Scientists find red wine could lower symptoms of type 2 diabetes
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The dangers posed by alcohol consumption are well-documented but drinking red wine is somewhat of an outlier. Although exceeding the recommended guidelines (no more than one to glasses of red wine per day) can cause a long list of health problems, the occasional glass of red may in fact boost your lifespan. Speaking to Express.co.uk, Dr Deborah Lee of Dr Fox Online Pharmacy outlined the numerous health benefits linked to red wine consumption.
Dr Fox cited a comprehensive review of the relevant medical papers published in the journal Diseases.
The review focussed on ten robust studies looking at the effects of moderate alcohol intake, especially wine, on health.
“The authors concluded that a moderate intake of red wine had a ‘valuable role’ in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, cognitive decline, depression, and cancer,” Dr Fox reported.
As she noted, red wine appears to have specific health benefits when compared to white wine, water, and other alcoholic drinks.
The health benefits are partly attributed to potent compounds called phytochemicals found in red wine, said Dr Fox.
Two in particular – resveratrol and pterostilbene – are thought to induce anti-ageing effects, she said.
“Their anti-ageing effects are thought to be due to their potent antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory actions,” explained Dr Fox.
She continued: “They also influence telomere attrition – cell division that takes place at the ends of the chromosomes, known to be associated with ageing.”
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What’s more, resveratrol also has a positive influence on cell senescence – the process by which abnormal cells fail to replicate, reported Dr Fox.
“Cell senescence prevents abnormal cells from developing into a malignancy.”
The term “malignancy” refers to the presence of cancerous cells that have the ability to spread to other sites in the body or to invade and destroy nearby tissues.
Also, resveratrol is known to activate specific enzymes, called Sirt enzymes, which play a role in anti-ageing, said Dr Fox.
She continued: “Resveratrol has been shown to reduce oxidative stress, lower chronic inflammation, improve both cardiac and cognitive function, and inhibit tumour growth.
“It also seems to improve insulin resistance in diabetics.”
How to drink responsibly
To maximise the health benefits and not offset them, it is vital to drink red wine in moderation.
It is advisable to drink no more than one to two glasses of red wine per day.
To put this into perspective, one 150ml glass of red wine is 12 to 15 percent of your daily alcohol intake.
“Alternatively, if you don’t want this amount of alcohol, you could try taking resveratrol supplements,” added Dr Fox.
It is also important to eat a healthy, balanced diet, which means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
Regular exercise can also help to achieve a healthy body weight.
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