Wine only provides heart benefits in people who exercise, according to the findings of a new study.
Previous studies have confirmed that drinking wine can lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). However, a new study finds that only people who exercise can reap such benefits.
"This is the first randomised trial comparing the effects of red and white wine on markers of atherosclerosis in people at mild to moderate risk of CVD. We found that moderate wine drinking was only protective in people who exercised. Red and white wine produced the same results," study author Professor Milos Taborsky said in a press statement.
The study was conducted on 146 people with mild to moderate risk of cardiovascular disease, according to the HeartScore. Participants were randomly assigned to one year of moderate consumption of red wine (Pinot Noir) or white wine (Chardonnay-Pinot) from the same year and wine region of the Czech Republic. The participants were asked to keep a record of their consumption of wine, medication use, alcohol consumption and the amount and type of exercise they indulged in. At the end of the study, researchers found that there was no difference between HDL cholesterol levels in either the red or white wine groups. LDL cholesterol was lower in both groups after one year while total cholesterol was lower only in the red wine group.
"A rise in HDL cholesterol is the main indication of a protective effect against CVD, therefore we can conclude that neither red nor white wine had any impact on study participants as a whole," the study authors said. "The only positive and continuous result was in the subgroup of patients who took more exercise, which means regular exercise at least twice a week, plus the wine consumption. In this group HDL cholesterol increased and LDL and total cholesterol decreased in the red and white wine groups. There may be some synergy between the low dose of ethyl alcohol in wine and exercise which is protective against CVD."
A previous study by researchers from Penn University also found no cardiovascular benefits of drinking even moderate amounts of alcohol, including red wine. Despite this, many other studies have touted the health benefits red wine has. Resveratrol is found in the skins of red grapes and has been shown to be a potent biological agent that may offer protection against cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.
"In a future study we will compare the effects of red and white wine on markers of atherosclerosis in patients at high risk for CVD who take statins and do regular exercise. We hope to find that moderate wine consumption is safe in these patients," Professor Taborsky said. "Our current study shows that the combination of moderate wine drinking plus regular exercise improves markers of atherosclerosis, suggesting that this combination is protective against cardiovascular disease."
Findings of the current study were presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress, August 31, 2014.
