A Little Wine, A Longer Life

Just when you think all the health benefits of wine have been discovered, researchers find something new.

In recent years, red wine has gained fame and popularity due to its powerful antioxidants and heart-healthy benefits. It turns out, though, that better heart health isn't the only benefit you'll enjoy when you drink a glass of wine. You'll also boost your lifespan and sharpen your mind.

[i]

Best of all, it doesn't take that much wine to do the trick just a half a glass a day makes a huge, positive impact on your health.

Two-and-a-Half Ounces of Prevention

The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health brings to light how just a little wine each day makes a big difference in your health.

The researchers focused on middle-aged and older men. They studied the affects of moderate alcohol intake, looking specifically at the types and amounts of alcohol that people drink and how it changes life expectancy. The authors state, We are the first to study the effects of absolute alcohol intake and type of alcoholic beverage on life expectancy.[ii] The results are promising and something that you can start taking advantage of immediately.

The researchers found that men who drink a small amount of alcohol each day have healthier brains and healthier hearts. They also live about two and half years longer than people who don't drink at all. When researchers focused on the men who drank primarily wine, they found the benefits were even more pronounced. Men who fell into this group gained twice the benefit in terms of longevity, living a full five years longer than non-drinkers.[iii]

Your Cup Runneth Over

When it comes to wine, there's so much to enjoy. It really is a gift that keeps on giving. In addition to this latest study, two others were recently published with more good news about wine

In one study, researchers looked at the effects of some of the compounds that give red wine its pigment. They found that red wine has a dramatic effect on cells and can trigger the rapid death of cancerous cells. The process is complex and needs further study, but the results indicate that red wine may be a cancer preventer, as well.[iv]

Another study takes a closer look at resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant in red wine. The researchers wanted to better understand its effects on heart health. Many studies have shown that resveratrol helps to prevent heart disease. This study goes one further and looks at how.

The researchers found that resveratrol acts in numerous ways to improve heart health. It lowers cholesterol, supports the production of proteins that lengthen cell life, works as an antioxidant, supports new blood vessel growth, and helps your body regulate blood sugar.[v]

The news about red wine this last month has been very good. From healthier brain cells to a longer life, from better heart health to cancer prevention, red wine really delivers some powerful health benefits.

It only takes a half a glass of red wine a day to take advantage of these benefits. Alcohol is a potentially addicting substance, so I recommend you talk to your doctor about the specific risks and benefits that red wine has for your health before you start making a glass of wine at dinner a habit but it's definitely something worth considering.

[i] [ii] Hendrick, Bill. Half a Glass of Wine for Longer Life? WebMD. 4/29/2009

[iii] Streppel MT, et al. Long-term wine consumption is related to cardiovascular mortality and life expectancy independently of moderate alcohol intake: the Zutphen Study, J Epidemiol Community Health 2009; Epub ahead of print.

[iv] Wallenborg K, et al. Red wine triggers cell death and thioredoxin reductase inhibition: effects beyond resveratrol and SIRT1, Exp Cell Res 2009; 315(8): 1360-71

[v] Penumathsa SV and Maulik N. Resveratrol: a promising agent in promoting cardioprotection against coronary heart disease, Can J Physiol Pharmacol 2009; 87(4): 275-86

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