A glass of red wine a day is good for cardiovascular health?
Have you ever heard of the saying “a glass of red wine a day can prevent heart disease”?
About 23 years ago, an epidemiological study of cardiovascular disease found that many French people had a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease despite having a diet high in fat.
In response to this finding, researchers have come up with different hypotheses, the most popular of which is that “the French have a habit of drinking red wine, which explains their lower incidence of cardiovascular disease”.
Is red wine really good for heart health? Is it healthier than white wine, beer, or liquor? Is there any harm?
Is moderate alcohol consumption good for heart health?
There are some studies that show that moderate alcohol consumption is good for heart health. The term “alcohol” here refers to alcohol in general and not specifically to red wine.
These studies have concluded that alcohol has the following benefits.
Increase levels of “good cholesterol,” also known as high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol;
Alcohol reduces the formation of blood clots;
Preventing damage to blood vessels from the “bad cholesterol,” which is low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol;
Alter blood pressure.
The vast majority of studies have concluded that there is insufficient evidence that red wine is better for heart health than other alcohol.
Is red wine really good for the heart?
Some studies suggest that it may be the resveratrol in red wine that prevents blood vessel damage, reduces LDL cholesterol, and prevents blood clotting.
However, most of the research on resveratrol is based on animals, and it is inconclusive whether the same effects are seen in humans.
Experiments in rats suggest that resveratrol may prevent obesity and diabetes, both of which happen to be high-risk factors for heart disease; however, to achieve the same amount of resveratrol as the rats in the experiment, a person would have to drink 1,000 liters of red wine per day.
A recent study from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine even suggested that there is no direct relationship between resveratrol and cardiovascular health.
They estimated the resveratrol intake of volunteers by recording resveratrol in their urine over a 9-year follow-up and found that there was not much correlation with their risk of death, heart disease and cancer.
The results of other studies suggest that we should perhaps not be too optimistic about resveratrol.
Some studies have shown that resveratrol may diminish the heart benefits that older adults get from their own exercise. Moreover, resveratrol only works for a relatively short period of time after drinking red wine, and this effect may not be long-lasting in the long run.
Is it worthwhile to drink alcohol to prevent heart disease?
Neither the American College of Cardiology nor the American Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has ever recommended that people drink alcohol daily to prevent heart disease.
By “moderate alcohol consumption,” we mean that
Healthy women and men over the age of 65 should not drink more than 1 serving of alcohol per day;
For men under 65, do not drink more than 2 servings of alcohol per day.
One serving of alcohol is equivalent to 355 mL of beer or 148 mL of wine or 44 mL of spirits.
However, it is easy to become addicted to alcohol and you can overdo it if you are not careful. If you indulge in alcohol or alcohol abuse, the definite risks far outweigh the uncertain benefits.
Excessive alcohol consumption carries risks of
Increased risk of high blood pressure, high triglycerides, liver damage and obesity;
Alcohol is strongly associated with the development of many cancers, including esophageal, rectal and breast cancers;
Regular excessive alcohol consumption can cause cardiomyopathy.
People with heart failure or poor heart function, those who take aspirin daily, and pregnant women should not drink alcohol. Do not expect to treat cardiovascular disease by drinking alcohol.
Some people also like to make their own wine at home, which is also a risk factor.
Although it seems healthier to make your own wine, the brewing process is very complex and conditions are not properly controlled, which can produce harmful formaldehyde and cause food poisoning. Legitimate manufacturers have special instruments to test for harmful substances when producing alcohol, but the home obviously does not have such conditions.