Half a glass for the heart

Thurs April 30th, 2009

There's been strong evidence that wine may be good for the heart - but new evidence published today suggests just half a glass a day may be best.

A few sips of wine from a small glass - or its equivalent weekly - can add up to five years to life, at least for men, according to Dutch researchers.

A 40-year study of some 1,300 men concluded that daily light drinking of alcohol of any kind adds about two years to life.

During the research, most of the men died and by the turn of the century the number of alcohol drinkers had doubled from 45 per cent to 86 per cent.

At the beginning just two per cent drank wine and by the end, 44 per cent were regular consumers, the researchers report in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Researcher Dr Marinette Streppel, of Wageningen University, Wageningen, writes: "Drinking wine was strongly associated with a lower risk of dying from coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and death from all causes.

"These results held true, irrespective of socioeconomic status, dietary and other lifestyle habits, factors long thought to influence the association between wine drinking and better health."

J Epidemiol Community Health 2009; doi 10.1136/jech.2008.082198

Tags: Heart Health | Diet & Food | Drug & Alcohol Abuse | Europe