Research shows red wine helps heart

June 05, 2008

A recent medical study suggests that Wine Can Help The Heart Later In Life! This study reported in the March issue of the American Journal of Medicine states that, "people in their, mid-40s to mid-60s who decide to take up moderate drinking, even after a lifetime of abstinence, are likely to have healthier hearts than lifelong nondrinkers."

Dr. Dana King, lead author of this study at the Medical University of South Carolina, states that, "those who drank wine benefited the most."

These researchers gathered medical information for three related studies. The first study was conducted on 7,697 men and women age 45 to 64 at the time of their enrollment from 1987 to 1989. Then, in 1998, in an even larger study of 15,792 people, doctors examined them for a progression of atherosclerosis (a disposition of fatty substances and fibrosis of the inner layer of the arteries). A follow-up study four years later recorded blood pressure, cholesterol, levels of exercise and drinking habits data for both groups.

The results of these studies, according to the researchers, showed that the data on 442 people who claimed that they "started to drink in moderation at some point during the study" were 38 percent less likely to have an "observable heart-related issue than those who never drank alcohol." However, the data on 133 people who reported drinking only wine were "68 percent less likely than nondrinkers to suffer a cardiovascular event."

"While caution is clearly warranted, these current studies demonstrate that new, moderate drinking lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease without an increase in mortality as found in the four-year follow-up period," states Dr. King.However, Dr. King also reminds people that they should "talk to their doctors about the benefits and potential consequences of alcohol consumption."

Buddy Harrell, Bennett Vineyards