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Resoundingly positive evidence from scientific research has linked red wine and red wine polyphenols to a wide array of health factors listed below. For those of you interested in learning more about the science of red wine, please click on the links below to find a brief assessment of the associated health benefits of red wine grape polyphenols and a list of related scientific studies.

Please also check out Embodi's health links page for the latest information on red wine health studies and news.

Cardiovascular
Cancer
Longevity
Neurodegenerative Disease
Oxidative Stress
Weight
Influenza

Cardiovascular

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in the United States, and the American diet is partially to blame. Research has found that a diet high in fat is positively correlated with CHD risk. Interestingly, the French consume similar levels of saturated fats and have markedly lower levels of heart disease. This mystery has come to be known as "the French Paradox." Scientific research has shown that the polyphenols in red wine may be responsible for the decreased rates of heart disease among the French.

Moderate alcohol consumption's ability to lower CHD mortality by increasing high-density lipoprotein concentrations is well documented. However, both clinical and experimental evidence suggests that red wine consumption proffers additional cardioprotective effects. Caused by grape-derived polyphenols, these benefits include regulating inflammatory and aging processes, inhibiting the synthesis of a key peptide involved in the development of vascular disease, reducing reperfusion-induced injury after ischemia, and decreasing platelet aggregation.

Evidence suggests that one polyphenol in particular, resveratrol, plays a leading role in red wine's ability to protect against heart disease. Resveratrol is naturally found in both red wine and embodi.

Cancer

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. It is characterized by uncontrolled cell division, resulting from mutations in vital regulatory genes. Traditional treatments have inconsistent success, and in response scientific attention has focused on the importance of nutrition in the development of cancer. Grape polyphenols, and resveratrol in particular, have received attention for their in vitro and in vivo chemopreventive properties.

Resveratrol and its analogues have been shown to interfere with carcinogenesis by several different mechanisms and at several different stages. In a mouse skin cancer model, topical application of resveratrol reduced the incidence of skin tumors by 98%. Other researchers have found that resveratrol is a potent inducer of apoptosis (programmed cell death) in multiple carcinoma lines. Moreover, resveratrol is thought to have a low or absent toxicity against non-tumorigenic cells. Polyphenolic compounds in red wine have also been shown to reduce the formation of new blood cells, which contributes to the development of atherosclerosis lesions and tumor progression. In sum, scientific research suggests that the polyphenols found in red wine possess several chemopreventive attributes that impact multiple carcinogenesis factors.

Longevity

To date, only calorie restriction has been proven to significantly increase the longevity of mammals. Calorie restriction acts as a stressor which increases the activity of a number of proteins known as sirtuins. These proteins may be influential in slowing the aging process. Scientific research has linked polyphenols found in red wine to the expression of these proteins, and in fact exposure to these polyphenols has increased the longevity of yeast and vertebrate fish by over 50%. Preliminary findings indicate that resveratrol may have a lifespan extension effect on mice, and more research is underway to see if red wine polyphenols can significantly increase the lifespans of mammals.

Neurodegenerative Disease

Antioxidants are believed to decrease susceptibility to neurodegenerative diseases including stroke, Parkinson's Disease, and Alzheimer's Disease, as oxidative damage is one of the leading causes of neuronal cell death. One study found that dietary supplementation of grape powder decreased neuronal death and DNA damage in gerbils following stroke. The authors believe that grape dietary supplements may prevent and protect against neurodegenerative damage.

Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress, or the damage caused by free radicals, contributes to the risk of developing many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and some cancers. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and may protect the body from these diseases. Red wine has over 400 polyphenols, many of which act as powerful antioxidants.

The antioxidative properties of grape polyphenols are well documented. As Frankel and colleagues have argued, this property is attributable to the spectrum of phenolic compounds found in grapes, rather than any single phytochemical. One animal model has even linked dietary grape supplementation with a reduction in whole-body oxidative stress. Other studies have also shown the potential ability of grape polyphenols to inhibit oxidation of lipoproteins. Lipoprotein oxidation is a key early stage in the development of atherosclerosis.

Weight

Obesity is a major public health problem in the United States. One study found that grape seed extract inhibited two lipases involved in the digestion of dietary triacylclycerols and the development of obesity. The researchers found that grape seed extract inhibited the activity of these lipases, suggesting that grape polyphenols may reduce the absorption of fat and decrease susceptibility to insulin resistance. Another study found that grape seed extract decreased the energy intake of subjects with a daily requirement above 7.5 MJ by 4%. In conjunction, these two studies suggest that grape polyphenols may play a role in a weight loss program.

Influenza

Research conducted at the University of Minnesota has also uncovered resveratrol's potential ability to inhibit the replication of influenza viruses.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.