Another Good Reason to Drink Red Wine

As if we needed another reason to enjoy a glass of red wine every day!

A study released on November 1^st 2011 discusses the metabolic benefits of resveratrol. The study observed the health of obese men after they were given a resveratrol supplement…and the findings were promising!

The Science

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So what is resveratrol? It's an antioxidant found in the skin of grapes and other foods such as peanuts, blueberries and cranberries. More is found in red wines than white wines because red wines are fermented longer.

Scientists have been studying the effect of the compound for years on cells and laboratory mice. Health benefits have been identified for the heart because it reduces inflammation and blood clotting as well as "bad" cholesterol. The antioxidant has also shown to help in the prevention and treatment of diabetes, a strong risk factor for heart disease.

The Study

Research began on the benefits and uses of resveratrol in helping obesity many years ago.

Here is a clip from CBS news in 2006 reporting the initial findings in mice.

Those studies indicated the antioxidant could mimic the benefits of consuming a very low-calorie diet. This type of diet is difficult, if not impossible, to live by but has shown to extend longevity, protect from obesity and diabetes. Laboratory mice showed an increase in their physical endurance.

Studies are also being done on resveratrol's effect on proteins known as sirtuins, which are involved in the aging process. "This study comes at a time when obesity and diabetes are reaching epidemic proportions," said David A. Sinclair of Harvard Medical School. "Sirtuins offer the promise that we can find ways to prevent the effects of obesity and sedentary lifestyles."

As predicted, the study is now being done on humans with positive results. The full study was posted online by the journal of Cell Metabolism and done by Maastricht University in The Netherlands. The intensive double-blind study involved 11 obese but healthy men chosen given their increased risk for type II diabetes. Scientist gave 150 milligrams of a placebo to the healthy obese men for a month and then switched them to the 99 percent form of trans-resveratrol daily for a month and vice versa.

The Reasons to Drink….well sip…. Red Wine

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The metabolic activity of the men was examined through a series of detailed tests measuring the amount of energy they expended, and the amount of fat they were storing and burnings. "We saw a lot of small effects, but consistently pointing in a good direction of improved metabolic health," said Patrick Schrauwen of Maastricht University in The Netherlands.

The substance appeared to have all the same effects in humans as in the laboratory mice such as lowering metabolic rate, cutting the accumulation of fat in the liver, reducing blood sugar, blood pressure, triglycerides and inflammation and boosting the efficiency of muscles. No apparent side effects were noted.

The dose in the study was much lower than used in the animal studies, but still, someone would have to drink about two gallons of red wine a day to get the equivalent amount of resveratrol. The antioxidant is currently offered as a supplement but little research has been done to prove the effectiveness of such over-the-counted substances.

Further research needs to be done to explore the long term effects of resveratrol as well as the effect is has on people who are not obese. Future studies, will also explore the effects of resveratrol in people who have already progressed to diabetes.

"Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read." Francis Bacon

Resources

Washington Post

Medical Daily

Mayo Clinic