Researchers followed 1,373 men for more than four decades, noting their eating and drinking habits. Men who had about 20 grams of alcohol daily (equivalent to a half a glass of wine, according to the study) had 2 1/2 years added to their life expectancy at age 50, compared with men who didn’t drink at all, according to the research published yesterday in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Men who consumed only wine had twice as much added longevity, according to the news report by Bloomberg.
“In this study, 70 percent of all wine consumed was red wine,” the researchers, led by Marinette Streppel of the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands, said in the paper. “This suggests that the cardio-protective effect of wine could be due to a protective effect of polyphenol compounds in red wine, but other explanations cannot be ruled out.”
Polyphenols are chemical substances found in plants such as tannins and flavonoids.
The research, dubbed Zutphen Study after the Dutch town from which the participants were recruited, followed men born between 1900 and 1920 and examined them several times between 1960 and 2000.
The study has its obvious limitations and has to be taken with caution. Alcohol Concern CEO Don Shenker reportedly said: "Alongside other research into drinking patterns, there are a very limited number of people for whom moderate alcohol intake may be beneficial, but this must be weighed up against the serious risks caused by drinking at more than moderate amounts."
DelWine continues to recommend 2 glasses of 125 mL with 12.5% alcohol a day for men and 1 glass for women. The quantity must be adjusted downwards for higher alcohol. This would give the maximum known benefits and the harmful effects of alcohol do not kick in either. |