Red Wine Keeps The Heart Young

news you may not knowDoes a Heart Good...

Maybe it's the sheer enjoyment of relishing the wine glass in your hand. Softly twirling the deep red liquid around the sides of the glass, the rich scent of the wine wafting slowly upwards. Maybe it's the variety of varieties. Today a Shiraz, tomorrow a Merlot. What could be better?

Yes, there is much to be said for the simple enjoyment of red wine. But, there's also the science. And, in this case, the science continues to be very good.

New research indicates red wine may protect the heart form aging - wow. Scientists tested mice at what is their equivalent of middle age. They supplemented their diets with the compound resveratrol. This is the compound found in red wine that delivers the health benefits. By the way, resveratrol is also found in purple grape juice and provides the same benefits - except, of course, for the twirling and sniffing stuff.

The mice were followed through their old age and then tests were conducted to assess their cardiac function. The scientists found the mice supplemented with resveratrol showed reduced signs of aging, including aging of the heart. The results were quite similar to those of previous calorie restriction studies. Those studies showed life expectancy can be prolonged by significantly reducing caloric intake.

Let's see - a perpetual starvation diet or a glass of red wine each night? Hmm...

Yes, of course drug makers are eager to get in on the action. But, really - how do you capture the joy of the twirl and aroma in a teensy little pill?

To read more about the study, see this from Reuters. To read more about resveratrol, see this from the Mayo Clinic.