Therapy of the Gods

In one of my first jobs after college I worked with a very pleasant fellow named Nick. Nick was from a town in northern England and he had an easy-going joie de vivre. Often on Friday afternoons he would become Dr. Nick, and would go around the office prescribing what he called “cocktail therapy” for anyone who looked as if they’d had a hard week. Which is to say, just about everyone. And I suppose I tagged along and had that prescription filled once or twice.

I thought about Nick recently when I came across not one, but two different studies that detailed the specific health benefits of moderate amounts of alcohol. Dr. Nick, wherever he is, would certainly approve.

Blood sugar in the balance

The

first report comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is the first controlled diet study to address the relationship between moderate alcohol consumption, insulin sensitivity and blood sugar.

Sixty-three healthy postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to three groups: no alcohol intake, one drink of alcohol per day, or two drinks per day. The alcohol provided was ethyl alcohol in orange juice. In addition, each of the women consumed the same foods and beverages, in the same amounts, as provided by the researchers during the eight-week trial.

Blood samples, which were taken throughout the study, showed that insulin levels were lowered by almost 20 percent in the group that received two drinks per day compared to the group that received no alcohol. The researchers concluded that the consumption of two drinks of alcohol per day has beneficial effects on insulin and insulin sensitivity, and may help prevent the development of diabetes in non-diabetic, postmenopausal women.

In addition, triglyceride levels of the women were approximately 10 percent lower, indicating a possibility that moderate alcohol consumption may decrease the risk of heart disease.

Whatever process triggers alcohol to create these beneficial reactions in the body is still unknown, though I’m “absolutely” sure research will continue – with ample funding from the likely benefactors.

Breath of fresh air

We know from previous studies that components in red wine, such as flavonoids and other antioxidants, may reduce the risk of heart disease. Reports of the positive cardiovascular effects of red wine have been common for some time now. But I recently came across a study from the University of Buffalo that demonstrates a new health benefit from wine, and this time the step-child, white wine, comes out the winner.

Knowing that previous studies had suggested that impaired pulmonary function might be related to alcohol exposure, the UB team set out to analyze how the intake of specific alcoholic beverages might affect the health of the lungs. The researchers used a random sample of 1,555 subjects who first underwent tests to determine their levels of pulmonary function. Then each subject responded to a questionnaire that revealed their total alcohol intake over the previous 30 days as well as their lifetime habits of alcohol consumption.

The results suggested that total alcohol intake was not associated with either improved or debilitated lung function. The intake of wine, however, showed a positive association with lung function, with white wine slightly exceeding red wine in positive pulmonary benefits. Once again, the best guess is that the antioxidant qualities of the wine are most likely responsible for the healthy benefits to the lungs.Don’t get crazy, now

There are many ways to reap the heart, pulmonary and insulin-balancing benefits of antioxidants through a healthy diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. So it’s unlikely that you’ll ever hear a medical or health professional say something like, “You’re not getting enough wine in your diet.” Some of us might LIKE to hear that, but that’s another story.

In each of these two studies the researchers emphatically stressed that the positive benefits from wine and other alcohol are the result of moderate intake only. No doubt we’ve all seen the disastrous effects that the over consumption of alcohol can have.

But for those of us who enjoy an occasional glass of wine in the evening, it’s good to know that a little “cocktail therapy” probably does have a few genuine therapeutic qualities. Cheers, Nick.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute

Sources:
“Effects of Moderate Alcohol Intake on Fasting Insulin and Glucose Concentrations and Insulin Sensitivity in Postmenopausal Women”
The Journal of the American Medical Association 2002;287:2559
“Moderate Drinking May Cut Women’s Risk of Diabetes” Reuters Health
“Beverage Specific Alcohol Intake And Lung Function In A Population-Based Study: Do Lungs Prefer Red Or White Wine?”
The American Thoracic Society 2002 International Conference
“White Wine Good for Lungs” BBC News