Unusual type of red wine could make your skin look younger, new study suggests

30 July 2023 , 07:00

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Researchers studied the effects of nonalcoholic muscadine wine in a clinical trial (Image: Getty Images)

Drinking a certain type of wine often could make the skin smoother and more elastic, researchers have found.

In a recent study, researchers from the University of Florida investigated the effects of dealcoholized muscadine wine on skin health, revealing promising results.

The randomised clinical trial, led by Lindsey Christman, PhD, and Liwei Gu, PhD, examined whether nonalcoholic muscadine wine consumption could improve skin conditions in middle-aged and older women.

Muscadine grapes, commonly used to make wine, have a unique polyphenolic profile compared to other red wine varieties, making them a subject of interest for this study.

Previous clinical trials have suggested that the polyphenols present in muscadine wine, such as anthocyanins, quercetin, and ellagic acid, have potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

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Muscadine wine study shows improvements in skin elasticity and water retention (Getty Images)

The research involved 17 women between the ages of 40 and 67 who were randomly assigned to drink either dealcoholized muscadine wine or a placebo beverage that closely resembled and tasted like the wine but lacked polyphenols.

Over a six-week period, participants consumed 300 millilitres (about 10 ounces), equivalent to two glasses of wine, of their designated beverage daily. After six weeks, there was a three-week break before switching to the other beverage for another six weeks.

At the beginning and end of each six-week period, the researchers evaluated the participants' skin conditions, markers of inflammation, and oxidative stress.

Polyphenols in muscadine grapes could be responsible for the beneficial effects (Getty Images)

The study found that women who consumed the muscadine wine exhibited significant improvements in the elasticity and water retention of their skin compared to those who consumed the placebo.

Although there was no notable difference in the number of wrinkles on the skin, the participants showed improved skin smoothness and fewer signs of inflammation and oxidative stress compared to baseline measurements. These improvements were attributed to the impact of the polyphenols naturally occurring in muscadine grapes.

Exploring polyphenols' impact on skin health

Lindsey Christman explained that the study's results indicated that the six weeks of dealcoholised muscadine wine consumption contributed to enhanced skin elasticity on the forearm and improved barrier function of the skin on the face. The researchers associated these effects with reductions in inflammation and oxidative stress.

The trial involved 17 women consuming two daily glasses of wine (Getty Images)

Ms Christman said: "Muscadine grapes have been found to have a unique polyphenolic profile in comparison to other red wine varieties. Our study suggests that muscadine wine polyphenols have the potential to improve skin conditions, specifically elasticity and transepidermal water loss, in middle-aged and older women."

Despite the promising findings, the study had some limitations, including its small sample size of only 17 participants. Researchers emphasized the need for further studies with larger and more diverse groups of people to validate and strengthen the observed effects.

It's important to note that most commercially available muscadine wine contains alcohol, and the researchers cautioned that alcohol consumption might produce different results.

For the purposes of this study, dealcoholised muscadine wine was chosen to isolate the effects of polyphenols on skin health, as the alcohol content could introduce additional variables and potentially alter the wine's chemical composition.

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Although the research highlights the potential benefits of de-alcoholised muscadine wine on skin health, specifically regarding skin elasticity and water retention, further investigation is required to fully understand the mechanisms behind these improvements and to determine the wine's overall impact on skin ageing.

Vassia Barba