New Delhi: Could your favourite celebration drink be doing more than lifting your spirits? According to new research, raising a glass of wine or champagne might also help protect your heart. As per a large-scale study by researchers from Fudan University in Shanghai, moderate intake of specific alcoholic drinks like champagne and white wine can lower the risk of a cardiac arrest. This potentially fatal condition calls for immediate medical attention as it has now started to affect relatively younger people as well. Without immediate medical attention, survival rates drop to under 10%. However, this new study, which analysed health data from nearly half a million British adults, hints that lifestyle choices — including alcohol in moderation — could play a role in prevention.
Lifestyle Overhaul Could Save Lives
The study’s lead author, Dr Huihuan Luo, emphasised that the most important factors in reducing the risk of cardiac arrest include maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood pressure, eating more fruit, and supporting good mental health. Surprisingly, among the various behaviours analysed, moderate consumption of red or white wine and even champagne emerged as potential heart-protective habits.
According to the research published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, people who incorporated moderate wine drinking into an overall healthy lifestyle had around a 30% reduced risk of cardiac arrest. The researchers suggested that certain compounds found in these drinks, particularly antioxidants, might be offering these benefits.
Is It Just the Red Wine?
For years, red wine has received most of the credit when it comes to cardiovascular benefits, largely thanks to resveratrol, an antioxidant found in grape skins. But this study opens the door for its lighter counterparts. Champagne and white wine, long thought to be less beneficial in comparison, may have more going for them than previously believed.
Commenting on the findings, Nick Grubic from the University of Toronto said that the results were especially interesting because they expand the conversation beyond red wine. “While red wine’s heart benefits have been widely discussed due to its high polyphenol content,” he said, “it’s now becoming clear that other types of wine might carry similar advantages. The precise biological mechanisms are still being explored, but these findings highlight a more complex relationship between alcohol and cardiovascular health than we once thought.”
Moderation Is Key
It’s important to note that the study does not advocate heavy drinking. Excessive alcohol intake is a known contributor to numerous health issues, including liver damage, high blood pressure, and an increased risk of several cancers. Instead, the researchers underscore that moderation — typically defined as one drink per day for women and up to two for men — is the sweet spot where potential benefits may be found.
Should You Start Drinking for Your Heart?
Not necessarily. Experts caution against taking up alcohol as a health strategy, especially for those who don’t already drink. Dr Luo and her team make it clear that wine is just one of many lifestyle components that influence heart health. Physical activity, a nutritious diet, and stress management remain foundational. But for those who enjoy the occasional glass of bubbly, this research might offer some reassurance that your toast to life may also be a small toast to your health.
Final Sip
While more studies are needed to understand the full picture, the idea that moderate wine or champagne consumption could support cardiovascular health is gaining ground. Still, doctors emphasise that alcohol should never replace traditional preventive measures. If anything, this study reminds us that balance is everything — in lifestyle, in diet, and perhaps even in the drinks we enjoy.
According to the research published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, people who incorporated moderate wine drinking into an overall healthy lifestyle had around a 30% reduced risk of cardiac arrest. The researchers suggested that certain compounds found in these drinks, particularly antioxidants, might be offering these benefits. Health News Health News: Latest News from Health Care, Mental Health, Weight Loss, Disease, Nutrition, Healthcare
