A new study shows that red wine, when consumed in moderation, is beneficial to the body.
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Could wine have a protective effect on the brain?
A team of researchers at the Institute of Food Science Research in Madrid, Spain, have studied the process by which compounds in red wine have an anti-aging effect on the brain.
When consumed in moderation, notably as part of a Mediterranean diet, red wine, which contains polyphenol antioxidants, can be beneficial in delaying the onset of cognitive impairments in aging and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, researchers report.
Resveratrol — a substance found in red wine and chocolate — could help prevent age-related memory loss.
To investigate the molecular mechanisms behind the neuroprotective actions of wine, researchers in Spain studied certain compounds that are left behind after the wine has passed through the gut — wine-derived human gut metabolites. These are found in the urine and feces of people who drink wine on a regular and moderate basis.
To study the effects of these metabolites on the brain, the compounds were added to human cells under stress conditions, similar to the initial stages of certain neurodegenerative disorders.