WINE Science & Health

• Resveratrol: 2 more things to consider on the "wine compound" 
  (Wine Spectator) The "super compund" looks to have a role in lowering blood pressure and fighting depression, according to new research - although as usual "researchers used a dose of resveratrol much higher than a person could safely drink in a sitting".
• Drinking Alcohol May Reduce Mortality In Older Adults 
  (Health Journal) A U.S. study on Health and Retirement shows that there "are consistent associations between moderate/occasional drinking and lower mortality".
• Busted: 5 Health Myths About Wine 
  (Wine Spectator) Brain cells, red vs white, sleep, men vs women and hangovers get a wine fact-check.
• Trade hits out at ‘questionable’ Lancet alcohol research 
  (The Spirits Business) Representatives of the global drinks trade have accused a new alcohol consumption study of using a “questionable” forecasting model and producing results that contradict WHO findings.
• How Much Alcohol Can You Drink Safely? 
  (New York Times) Sorting through the latest research on how to optimize your well-being is a constant and confounding feature of modern life. A scientific study becomes a press release becomes a news alert, shedding context at each stage. Often, it’s a steady stream of resulting headlines that seem to contradict one another, which makes it easy to justify ignoring them.
• The War On Alcohol: Is This Prohibition 2.0 
  (Forbes) Interview with Christopher Snowdon, a frequent critic of studies which claim modest alcohol consumption is deleterious to health. 
• Alcohol use and burden for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2016... 
  (The Lancet) "the risk of all-cause mortality, and of cancers specifically, rises with increasing levels of consumption, and the level of consumption that minimises health loss is zero. These results suggest that alcohol control policies might need to be revised worldwide, refocusing on efforts to lower overall population-level consumption."  See also here for a summary of the data.
• The War On Alcohol: Is This Prohibition 2.0 
  (Forbes) Interview with Christopher Snowdon, a frequent critic of studies which claim modest alcohol consumption is deleterious to health. 
• Abstinence in middle age found to increase dementia risk by 45% 
  (The Drink Business) A 23-year study to examine the association between drinking alcohol and the risk of dementia has concluded that those who chose to abstain from drinking alcohol in middle age had a higher risk of developing dementia compared to those who drank in moderation.
• 5 Healthy Habits for Longer Life? Moderate Wine Consumption Is One 
  (Wine Spectator) A glass of wine per day, coupled with a healthy diet, exercise and not smoking, may help add over a decade to your life expectancy.
• Health Watch: NIH Shuts Down $110 Million Study on Alcohol and Health 
  (Wine Spectator) National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that it is pulling the plug on funding for a controversial trial receiving funding from big alcohol companies.
• Wine Is Full of Healthy Polyphenols. But What's a Polyphenol? 
  (Wine Spectator) These antioxidants set wine apart from other alcoholic beverages but, even though there has been a lot more scientific interest in wine's health benefits in the last couple decades, we are still a long way from knowing how polyphenols uniquely affects our health.
• How Does Wine Help Guard Your Heart? 
  (Wine Spectator) Study shows that changes triggered by moderate alcohol consumption may help your body fight off future cardiovascular damage.
• Wine and Prostate Cancer risk 
  (Wine Spectator) A meta-analysis of multiple studies shows that overall moderate wine consumption did not raise the risk of prostate cancer, but white wine slightly increases risk while red wine lowers it.
• Extra glass of wine a day 'will shorten your life by 30 minutes' 
  (The Guardian) Any more than 100g of alcohol (5x 175ml glasses of wine) a week is putting your health in danger and lowering life-expectancy by 6mths to 5yrs - depending on consumption - according to an MRC study published in the Lancet.
• Human genes are evolving to make alcohol consumption less pleasant 
  (The Daily Pennsylvanian) Researchers at University of Pennsylvania identified genetic selection pressures on Alcohol dehydrogenases variants leading to more adverse physical reactions to alcohol (full article in Nature:ecology & evolution).
• Trickery revealed 
  (Drinks retailing news) Campaigner Chris Snowdon exposed Public Health England for massaging evidence to push through a reduction in UK alcohol guidelines, and believes PHEs relationship with the anti-drink lobby (including holding its Alcohol Leadership Board meetings at the offices of a temperance group) is worryingly cosy for a state agency.
• UBC researchers map smoke taint in wine grapes 
  (University of British Columbia) Volatile phenols from smoke are absorbed quickly by grapes and remain long after the smoke has cleared, only becoming apparent again after fermentation.
• Beneficial effects of low alcohol exposure, but adverse effects of high alcohol intake on glymphatic function 
  (Nature) Study on the effects of ethanol on the Cenral Nervous System of mice suggests that low-moderate alcohol consumption may reduce the risk of dementia.
  (Note that sufficient sleep and exercise is expected to do the same!)
• Wine and dementia: Studies clash on health benefits 
  (Decanter) Two different studies give different conclusions on the benefits, or otherwise, of wine drinking and dementia/Alzheimers. UCSD study shows regular, moderate drinking may be preventative, whislt an Oxford study showed that moderate and heavy drinkers are at a higher risk of developing brain diseases.
• DNA to Define Your Wine Tastes 
  (Wine Spectator) After getting your DNA sequenced by Helix you can now plug that into an app that claims to match the results with your wine taste.
• Red-Wine Compound Holds Potential for Treating Respiratory Infections 
  (Wine Spectator) Resveratrol shows beneficial anti-inflammatory effects for respiratory infections (in high-doses).
• Grape Compounds May Help Fight Colon Cancer 
  (Wine Spectator) Studies on resveratrol in combination with grapeseed proanthocyanidins show positive effects on colon cancer cells compared to existing anti-inflammatory drugs which have side-effects. 
• Could wine make you smarter? 
  (SRNews) Northumbria University research into Resveratrol's vasodilatory properties increasing blood flow to the brain.
• Alcohol intake associated with increased risk of melanoma 
  (Science Daily) Alcohol intake is associated with higher rates of invasive melanoma among white men and women, with white wine carrying the most significant association.
• Moderate drinking may reduce frailty, cardiovascular disease for seniors 
  (Medical News Today) Research by a team from the University of Central Florida suggest drinking moderate amounts of alcohol could reduce frailty and other age-related conditions, including cardiovascular disease, by lowering production of C-reactive protein (CRP) .
• Red-Wine Compound Holds Potential for Treating Respiratory Infections 
  (Wine Spectator) Research adds to efforts to understand the many compounds found in a glass of wine and how they may improve health.
• Red wine prevents erectile dysfunction 
  (The Drinks Business) A 40-year study made by teams at Harvard and the University of East Anglia has found that middle aged men who drank plant-based drinks and ate berries and citrus fruits that are rich in ‘flavonoids’ were 10% less likely to develop erectile dysfunction. The benefits were strongest among younger men.
• U.K. Health Authorities Dismiss Red Wine's Health Benefits as 'An Old Wives' Tale' 
  (Wine Spectator) New U.K. guidelines call any amount of alcohol unsafe; new U.S. recommendations support moderate drinking.
• No safe alcohol limit, new guidelines to say 
  (The Guardian) In guidelines to be published in January 2016 drinkers will be advised to cut back on alcohol for at least two days a week and middle-aged people may be advised that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
• What alcohol does to your body after the age of 40 
  (The Telegraph) Depression, heart & liver damage, weight and even fertility - alcohol consumption can cause a range of effects on the body, and more so in the over 40s.
• UK Medical Chief to lower alcohol guidelines 
  (The Drinks Business) Dame Sally Davies is set to call for a reduction to 10 units per week, a significant drop from the current (1995) guidelines of 2-3 units per day for women and 3-4 for men.
• A glass of red wine may help diabetes sufferers, says study 
  (Decanter) Israeli researchers found that sufferers of type 2 diabetes had improved sugar management, increased their cardiac health and improved their cholesterol levels when they drank a glass of red wine.
  However, previous studies have urged caution in linking wine to specific health benefits and diabetes support groups advise sufferers to manage their alcohol intake carefully to avoid potential problems.
• Resveratrol, red wine and cancer: what’s the story? 
  (CRUK Science Blog) Leicester Researchers find that low doses of Resveratrol may be better at inhibiting certain cancers than higher ones, "as is so often the case in life – less is more". As a reality check the piece does say "any benefits from the resveratrol in red wine are likely to be outweighed by the alcohol".
• Red wine could help slow dementia onset (but you'd have to drink 1,000 bottles a day) 
  (The Independent) Resveratrol may affect the underlying process of dementia...but at 1 gram twice a day that's 1000 bottles of red wine!
• Just one drink a day 'may raise breast cancer risk' 
  (NHS Choices) A 30 year study by researches at Harvard Medical School suggest women drinking 1 glass a day are at a 13% increased risk of alcohol-related cancers.
• Cancer risk 'even from light drinking' 
  (BBC) Research in the British Journal of Medicine suggest that light and moderate drinking - up to one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men - could increase the risk of cancer, especially breast cancer.

• Red Wine Antioxidant May Provide New Cancer Therapy Options 
  (Bioscience Technology) Resveratrol and quercetin, originally identified in red wine, show anti-cancer properties and also reduce toxic side-effects of another widely used cancer drug, Adriamycin. 

• Red wine could help fight depression 
  (The Drinks Business) Research from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine suggests that resveratrol, such as found in red grapes, could reduce brain inflammation and therefore depressive behaviour.

• Drinking 'plenty of red wine' won’t help you lose weight 
  (NHS Choices) Recent newspaper articles on losing weight by drinking red wine are "nonsense", mainly as the research did not involve red wine and was carried out on mice!

• Moderate drinking harmful in later life 
  (The Drinks Business) Reserach "highlight the possible hazards to cardiac structure and function by increased amounts of alcohol consumption in the elderly, particularly among women". 

• Is White Wine Healthy for Your Heart Too? 
  (Wine Spectator) Italian research looked at caffeic acid, a polyphenol present in both red and white wine, and its potential cariovascular protection effects.

• Scientists harness yeast to cut wine alcohol level 
  (Decanter) Using novel yeast strains scientists at the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) reduced alcohol levels by almost 2%, promising lower alcohol wines without loss of flavour.

• Red Wine Helps Boost Metabolism 
  (The Drinks Business) Ellagic acid was found to dramatically slow the growth of existing fat cells and formation of new ones. Scientists cautioned that it was “not a weight-loss miracle”, but that by that by boosting the burning of fat, especially in the liver, the compound may improve liver function in overweight people.

• A Compound Found in Red Wine Could Improve Liver Health 
  (Wine Spectator) Ellagic acid, found in red grapes and wine may improve the health of those who suffer from fatty liver disease.

• Compound found in grapes, red wine may help prevent memory loss 
  (Science Daily) Resveratrol may have positive effects on the hippocampus, an area of the brain that is critical to functions such as memory, learning and mood.

• Does moderate drinking reduce heart failure risk? 
  (NHS Choices) A U.S. study suggests drinking up to about 12 UK units a week is associated with a lower risk of heart failure in men compared with never drinking alcohol. However, excessive alcohol consumption is known to lead to heart damage.
  The amount of alcohol consumed in the study group with the reduced risk was within the UK's recommended maximum consumption limits.

•  One day off drink a week lowers disease risk
  (The Drinks Business) While drinking heavily is not advised, a study published in the Journal of Hepatology found that even refraining from drinking at least one day a week will reduce your risk of developing cirrhosis of the liver.

• Moderate regular drinking may 'damage sperm' 
  (NHS Choices) A study of more than 1,200 young Danish military recruits finds some associations between alcohol intake and measures of semen quality and sex hormones. Although conclusions are tenuous it is recommended, whether you are trying for a baby or not, to spend at least a few days per week without drinking alcohol. 

• One (large) glass of wine increases stroke risk by third 
  (The Telegraph) Drinkers in their fifties and sixties who had at least two units a day had a 34 per cent greater risk of stroke than those who consumed just under half the amount.

• Resveratrol's health benefits 'overstated' 
  (NHS Choices) Based on a study of 800 people in Chianti, Tuscany, the risk of death during the nine-year follow-up period was no different for people with the highest levels of metabolites (breakdown products) of resveratrol in their urine, compared to people with the lowest levels. There was also no difference in the risk of developing cancer or cardiovascular disease.

• Study: A drink a day keeps the doctor away 
  (The Drinks Business) While excessive drinking increases risks, for men who drank up to seven alcoholic drinks a week the risk of heart failure was down by a 20% compared to those who completely abstain from alcohol.

• Think You Know How Resveratrol Works? Think Again 
  (Wine Spectator) Research suggests that even low levels of Resveratrol may still provide a protective effect for cells.

• Red wine and resveratrol: Good for your heart? 
  (Mayo Clinic, U.S.) Red wine's potential heart-healthy benefits look promising so If you already drink red wine, do so in moderation - but drinking too much alcohol increases your risk of high blood pressure, high triglycerides, liver damage, obesity, certain types of cancer, accidents and other problems.

• UK gout rates rise 30% 
  (NHS Choices) Britain is the gout capital of Europe with one in 40 people affected by the condition. Regions with highest prevalence and incidence were the North East and Wales with men about four times more likely to be diagnosed with gout than women. 

• Milk thistle – the drinker’s dietary supplement 
  (Jancis Robinson) Long known as a herbal remedy for over-indulgence, Silybum marianum is used by various wine critics and tasters (including at least one NEWT) to mitigate the after-effects of alcohol. 

• Your Wine and Your Teeth 
  (Wine Spectator) Wine tasters who swirl and swish are at greater risk of enamel erosion, but beer and whiskey are more damaging to your teeth.

• Majority of UK adults drinking within recommended guidelines 
  (Harpers Wine & Spirit) Just under 2/3 of UK adults are drinking less than the weekly recommended units, although 12% of school children drink alcohol during a week.

• Does alcohol affect breast cancer survival? 
  (NHS Choices) U.S. research suggests that while drinking alcohol increases your risk of getting breast cancer, it might not increase your risk of actually dying from breast cancer. Consuming between one and nine drinks per week before a diagnosis of breast cancer is associated with a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and of death from any cause, compared to never drinking. 
  Women living with or recovering from breast cancer should not worry about the occasional drink but should not regularly exceed the recommended levels for (14-21 units per week).

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