A bottle of wine a week in Mediterranean diet 'could be as good as statins' for heart health

Researchers analysed wine consumption and have outlined how much appears to have a protective effect on heart health when part of a Mediterranean diet

Drinking a bottle of wine a week could be as good as statins for heart health, research suggests.

Researchers measured the impact of a Mediterranean diet - a diet high in olive oil, vegetables, fruit, nuts and fish, and low in sweet or processed food and drink. It analysed urine samples of 1,232 older adults from a Mediterranean population at a high risk of heart disease and after five years there were 685 cases of heart disease, including heart attack, stroke or death from cardiovascular disease. The samples showed an "objective" measure of wine consumption in urine by looking for levels of a chemical called tartaric acid.

Compared with people who didn't drink wine, people who drank three to 12 glasses of wine each month had a 38% lower risk of heart disease, according to the study, which has been published in the European Heart Journal. Those who drank between 12 and 35 glasses of wine each month had a 50% lower risk.

Study lead, Professor Ramon Estruch, from the University of Barcelona, said: "By measuring tartaric acid in the urine, alongside food and drink questionnaires, we have been able to make a more accurate measurement of wine consumption. We have found a much greater protective effect of wine than that observed in other studies. A reduction in risk of 50% is much higher than can be achieved with some drugs, such as statins.

"This study examines the importance of moderate wine consumption within a healthy dietary pattern, such as the Mediterranean diet. Until now, we believed that 20% of the effects of the Mediterranean diet could be attributed to moderate wine consumption, however, in light of these results, the effect may be even greater.”

Previous research has produced contradictory findings on whether a small amount of alcohol is beneficial. Some experts insist any amount of alcohol is harmful. Most studies examining the health ties to wine have relied on people self-reporting how much alcohol they drink, which researchers say are "prone to measurement errors".

This latest study also found that drinking excessive amounts of wine is harmful to heart health. Professor Estruch added: "Another key question is at what age moderate wine consumption could be considered 'acceptable' - recent studies indicate that the protective effects of wine consumption are observed starting from the age of 35 to 40. It is also important to note that moderate consumption for women should always be half that of men, and it should be consumed with meals."

Consultant cardiologist Professor Paul Leeson, of Oxford University, who was not involved in the study, said: "People often say that 'wine is good for the heart' but we also know too much wine is not good for the heart. So how do we judge what the right amount might be? The major strength of this study is that they have used a chemical measure in the urine to quantify how much wine was being consumed, rather than what someone says they are drinking.

"The study shows that drinking somewhere between three and, at most, 35 glasses of wine a month was associated with a reduction in risk. Anything over this amount and the benefit disappeared. So no more than a bottle of wine a week, or at most 10 units of alcohol.

"Another important thing to remember is that the study still just reports an association - there may be other things that people who consume this amount of wine did in the study that helped reduce their risk. For one thing, the study was performed in people who were also eating a heart-healthy diet. Maybe the health advantages of a glass of wine are only seen when being drunk alongside a plate of Mediterranean food?"