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A team from the University of Barcelona studied the health of Spanish residents who follow a Mediterranean diet, which commonly includes a small glass of wine with dinner. They concluded that a modest daily dose of wine may protect the heart.
They examined the effects of consuming half to one glass of wine per day among volunteers aged 60 and older who were at risk for heart disease. Participants who drank that amount had about a 50 percent lower risk of heart attack and stroke than those who did not drink wine.
However, the protective effect disappeared in people who drank more than one glass per day, according to lead author Dr. Ramon Estruch.
“This study explored the importance of moderate wine consumption within a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet,” Dr. Estruch noted. “We previously thought moderate wine accounted for about 20 percent of the Mediterranean diet’s effect; in light of these results, that contribution may be even larger.”
How Was the Study Conducted and What Criticism Did It Receive?
The results were published in the European Heart Journal and are part of a larger ongoing Spanish study on the Mediterranean diet’s impact on people at risk for heart disease. The current analysis involved 1,232 participants who had type 2 diabetes or risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol, hypertension, obesity, or a family history of heart disease.
At the start, volunteers filled out questionnaires about their typical food and drink intake, CNN reported. They also gave urine samples to measure tartaric acid, a chemical found in grape products such as wine that is excreted in urine. After a year on the Mediterranean diet, participants were tested again; if they had consumed grapes or wine in the previous five days, the test would detect it.
“By measuring the level of tartaric acid in urine, we were able to more accurately assess wine consumption,” Dr. Estruch explained.
Meanwhile, Kevin McConway, an honorary professor at The Open University in Milton Keynes who did not take part in the study, criticized the methods. “A significant portion of the variation in tartaric acid levels may be due to other factors,” he said. “Not all participants may have accurately reported how much they drank; there may be a time lag between reported alcohol use and measuring tartaric acid; and tartaric acid levels can be influenced by other foods and by metabolic processes in the body.”
Critics also argue the study doesn’t account for alcohol’s well-known harms to health.
“People often say that ‘wine is good for the heart,’ but too much wine is not good for the heart,” said Paul Leeson, professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Oxford, who did not participate in the study.
Navid Sattar, professor of cardiometabolic medicine and honorary consultant at the University of Glasgow, advised against drinking wine or any alcohol in the hope of improving health.
Tracy Parker, a senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, says there are healthier ways to protect your heart than drinking alcohol—such as a balanced diet, regular exercise, and quitting smoking.
