DALLAS, Sept. 6, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Men with high risk for heart
disease had lower blood pressure after drinking non-alcoholic red wine
every day for four weeks, according to a new study in the American
Heart Association journal Circulation Research.
Non-alcoholic red wine increased participants' levels of nitric oxide,
which helped decrease both systolic and diastolic blood pressure,
researchers said. Nitric oxide is a molecule in the body that helps
blood vessels relax and allows more blood to reach your heart and
organs.
Researchers studied 67 men with diabetes or three or more
cardiovascular risk factors who ate a common diet plus one of the
following drinks: about 10 ounces of red wine, non-alcoholic red wine
or about 3 ounces of gin. All of the men tried each diet/beverage
combination for 4 weeks.
The red wine and nonalcoholic wine contained equal amounts of
polyphenols, an antioxidant that decreases blood pressure.
During the red wine phase, the men had very little reduction in blood
pressure and there was no change while drinking gin. However, after
drinking non-alcoholic red wine, blood pressure decreased by about
6mmHg in systolic and 2mmHg in diastolic blood pressure -- possibly
reducing the risk of heart disease by 14 percent and stroke by as much
as 20 percent.
Researchers concluded that the alcohol in red wine weakens its ability
to lower blood pressure. But polyphenols -- still present after alcohol
is removed from wine -- are likely the beneficial element in wine.
Co-authors are Gemma Chiva-Blanch, Mireia Urpi-Sarda, Emilio Ros, Sara
Arranz, Palmira Valderas-Martinez, Rosa Casas, Emilio Sacanella, Rafael
Llorach, Rosa M Lamuela-Raventos, Cristina Andres-Lacueva and Ramon
Estruch. Author disclosures and funding sources are on the manuscript.
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