A recent multicenter study led by researchers from the University of Barcelona and other prominent institutions has linked light to moderate wine consumption to a reduced risk of cardiovascular complications. Published in the European Heart Journal, the study leveraged tartaric acid, a grape-derived biomarker, to assess wine intake more objectively than traditional self-reported methods. The study involved 1,232 participants from the PREDIMED project, a large-scale investigation into the Mediterranean diet’s health benefits, emphasizing the role of moderate wine consumption as a potential contributor to cardiovascular health.
The researchers acknowledge the serious health risks of excessive alcohol consumption but argue that moderate wine intake might hold a rightful place in the Mediterranean diet, renowned as one of the world’s healthiest. The principal authors, including Inés Domínguez, Ramon Estruch, Rosa María Lamuela, and Miguel Ángel Martínez, all members of leading research institutes, emphasize that this study provides clarity amidst ongoing debates about the health implications of wine consumption. Their findings suggest that moderate wine drinking could significantly lower cardiovascular risks.
Despite evidence of a protective effect, the researchers highlight the controversies surrounding the topic, partly due to inconsistencies in past research. These discrepancies often arise from reliance on self-reported wine consumption data, which can be subject to recall bias and social desirability distortions. To address these limitations, the researchers used food frequency surveys corroborated by urinary tartaric acid concentrations, providing a more reliable measure of wine intake.
The study revealed that light wine consumption, defined as one glass per week to less than half a glass per day, could reduce cardiovascular risks by 38%. Moderate consumption, or between half a glass and one glass per day, offered even greater benefits, lowering risks by up to 50%. However, exceeding one drink daily negated these protective effects, underscoring the importance of moderation. The researchers also emphasized that wine should be consumed with meals, not between them, to maximize its health benefits.
While the findings are promising, the researchers caution that the observational nature of the study limits its ability to establish causality. They advocate for further research, including randomized nutritional intervention studies and investigations into the biological mechanisms underpinning wine’s protective effects. These future studies, though resource-intensive, could explore the anti-inflammatory properties of wine polyphenols, such as resveratrol, to lend greater credibility to the observed cardiovascular benefits.