Red wine myths debunked – Experts share 3 reasons it isn't really good for you

24 February 2024 , 12:03

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Health experts have discovered connections between red wine and major health problems (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Experts have revealed the three reasons why red wine really isn't actually good for you.

Health experts have instead discovered connections between the drink and major health problems. It is a common view that a few glasses of red over dinner improves the heart health. But this opinion dates back to the 1980s. Scientists then noticed French people, who eat rich foods and drink red wine, had lower rates of heart disease, compared to elsewhere.

This, however, has been refuted by new research has only been carried out in observational studies and other factors could be affecting the view. Dr Leslie Cho, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic, said red wine did not have heart-health benefits he said: "It’s just time to let go of that belief."

It was a common view that a few glasses of red over dinner improves the heart health (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

She insisted there was no evidence wine is less harmful than other alcoholic drinks. In more recent studies it was shown that it can in fact increase the risk of cancer and heart disease. Dubbed the French Paradox, red wine in Mediterranean diet, was embraced publicly and scientists backed its benefits which were not supported by doctors.

The drink contains polyphenols, which help protect the lining of heart blood vessels. But research into its benefit was only been conducted in mice. One these called resveratrol gained the most attention

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Dr Kenneth Mukamal, of Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center said: "There's zero evidence of any benefit for people who take resveratrol supplements. And you'd have to drink a hundred to a thousand glasses of red wine daily to get an amount equivalent to the doses that improved health in mice.

Experts questioned the validity of observational studies about red wine (Getty Images)

Experts have questioned the validity of observational studies into supposed heart health benefits in an interview with The New York Times. Those who drank red wine often had healthier diets and lifestyles bringing a sense of overall wellbeing.

Researchers have instead suggested 'moderate' drinks being better for non-drinkers could be attributed to a considerable portion of ‘non-drinkers’ being former drinkers who had quit booze over health concerns

The World Health Organization, maintains "No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health."

Dr Carina Ferreira-Borges, regional advisor for alcohol and illicit drugs in the WHO Regional Office for Europe, said: "We cannot talk about a so-called safe level of alcohol use. It doesn’t matter how much you drink – the risk to the drinker’s health starts from the first drop of any alcoholic beverage. The only thing that we can say for sure is that the more you drink, the more harmful it is – or, in other words, the less you drink, the safer it is."

Graeme Murray