Will Red Wine Lower Your Cholesterol?

Humans have used red wine, made from various grapes, for thousands of years. Red wine has been in use since the Roman Empire, and historians estimate wine was processed as many as 8,000 years ago. Today, wine has more uses then just to accompany dinner or to enjoy at a party; new research has emerged, detailing red wine’s role in the lowering of cholesterol.

Cholesterol Overview

• Cholesterol is found in every living human; it is a fundamental and important chemical for human beings. Cholesterol is found in all the cells of your body and helps to build healthy cells and aids in the production of particular hormones. Cholesterol is usually defined as “good” or “bad” cholesterol. Bad cholesterol builds up along the lining of the veins and arteries and can cause plaque buildup leading to strokes or heart attacks. Good cholesterol helps the body regulate the amounts of bad cholesterol and aids the liver in processing it. Along with a healthy diet and exercise, red wine is believed to reduce levels of harmful cholesterol and helps increase the amount of good cholesterol found in your blood stream.

French Study

• A study, published in 2002 by the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médical (Santé National Institute of Medical Research) in France in the Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research journal, found that red wine not only helps lower bad cholesterol levels but helps increase the amount of good cholesterol in the body. According to a ScienceDaily.com article, "Researchers Link Red Wine To 'Good Cholesterol,'" the study “could account for the drink’s (red wine) beneficial effects against cardiovascular disease.” The study further revealed that regular drinkers experienced higher levels of good cholesterol and that as consumption increased, so did good cholesterol levels. Will red wine decrease cholesterol levels? That question cannot be answered definitively; however, studies indicate that red wine has properties that can lower the levels of bad cholesterol in your body.

California Study

• A study from the University of California, Davis, presented at the American Chemical Society in New York City in 2003, isolated a group of chemicals found in red wine that have been found to help the body lower cholesterol levels, ScienceDaily.com reported in "New Cholesterol Fighter Found In Red Wine." Saponins, the isolated chemicals, are glucose-based compounds and are found in the skins of grapes. Saponins are found in both red and white wines; however, red wines have an excessively higher amount then their clear colored counterparts. Saponins are believed to work by binding to cholesterol, preventing its absorption by the body. 15 mg is the daily-recommended dose of saponin; one glass of red wine has, on average, 7 mg.

Reservatrol and Flavanoids

• Mayo Clinic recommends red wine for decreasing cholesterol and improving the overall health of the heart. Red wine contains reservatrol, a special chemical that prevents the oxidation of cholesterol in the body; this helps reduce the levels of cholesterol in the blood stream. Reservartol, according to the Mayo Clinic, helps prevent damage to the blood vessels caused by cholesterol buildup.

  The American Heart Association recommends the consumption of flavanoids, found in red wine, as a possible prevention of atherosclerosis (fatty deposits on arterial walls as a result of high cholesterol). Flavanoids are still being researched to confirm direct cholesterol-lowering properties; however, flavonoids are beieved to help reduce some of the effects of high cholesterol.