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What's in wine? A clinician's perspective
Sohaib Haseeb1, Bryce Alexander1, Ricardo Lopez Santi2
1Division of Cardiology, Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine
|August 15, 2018
Summary
Moderate wine consumption may improve cardiovascular health by increasing HDL cholesterol and reducing clot formation. This review explores wine
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health and Wine Consumption
- Wine Chemistry and Bioactive Components
Background:
- Alcoholic beverages, particularly wine, have a long history of consumption.
- Wine consumption is linked to potential cardiovascular benefits, including improved cholesterol levels and reduced platelet aggregation.
- The effects are attributed to ethanol and polyphenol content in wine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the chemistry of wine for clinicians.
- To explore viticulture and enological practices influencing bioactive components.
- To outline the biological effects of wine constituents and suggest future research.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of epidemiological studies on wine consumption and cardiovascular risk factors.
- Analysis of wine's chemical composition, including ethanol and polyphenols.
- Examination of viticulture and enological practices affecting bioactive compounds.
Main Results:
- Light-to-moderate wine consumption is associated with increased HDL cholesterol, reduced platelet aggregation, and promoted fibrinolysis.
- Inverse association observed between wine consumption and ischemic heart disease.
- Alcohol-blood pressure relationship often follows a J-shaped curve.
Conclusions:
- Wine's molecular constituents, ethanol and polyphenols, are key to its potential health benefits.
- Understanding wine chemistry is crucial for appreciating its biological effects.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the impact of wine on cardiovascular health.