Wine & Health
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
 Researchers from Cleveland Clinic's Lerner Research Institute have discovered that in laboratory studies resveratrol, the potent anti-oxidant found primarily in red wine, when combined with rapamycin can have a tumor-suppressing effect on breast cancer cells that have developed a resistance to rapamycin alone. The research was conducted by Charis Eng, MD, Ph.D., Chair of the Genomic Medicine Institute of Cleveland Clinic's Lerner Research Institute.
Rapamycin, an experimental immunosuppressant drug used to prevent rejection in organ transplantation, has been considered for the use of anti-tumor activity against breast cancer. It has been noted that, in a laboratory setting, breast cells can develop a drug resistance to rapamycin alone. However, the addition of reverstrol seems to mitigate the drug resistance signifying the possible benefits of a dual approach.
Despite the potential for tumor suppression, rapamycin's efficacy with respect to growth inhibition differs markedly among various breast cancer cell lines. Rapamycin, resveratrol, and combinations of these agents inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. In all three cell lines tested, the presence of low concentrations of resveratrol and rapamycin was sufficient to induce 50 percent growth inhibition.
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Tags: antioxidant, Breast cancer, rapamycin, Resveratrol, wine and breast cancer
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Tuesday, December 20th, 2011
The topic of sudden cardiac death is one that’s very close to me, having experienced an event many years back and earning me an implanted defibrillator. So it should be no surprise that this topic piqued my interest when I stumbled across it. Sudden Cardiac Death is the onset of an abrupt death, most often caused by a lethal cardiac arrhythmia.
The research, conducted by a team at the Boston Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and led by Stephanie Chiuve, an instructor in medicine, discovered that when women consumed between one-half to one drink of alcohol a day, their risk of sudden cardiac death dropped by 36 percent. However, when women doubled their intake and had more than two drinks per day, they increased their risk of sudden cardiac death by about 15 percent. The complete study is published in the October issue of the medical journal Heart Rhythm.
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Tags: alcohol, arrhythmias, Cardiac disease, coronary heart disease, heart failure, sudden cardiac death
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Sunday, November 20th, 2011
Now here’s study that hit home after our recent voyage to Piedmont and Tuscany.
A recent study suggests that drinking red wine for an extended period of time significantly reduces the risk of essential tremors (not Parkinson’s per say), that is involuntary, continuous movements that may intensify with age.
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Tags: Italy, parkinson's, tremors
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Thursday, September 29th, 2011
A recently released statement from the Alcohol Policy Coalition of Australia (APC), claims that the health benefits (well documented by so many international studies over the last 15 years) is a myth. The statement goes on to state that the scientific evidence citing cardiovascular benefits (heart disease, stroke, etc.) has been significantly overestimated and that red wine offers no special protective qualities.
Simultaneously, however, the APC does acknowledge that some research suggests that small doses of alcohol may offer some protection against cardiovascular disease but that they contest this conclusion. While they also acknowledge that red wine does contain antioxidants, they contest the statement that it is a good source to prevent heart disease or to maintain good health.
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Tags: red wine, Resveratrol
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Wednesday, July 6th, 2011
Researchers at Marywood University in Scranton, PA have initiated a study on 44 healthy volunteers, aged 18-75 to evaluate the effects of oral resveratrol. The study was initiated in November of 2010.
Resveratrol is an antioxidant found mostly in red wine that has displayed beneficial effects in the lab and possibly in humans, as well.
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Tags: Resveratrol
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Monday, June 6th, 2011
Still another study has demonstrated that drinking alcohol in moderation protects against dementia, even after age 75. The study, conducted by several German university psychiatric departments and primary care centers, concluded this after following 3202 patients for three years. It was noted that those who consumed one to two drinks per day were at least 30% less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s, a form of dementia, than those who abstained. Researchers compared lifestyles to occurrence of the disease states.
It should be noted that, as in many other such studies, it’s nearly impossible to tease out the positive effects of socialization including social drinking, education and the salutary effects of family and friends on the occurrence of dementia.
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Tags: Alzheimer's, concussion, dementia, Resveratrol
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Thursday, May 12th, 2011
It’s been demonstrated for over a decade now that Resveratrol has the potential to increase insulin sensitivity in type-2 diabetics, possibly through its action on area of the brain that governs glucose metabolism. Now comes a study published in the January, 2001 issue of Food and Function that reveals that red wine contains favorable levels of a chemical complex found in drugs used treat type 2 diabetes patients.
The research team tested the chemical composition of two white wines from Austria and 10 reds. Researchers noted that 100 milliliters of a 2003 Blaufränkisch (an Austrian red high in tannins) contained four times the ligands found in the recommended daily dose of rosiglitazone, a commercially available drug used to treat type 2 diabetes, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline and marketed as Avandia. Ligands are ions or molecules, containing polyunsaturated fatty acids, that bind to cholesterol and transport it to the liver for excretion. Maintaining an adequate ligands can reduce the chances of developing metabolic syndrome associated with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, clots and reduced insulin sensitivity and thus type-2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by the body's inability to use insulin to regulate blood-sugar levels. Laboratory studies on animals show that red wine may help protect against developing the disease. However, the molecular modes of action and metabolic pathways involved are not yet fully understood.
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Tags: diabetes, insulin, ligand, Resveratrol
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Monday, April 11th, 2011
A French study published late last year in the journal Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, reviewing recent research on fish and wine, concluded that pairing the two seems to keep the heart stronger and healthier. It’s believed that wine assists in the breakdown of the omega-3 fatty acids in fish, making the acid more available to benefit the heart. The review of studies revealed that those individuals who regularly consume wine and omega-3 fatty acids have 20% more cardiac tissue than those who do not drink wine, indicating a heart that regenerates regularly.
The research team reviewed some 84 studies and concluded that those who drank wine and consumed fish regularly had lower rates of heart disease. Researchers believe that the interaction between the metabolism of omega-3 fatty acids and wine adds a potential “cardioprotective” effect. They go on to suggest that two to four glass of wine per day paired with fish high in omega-3 fatty acids is optimal. Earlier studies indicate that heavy drinking does not impart these benefits nor does beer or spirits. Fish to consider are salmon, tuna, trout and herring.
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Tags: fish, Omega-3 Fatty Acids
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Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011
A study published in the November issue of the journal Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology by researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center division of surgery reveals that moderate alcohol consumption can help to reduce the build up of plaque in arteries. In turn, this might reduce the incidence of coronary artery disease leading to angina and heart attacks.
Molecules called “Notch” proteins help to control the very small involuntary smooth muscles that regulate arterial blood flow. High levels of cholesterol and smoking can stimulate these proteins, inciting the muscle cells to multiply which in turn can lead to the development of arterial plaques. When these cells are exposed to alcohol, the signaling from Notch proteins is blocked thus blocking the cellular proliferation and the growth of plaque. Researchers advise that one to two small servings of alcohol per day may offer the best protection. Beyond that, large amounts of alcohol can be harmful to cardiac health and lead to stroke, according to the American Heart Association.
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Tags: alcohol, Coronary artery, Notch protein
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Tuesday, February 15th, 2011
A study conducted at the University of Southern Denmark and published in the Journal of Proteome Research has revealed 28 substances that researchers believe man be responsible for some allergic reactions to Chardonnay such a nasal congestion and headaches. While sulfites, a by-product of sulfur dioxide produced naturally during fermentation or as an added preservative, have often been implicated in some reactions, this is the first time grape related allergens have been identified. Sulfites only affect about one percent of the population.
Researchers have identified 28 compounds from the family of glycoproteins with chemical sequences that are similar to known allergens from fruits such as bananas, kiwis and latex products. Glycoproteins are proteins with a carbohydrate molecule attached, many of which are produced during the process of fermentation. Researchers were surprised that many of the glycoproteins originate from the grape itself and not simply precipitated out by the yeast during fermentation.
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Tags: allergies, glycoproteins, sulfites, Wine allergies
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