Could a daily glass of wine slow down ageing? A new study reveals moderate wine consumption may reduce biological age in men, but not women. Learn why polyphenols are key.
Doctors have discovered that consuming a glass or two of wine each day might help slow down the process of ageing in men, but this effect does not seem to apply to women. A study conducted by LUM University in Casamassima explored the connection between wine drinking and biological age in a group of 22,000 people. Biological age refers to how old a person’s cells, tissues, and organs appear to be, and it is thought to be a more accurate indicator of health and life expectancy compared to actual age.
Wine Benefits for Men
The findings revealed that men who consumed about 200ml of wine daily, approximately one and a half small glasses, looked nearly six months younger biologically than those who did not drink wine. Notably, other types of alcohol did not offer the same benefits, suggesting that it is the non-alcoholic components in wine that are responsible for this effect.
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Polyphenol Effect
Experts believe that the key ingredients in wine are polyphenols, which are known to reduce inflammation, lower oxidative stress, and improve metabolic function.
These factors all contribute to how quickly the body ages. To measure biological age, the study used artificial intelligence to examine blood samples from participants, checking 36 different markers such as hormones, fats, and inflammatory substances.
In contrast, women did not experience the same anti-ageing effects from wine. Scientists think this might be due to differences in how women process alcohol and their unique hormonal profiles.
Lifestyle Influence
Other lifestyle choices also play a role in how quickly someone ages. Smoking and being overweight are often linked to faster ageing, while healthier eating habits, like following a Mediterranean diet, are associated with slower ageing.
The researchers from Italy, as reported in the International Journal of Public Health, pointed out that moderate wine consumption, rather than overall alcohol intake, might assist men in ageing more slowly, with polyphenols being the probable reason.
This study offers one of the first insights into how daily wine drinking could influence biological age through blood analysis. While moderate wine consumption may benefit men, it does not appear to have the same effect on women, highlighting the need for tailored health advice.
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Source: Daily Mail – Science & Tech