(WebMD) – Red wine (in moderation) is as good for your health as it is to your palate. At least that’s what we’re consistently told.
Red wine and heart health have long been linked, with studies suggesting a glass or two a day lowers heart disease risk.
The heart-healthy benefits are often credited to antioxidants called polyphenols. Experts have different opinions, however, about exactly how the polyphenols may benefit the heart.
Now, Dutch researchers have found that the polyphenols don’t seem to promote heart health by reducing blood pressure.
“Our findings do not support [the idea] that potential cardiovascular benefits of red wine consumption result from blood pressure lowering by polyphenols,” says researcher Ilse Botden, MD, a PhD student at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The findings don’t suggest red wine isn’t still heart-healthy — just that it doesn’t seem to work by lowering blood pressure, Botden says.
The benefit of red wine and heart health, she says, ”apparently occurs in a blood pressure-independent manner.”
Botden is due to present the findings today at the American Heart Association’s High Blood Pressure Research 2011 Scientific Sessions in Orlando.
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Does red wine increase the blood pressure? This is something I would like to know because it is the only form of alchohol that I drink. I have a tendency to have an elevated BP when I see a doctor; I get nervous. Please respond. Thank you.
From my observational studies alcohol will inc rease bp to a certain extent. If one drinks red wine because of the
benefits of reservatrol, further investigation will reveal green tea has a higher degree of reservatrol – minus the alcohol, which is the problem I believe.I always experience an elevated BP ( especially my systolic pressure) when visiting my consultant physician.This “White Coat Syndrome” is very real.My firm belief that this is caused by anxiety to be ontime for the med appointment,doing the rounds to find a parking space & waiting an xiously to be called for the consultation. A series of 24 hr ambulatory pressure measurements will provide a better picture of any BP worries. I personally use about 120 random readings at various times of the day & evening for my physician’s reference b 4 he ups my dosage of medicine.Finally my consultant psysician agrees with my mode of random BP measurements at home and at my workplace.At one stage I found that Novasc didn’t help in reducing my systolic pressure and I asked for a change. We finally agreed on Plendil ( another CCB) and it worked and my avg systolic pressure reads between 120 – 130mmHg for the past 3 years.To all intents & purposes do consult your physician if anything is not right.
My earlier comment should read polyphenols & not reservatrol-my apologies
Wine is like taking a drink of acid. The only way I drink it is mixed with cranberry and grape juice. Alcohol runs the blood pressure up. I believe you are better off drinking cranberry and red grape juice and leaving the alcohol out which causes many other health problems.
While alcohol may increase blood pressure, it does seem to be correlated with an increase in HDL, the “protective” form of cholesterol. I did not see a discussion of this in the article referenced above, but that may be the way alcohol protects the heart. Studies I’ve seen link increased HDL with any form of alcohol intake, as long as it is in moderation (2 drinks per day for males, i drink per day for females.) Any comments?