Red Grape Antioxidant is One Benefit of Wine by Dr. David Lipschitz on Creators.com

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Red Grape Antioxidant is One Benefit of Wine

The evidence is compelling that red wine can be very beneficial to your health. In scientific tests on fungi, fish and mice, the compound resveratrol, which is found in red wine, has been shown to improve overall health and substantially prolong life.

Resveratrol is a phytoalexin found in high concentrations in the skin of red grapes, which helps fight infections by fungi and certain bacteria. The molecule is thought to be an antioxidant, helping to prevent cell damage from powerful oxidants produced during normal metabolism. Although it is already touted as an "anti-aging" drug, the mechanism by which it prolongs life in animals is unknown.

Alcohol in moderation seems to have health benefits beyond just its "anti-aging" qualities. More than 60 research studies have shown that moderate consumption of alcohol reduces the risk of a heart attack. The benefits occur only if no more than one or two drinks are consumed daily — exceeding the limit increases risks of heart attacks and death.

Much of the initial information regarding wine and health comes from the intriguing observation that the French, despite consuming a diet high in saturated fat, have 50 percent fewer heart attacks than Americans. This reduced risk cannot be explained by lower cholesterol, more exercise, less stress or less obesity among the French; rather, careful analysis of all factors that could explain the difference pointed to the increased consumption of alcohol and red wine.

Resveratrol is not the only compound in wine with health benefits. Antioxidants called polyphenols are found in high concentrations in grape skin and are believed to reduce the risk of heart attacks. The highest amounts of polyphenols are in Cabernet grapes and in French wine. Fats that become oxidized are much more likely to accumulate in the wall of arteries, leading to plaques. Not only do polyphenols prevent fat deposition, but they also prevent blood clotting by impairing the ability of platelets to stick to damaged arteries. These antioxidants also appear to reduce inflammation in blood vessels, decreasing cholesterol deposition and the risk of spasm if an artery becomes partly blocked.

Recently, a substance called saponin, also found in red wine, has been shown to raise the good or HDL cholesterol and modestly reduce the bad or LDL cholesterol.

Saponin binds cholesterol and prevents its absorption into the bloodstream from the bowel. Some maintain that saponin is the most potent agent in red wine. Its concentration is highest in California zinfandels.

Whenever a dietary effect is found to exert a health benefit, the compounds thought to be responsible are purified and offered in health food stores in massive doses. This goes along with the common misconception that "if a little is good, a lot must be better."

Already, Dr. David Sinclair, a Harvard researcher, recommends taking large doses of resveratrol in tablet form in the hope of reducing the risk of heart attacks, improving health and prolonging life. His rationale is based on the fact that the doses of resveratrol required to prolong life in mice were a thousandfold higher than that found in two glasses of red wine.

While research studies are under way to determine whether resveratrol in varying doses prolongs life or prevents disease, no benefits of large doses have been reported in man. And it is still too early to know whether massive, man-made doses of the compound are truly safe. Recent history has shown that while a little vitamin C, A and E in natural foods has health benefits, mega doses in tablet form do the exact opposite. Rather than improving health, they increase the risk of heart attack, cancer and Alzheimer's and shorten life expectancy. These vitamins are also antioxidants with a similar mechanism of action to resveratrol.

Ask any wine enthusiasts and they will strongly recommend moderation and emphasize the importance of truly enjoying a good wine. The evidence is compelling that drinking two glasses of wine with a meal has significant health benefits. But remember to be prudent. While compounds in wine may be of value, it does not hold true that massive doses of a substance like resveratrol will indeed be the elusive fountain of youth.

Dr. David Lipschitz is the author of the books, "Breaking the Rules of Aging" and "Dr. David's First Health Book of More Not Less." To find out more about Dr. David Lipschitz and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. More information is available at www.DrDavidHealth.com.