be even greater,” he says. Said.

But critics say the study did not take into account the well-known health effects of alcohol, including wine.

Tracy Parker, senior nutritionist at the British Heart Foundation, said: 'This study suggests that low to moderate wine consumption may reduce CVD risk, but red wine “It's not entirely obvious that you can crack open a bottle.” Involved in research.

“It is well established that excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to heart health,” Parker said in a statement. “Drinking too much alcohol increases your risk of heart and circulatory diseases such as high blood pressure and vascular dementia, as well as liver problems and certain cancers. ”

Additionally, experts say many people don't accurately measure the amount of wine they pour. A wine that should be poured into a small 4-ounce glass can easily become 6 or even 9 ounces.

“We're often told that 'wine is good for your heart,' but we also know that drinking too much wine is 'bad for your heart,'” says Paul Leeson, professor of cardiology at the University of Oxford. study.

This research today european heart journalis part of an ongoing study in Spain investigating the effects of a Mediterranean diet on people at risk of heart disease. The 1,232 participants in the current study had type 2 diabetes or risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol, blood pressure, were overweight or obese, and/or had a family history of heart disease.

At the beginning of the study, subjects were asked about their typical foods and drinks, and provided urine samples that were used to measure tartaric acid, a chemical excreted in urine that is naturally present in grape products such as wine. was requested. After following a Mediterranean diet for a year, the urine test was repeated. If you have consumed grapes or wine within the past five days or so, the test will detect it.

“By measuring tartaric acid in the urine alongside the food and drink questionnaire, we were able to more accurately measure wine consumption,” Estraf said.

Grapes, or wine, contain large amounts of tartaric acid, but using it as a marker is not without concerns, said Kevin McConway, emeritus professor of applied statistics at the Open University. Britain's Milton Keynes was not involved in this research.

“Much of the variation in tartaric acid is due to other factors, such as not all respondents being honest about how much they drank and the period of time between self-reported alcohol consumption and tartaric acid measurements. “Alternatively, tartaric acid levels are also affected by other food intake and processes in the body,” McConway said in a statement.

It's also important to note that the study results only indicate an association, not a cause-and-effect relationship, Leeson said.

“There may be other ways in which people consuming this much wine helped reduce risk in this study,” Leeson said. “First, this study was conducted in people who followed a heart-healthy diet. Perhaps the health benefits of a glass of wine only emerge when paired with a Mediterranean diet? ?”

There are much healthier ways to protect your heart and overall health than drinking, including eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking. Yes, Parker said.

Naveed Sattar, professor of cardiometabolic medicine and honorary consultant at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, who was not involved in the study, advised against consuming wine and alcohol for health reasons.

“If you want to be healthier, I strongly encourage you to limit your drinking as much as possible,” Sattar said in a statement. “The wine paradox is a myth and this article adds nothing new to what is already known.”