Twenty-five years ago, Dr. René Favaloro recommended drinking a glass of red wine a day to protect arteries from the devastating effect of atherosclerosis. Is this recommendation still valid?
Dr. Jorge Tartaglione, a cardiologist (MN 67502), president of the Fundación Cardiológica Argentina tells Clarín that there is clear evidence that says that if you drink wine in moderation, especially red wine, you get benefits for the cardiovascular system . “Red wine helps control blood pressure, reduces bad cholesterol, increases good cholesterol, and decreases clot formation in the heart and arteries,” he explains.
According to the expert, “not because of the ethanol in the alcohol but because of the polyphenols that are present in the wine.” And he adds: “The issue is quantity. The current recommendation from us, and from the American Heart Association, is 2 glasses, that is, 280 milliliters of wine per day, leaving 2 alcohol-free days per week. And for women it is reduced to 1 glass of wine per day, leaving 2 days off. This difference has to do with the metabolic and hormonal action of women that change the metabolism of alcohol”.
Red wine helps control blood pressure, reduces bad cholesterol, increases good cholesterol, decreases clot formation in the heart and arteries
But as soon as that threshold is crossed, “beneficial actions immediately become harmful ,” warns the doctor.
The french paradox
The debate over the benefits and risks of wine consumption began in the 1970s, when they began to study what years later, in 1992, the scientists S. Renaud and M. Lorgeril called the “French paradox” : a Despite the consumption of a diet rich in saturated fat, the French had a low risk of mortality associated with ischemic heart disease in red wine drinkers, compared to the population of the United States and Great Britain, among other countries.
In one of the studies carried out by Renaud at the University of Bordeaux, the eating habits and lipid profile of 36,250 people were analyzed. One of the conclusions stated that people who drank wine in moderate amounts, including those with high cholesterol levels, reduced the risk of dying from cardiovascular events by between 30% and 40% .
“In just over 20 years since the phrase ‘French paradox’ was coined, several studies have investigated the fascinating , overwhelmingly positive clinical and biological associations of red wine consumption with cardiovascular disease and mortality,” says Dr. Valeria El Haj, vittal’s medical director.
The doctor states that ” light to moderate intake of red wine produces a kaleidoscope of potentially beneficial effects that target all phases of the atherosclerotic process, from atherogenesis (early plaque development and growth) to vascular occlusion (dilation flow-mediated thrombosis).
It was Dr. Favaloro who 25 years ago recommended drinking a glass of red wine a day to protect the arteries from the devastating effect of atherosclerosis.
However, El Haj is forceful in stating that “on the contrary, sporadic or chronic excessive consumption of alcohol is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events.”
In the opinion of nutritionist Florencia Soledad Lucente (MN 6843) from the DIM Medical Centers, the indication to drink a glass of red wine per day to protect the coronary arteries should be used in a personalized manner without generalizing . “In the past, some studies have shown that light to moderate alcohol consumption can protect the heart against different coronary diseases.
Do those who take more tolerate more?
Regarding the tolerance of each organism against alcohol, Busnelli affirms that it is individual and that it can vary from one person to another, depending on the enzymatic capacity of the liver to metabolize it. “Thus we find variations between the different ethnic groups, sex (being the most sensitive woman), age and weight. There is no minimum amount of non-harmful alcohol.
What happens in the case of beer
In recent years there has been very good marketing in relation to beer and wine, giving each of them some benefits. “It is detailed that beer contains a large amount of nutrients, especially minerals and vitamins, but if we see its nutritional table we can realize that it is not so real”, points out Busnelli. And he adds: “Its moderate use in menopause has been highly recommended, but always within a healthy diet since some of its natural ingredients, such as water, barley and hops, could have beneficial effects on women’s health due to their properties estrogenic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, due to its fiber and phytoestrogens content, highly beneficial when accompanied by the estrogen decrease typical of menopause. It has also been recommended for athletes after exercising for its minerals.
It is detailed that beer contains a large amount of nutrients, especially minerals and vitamins, but if we see its nutritional table we can realize that it is not so real.
And he contributes: “I really believe that, in both cases, many foods have these same benefits without the need to make a recommendation on a drink that brings with it all the drawbacks that we have just reviewed of alcohol, or there could be the possibility of consuming those beers that do not contain alcohol. According to the nutritionist consulted, polyphenols and resveratrol, useful for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, since they improve the elasticity of blood vessels and help reduce cholesterol, and which have given red wine such a good reputation, can be found in red fruits and dark chocolate.
As for flavonoids, antioxidants that prevent different types of cancer, they are found in broccoli, cauliflower, apple, blueberries, lemon and dark chocolate, as well as red wine.
“This means that we can obtain all the benefits mentioned above from food without recommending drinks that come with suggesting a habit that is harmful to the population . In fact, today, resveratrol can be obtained in tablets in all pharmacies in our country, being an over-the-counter supplement”, concludes Busnelli.