Is red wine really good for your heart? 'No', says a new study citing presence of anti-oxidants like resveratrol

In the recent years, red wine is said to be good for the heart because of the presence of anti-oxidants in it like resveratrol. However, a new study has indicated otherwise and says that alcohol may not be beneficial for the heart after all.

This most recent study carried out by Tim Stockwell, director of the Centre for Addictions Research at the University of Victoria in Canada, finds previous research misrepresentative. The meta-analysis of all prevalent studies was published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

Many previous studies have revealed that moderate drinking of alcohol (say a glass or two of wine) may help prevent heart disease. This appears to have made people believe that moderation may be the answer to good health, but it may not be true in case of alcohol.

After studying 45 previous cohort studies and found that the participants who were categorized as non- drinkers may be former drinkers who have cut down on their alcohol intake for health reasons.

In such a situation, such people may enjoy a healthier quality of life in the later years which makes people believe that it is okay to drink moderately. Stockwell argues that it is rather their heath influencing their drinking behaviour than vice versa.

When Stockwell examined many more studies that considering people’s drinking habits from earlier in life to the later years, he found that moderate drinking did not actually bring any benefits to them. 

The scientific community has come to the consensus that moderate drinking refers to only 1 to2 drinks per day and not more than 12 drinks per week for men and 9 per week for women. Stockwell mentions in his study that it okay to have occasional drinking in moderation if you enjoy good health. However, he cautions that one should not drink thinking that alcohol may protect them against heart disease which is mere “wishful thinking” according to him.