A Toast to Your Health?
by Dana Denis, MSPH., RD (topic expert: nutrition)

People living in France are known for eating diets high in saturated fats, smoking cigarettes, and are not involved in exercise programs. Surprisingly, they also have one of the lowest risks of heart disease in the world. The most likely reason -- a moderate consumption of wine. This "French Paradox" has sparked great interest in wine and produced dramatic increases in wine sales over the past 13 years. Here's why enjoying a glass each night with dinner may be good for you.

What is Moderation?

Let's clarify what we mean by moderation. Studies show that the benefits of drinking wine or alcohol had the most impact with one to six drinks per week. A drink was usually defined as a 4oz. glass of wine, a 12 oz. beer or 1 1/2 oz. of distilled alcohol. "Binge drinking" (consuming larger amounts less frequently) didn't show the same benefits, and in most studies, changed to an increased health risk with 14 or more drinks per week.

How Is Wine Beneficial?

Moderate wine consumption has been associated with a lower risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD), dementia, type 2 diabetes, gallstones and possibly cancer. Evidence also exists that a bit of wine can improve your lung function and capacity.

Drinking wine increases the levels of HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol), and may also prevent blood platelets from clotting. Both factors can decrease your risk of CHD. Gallstone formation may also be reduced due to increased HDL cholesterol as well as other effects wine and alcohol have on the gallbladder. Consuming wine or alcohol has also shown to provide a protective effect on the blood vessels of the brain which can possibly guard against dementia. What's more, a reduction in insulin resistance (inability of the body to respond to the insulin) due to drinking moderate amounts of wine has indicated a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes. Those who drink moderately have had improved lung function and capacity due to the antioxidants present in red wine. Finally, more recent studies are focusing on the possible benefits of red wine on certain types of cancer; however, more research is necessary.

What's the deal?

It's still unclear whether the benefits of drinking moderately is due to the alcohol content in wine or other components in wine, such as the many different polyphenols, which act as antioxidants. One polyphenol called resveratrol is found in the grape skins and has received the most attention. The amount of resveratrol in the wine depends on how long grape skins are present during fermentation. Grape juice has also been shown to produce similar effects, however probably due to polyphenols other than resveratrol.

It is also difficult to deduce whether the benefits are due to the wine or the lifestyle factors associated with wine drinkers. Wine drinkers in theUnited Statestend to have a higher level of education, consume a healthier diet, are more likely to be non-smokers, to exercise, and have a lower Body Mass Index, which are all also associated with reduced risk of disease. However, there is one study that found an increased benefit in men who already were at low risk for heart disease based on their lifestyle factors.

What About the Risks?

No doubt, alcohol is addictive and contributes to many health problems. Heavy alcohol consumption is associated with high blood pressure, stroke, cardiomyopathy (weakening of the heart muscle), various types of cancer, cirrhosis, pancreatitis and high blood triglycerides. Even moderate amounts of alcohol are associated with breast cancer. In addition there are the risks of trauma and death due to accidents.

What's the Bottom Line?

Certainly don't use the listed benefits of drinking as a justification to start. If you don't drink, the health benefits associated with wine or alcohol consumption don't exceed the health risks. You can find many alternative approaches to reducing risk of disease.

Abstain from alcohol if you have a family history of alcoholism, high triglycerides, pancreatitis, liver disease, uncontrolled hypertension, or heart failure. Additionally, if you are pregnant or taking medications that interact with alcohol, refrain from drinking. Consult with your physician or health care professional on your benefit versus risk of wine or alcohol consumption.

If you choose to drink, one or two glasses of wine a day may provide some health benefit, as well as the perfect complement to your meal.

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