The grape is one of the most ancient and common fruits in the world, dating over 65 million years old. Grapes were domesticated around 7,000 to 5,000 BC and it’s likely that the fermentation process leading to wine production occurred around this time. With the exception of tea, no other beverage has been so concretely linked to human civilization as wine. It has been recently noted in The Blue Zones that wine is one of the consistent beverages consumed by most of the world’s oldest living populations and in a published meta analytical review of over 50 studies, men who consumed two to four 120ml glasses of wine a day (and two glasses for females) had a 25-30% reduction in death from all causes.
Daily intake of wine at these moderate levels increases HDL (“good”) cholesterol and decreases the tendency of blood to clot by inhibiting blood platelet aggregation. The evidence is indisputable that intakes of wine above moderate levels cause considerable damage to cells, increased risk of cancers and mortality.
One of the primary reasons why wine has such noted beneficial effects is due to long and complex process of grape fermentation which results in the formation of hundreds of polyphenols and other health-yielding molecules. Most of the polyphenols are contained in the grape seed and skin and in the fermentation process resulting in the production of red wine. It’s estimated that 1 litre of red wine may contain up to 2 grams of polyphenols.
One of the polyphenols that has attracted a lot of research attention in recent years is resveratrol, as it appears to be the primary molecule responsible for the health benefits of red wine. Resveratrol is a plant hormone that the grape produces as a defence mechanism in response to environmental stressors, such as pruning or attack by pests and microorganisms. It is found almost exclusively in the skin and seeds of grapes, which explains its presence in red wine and near absence in white. And of all the red wine varietals, it seems that pinot noir has the highest concentration of resveratrol (about 10mg per litre).
Resveratrol has been demonstrated to have an anticancer effect as it interferes with the progression of cancer by inhibiting the stages necessary for the development of the disease. Recently, it has been found that resveratrol acts positively on a family of gene regulators called sirtuins, in particular the SIRT1. For years it has been observed that caloric restriction preserves skeletal muscle health and has an ‘anti aging’ effect. Researchers now believe that the primary mechanism that explain why caloric restriction is effective for longevity is because it promotes mitochondrial renewal and reduces mitochondrial breakdown. All of this appears to be governed by SIRT1 expression.
Researchers have been looking for substances that mimic the positive effect that caloric restriction has on sirtuins, primarily because most people get too hungry for caloric restriction to be a viable health solution over the long term. Resveratrol impacts sirtuin activity in a way similar to caloric restriction – without the hunger pangs! Resveratrol has been demonstrated to activate SIRT1, deacetylate PGC-1alpha, and induce mitochondrial biogenesis.
Because of the demonstrated anticancer, cardiovascular and “anti-aging” benefits of resveratrol, I have started drinking a glass or two of red wine (typically pinot noir) at night and I have added grape seed extract to the supplements I take daily. I use the grape seed extract produced by Kingsway Compounding (1300 564 799).
Tony,
Cremorne
