Moderate Wine Consumption and Health: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Although it is clearly established that the abuse of alcohol is seriously harmful to health, much epidemiological and clinical evidence seem to underline the protective role of moderate quantities of alcohol and in particular of wine on health. This narrative review aims to re-evaluate the relationship between the type and dose of alcoholic drink and reduced or increased risk of various diseases, in the light of the most current scientific evidence. In particular, in vitro studies on the modulation of biochemical pathways and gene expression of wine bioactive components were evaluated. Twenty-four studies were selected after PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar searches for the evaluation of moderate alcohol/wine consumption and health effects: eight studies concerned cardiovascular diseases, three concerned type 2 diabetes, four concerned neurodegenerative diseases, five concerned cancer and four were related to longevity. A brief discussion on viticultural and enological practices potentially affecting the content of bioactive components in wine is included. The analysis clearly indicates that wine differs from other alcoholic beverages and its moderate consumption not only does not increase the risk of chronic degenerative diseases but is also associated with health benefits particularly when included in a Mediterranean diet model. Obviously, every effort must be made to promote behavioral education to prevent abuse, especially among young people.

High Adherence to a Mediterranean Alcohol-Drinking Pattern and Mediterranean Diet Can Mitigate the Harmful Effect of Alcohol on Mortality Risk

“…Our results were consistent with these expectations, showing lower mortality among wine drinkers compared to drinkers of other alcohols. This protective benefit may be due in part to the lower total amount of alcohol consumed, but a protective benefit of wine could be reinforced by the presence of significant amounts of polyphenols and bioactive components in wine, such as catechin, quercetin, anthocyanins and resveratrol [37]. This is one of the most important differences between wine and other alcoholic beverages.…”

Living Alone: Associations with Diet and Health in the Spanish Young Adult Population

“…In our results, one finding was not consistent with this trend of greater health in the consumption habits of people who eat at home compared to those who eat out, and that was alcohol consumption, which was more frequent among people who eat at home. Alcohol is associated with numerous health problems [35] and has been shown to affect the brain and most organs and systems [36], so it is advisable to limit its consumption in the diet, although its consumption recommendation is ambiguous in most dietary guidelines [37] and some guidelines advise drinking a glass of wine with a meal, arguing that it has cardiovascular benefits [38]. This tendency found in people living at home could be explained by the fact that eating at home favors socialization and conviviality at the table and the adoption of Mediterranean customs, such as drinking a glass of wine with a meal.…”

The complex nexus of alcohol consumption and rheumatoid arthritis: Unraveling insights for disease management

“…Standardizing these criteria could enhance research accuracy. Additionally, different types of alcohol with varying polyphenol content (such as quercetin, and catechin) and different polyphenolic concentrations can trigger distinct immune responses, potentially improving Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28), lowering C‐reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels, and mitigating oxidative stress 15,16 . This highlights the need for more studies considering alcoholic beverage types.…”