Drinking Small Amount of Wine Daily May Protect Heart, Study Suggests
A new study suggests that drinking a small amount of wine each day may protect the heart, according to Dr. Ramon Estruch, senior study author and internist at the University of Barcelona. The study found that in a group of people over 60 at risk for heart disease, drinking one-half to one glass of wine a day reduced the risk of having a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack or stroke by 50% compared to those who drank no wine.
The study, published in the European Heart Journal, analyzed the impact of a Mediterranean diet on people at risk for heart disease. The participants were asked about their typical food and drink habits and were required to provide urine samples to measure the amount of tartaric acid, a chemical excreted in urine that is naturally found in grape products such as wine.
The results showed that the protective effect of wine consumption disappeared in people who drank more than one glass per day. However, critics argue that the study does not take into account the well-known health harms of alcohol, including wine.
“The study suggests that low to moderate wine consumption may lower CVD risk, but it’s not an all-clear to crack open a bottle of red wine,” said Tracy Parker, senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation. “It is well-documented that excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to heart health.”
Experts also warn that many people do not accurately measure their wine pours, and what should be a small 4-ounce glass of wine can easily become a 6-ounce or even 9-ounce pour.
Paul Leeson, professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Oxford, cautioned that while wine may be good for the heart in moderation, too much wine is not.
The study’s findings are part of an ongoing Spanish study investigating the impact of the Mediterranean diet on people at risk for heart disease. However, other experts argue that the study’s results do not show causation and that there may be other factors involved in the reduction of cardiovascular risk.
Kevin McConway, an emeritus professor of applied statistics at the Open University, expressed concerns over the study’s method of measuring wine consumption using tartaric acid in urine samples.
Naveed Sattar, a professor of cardiometabolic medicine and honorary consultant at the University of Glasgow, advised against drinking wine or any other alcohol for good health.
“The wine paradox is a myth and this article adds nothing new to what is already known,” he said. “There are much healthier ways to protect one’s heart and overall health, such as eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise, as well as maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking.”
