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Phytochemicals in Red Wine
Phytochemicals in Red Wine
Katie Walczuk
Introduction
Eating and drinking among family and friends is a part of the human experience. Socially,
we gather together and enjoy one another’s company as a means of staying connected and
staying together. Inevitably, at these social arrangements—there will be alcohol present. People
who choose to drink usually have their own unique beverage preference and many factors can
influence this preference. Those who are more health conscious may choose to drink red wine,
because socially it is known as a healthier alcoholic beverage. However, most people do not
know the actual benefits of drinking red wine or if there is any truth to these common claims.
Making healthy choices is crucial in order to prevent and reduce the risks for disease, which is
Reducing risk factors associated with illnesses can help to promote the longevity and
quality of one’s life (Bertoia et al., 2016). Switching up one’s diet can be a simple and reasonable
solution for this problem. Diseases such as atherosclerosis and other non-communicable illnesses
are the largest causes of death worldwide and the aftermath is catastrophic for many families
(Cioccoloni et al., 2018). The cost of these diseases is major for the healthcare industry, which
makes prevention a big focus for these companies when it comes to cutting costs. One area in
which prevention is known to save lives is with dietetics. For, example, micronutrient
deficiencies are known to lead to various diseases within the human body (Bertoia et al., 2016).
Preventing these deficiencies is a straightforward way in which to cut costs and improve quality
of life.
Previous studies have looked at the association of a higher fruit intake and better health
Phytochemicals in Red Wine Walczuk 2
outcomes (Bertoia et al., 2016). Fruit has a variety of vitamins and minerals as well as bioactive
compounds and flavonoids (Poucheret et al., 2018). Keeping this in mind, there is similarly an
association between alcohol intake—specifically red wine intake—and benefits for our bodies
(Bullo et al., 2015). Exploring the compounds present in red wine can help to establish the
importance of consumption and how the beverage creates its positive role on health. The purpose
of this review is to identify why red wine has important health benefits by exploring how
consumption can reduce risks for disease and identifying the components in the wine that lead to
The presence of red wine in the diet can have a positive impact on overall health
(Cioccoloni et al., 2018). The micronutrients that exist in red wine are responsible for these
benefits. Red wine has a large variety of phytochemicals that each work differently in the body
including flavonoids and non-flavonoids (De Freitas et al., 2017). Red wine specifically contains
anthocyanins and flavonones—two compounds that are responsible for the prevention of disease
(De Freitas et al., 2017). Anthocyanins are pigments that are water-soluble and found in plants
(Anderson et al., 2014). Flavonones may contain a varying amount of hydroxide groups that
work as antioxidants against free radicals (De Freitas et al., 2017). Both of these components are
flavonoids, which are polyphenolic compounds made and found in plants. Flavonoids are
directly associated with the organoleptic and health-promoting properties that are in red wine (De
Freitas et al., 2017). Anthocyanins and flavonones can alter signaling pathways by reducing or
inflammation decreases (Bertoia et al., 2016). In return, these flavonoids can reduce the risk of
cardiovascular disease by improving blood flow and inhibiting platelet function (Bertoia et al.,
Phytochemicals in Red Wine Walczuk 3
2016).
A human study conducted by Bertoia et al. (2016) assessed 43,880 men aged 32 to 81
years old that were enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-Up study on their intake of red
wine consumption and the incident of myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke for 24 years.
The cohort study found through analysis that a higher intake of anthocyanins was associated with
a 14% lower risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction (P=0.04), with the greatest effect found in
normotensive participants (P=0.03) (Bertoia et al., 2016). The study also found that a higher
consumption of flavonones was associated with a 22% lower risk of ischemic stroke (P=0.03),
with the greatest effects being in participants over the age of 65 (P=0.03) (Bertoia et al., 2016).
This research adds a basis for the claims that are commonly made about the benefits of drinking
red wine. These results also show that if a person is choosing to drink alcohol, they may want to
select red wine as their drink of choice. These benefits over time would be helpful for those that
choose to drink.
Additionally, Bullo et al. (2015) examined the effect of red wine consumption on
metabolic syndrome after previous studies showed that food with high levels of polyphenols
increased HDL concentrations. 5801 elderly participants that were enrolled in the cohort
Prevencion con Dieta Mediterreanea Study were sampled in this cross-sectional study. The
sample included both men and women who were at a high risk for cardiovascular disease (Bullo
et al., 2015). The consumption of wine was measured using a food frequency questionnaire
(Bullo et al., 2015). The criteria needed to be considered to have metabolic syndrome included
elevated waist circumference for European standards, elevated TAG concentrations, low HDL,
elevated blood pressure, or elevated fasting blood glucose (Bullo et al., 2015.)
Bullo et al., (2015) found that consuming one 100 mL drink of red wine a day was
Phytochemicals in Red Wine Walczuk 4
associated with a 44% lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome in participants below the
age of 70 in Mediterranean populations (P<0.001). The study also found that there was no
significant difference in metabolic syndrome in those participants who were over the age of 70
(Bullo et al., 2015). Even though the focus of this study was on red wine consumption, other
researchers also included other fruits, vegetables, and nuts with similar polyphenols and their
effect on the development of metabolic syndrome (Akter et al., 2013). These foods all have anti-
inflammatory actions and antioxidants, which can help to prevent the development of metabolic
Specifically between genders, previous studies found that men inherited more benefits
from the consumption of red wine than women (De Freitas et al., 2017) However, Bullo et al.,
(2015) found that in regards to metabolic syndrome, women received more benefits from
consuming more than one drinks a day—100 mL—of red wine than did men (P<0.001). This
study has theoretical importance because previous studies and current recommendations state
that women should drink less than men when it comes to the consumption of alcohol and overall
health. It may be possible that more factors impact how much alcohol a person can consume, and
that gender coincides with multiple other aspects such as muscle mass, fat free mass, or BMI
(Bullo et al., 2015). Although this finding doesn’t have a lot of practical importance, it may open
the door for more research regarding recommendations for alcohol and the difference in
Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes and consequently is found in red wine
(McWilliams, 2017). Resveratrol is a polyphenol that acts as an antioxidant inside the body that
helps prevent blood vessel damage, increases mitochondrial biogenesis, a increase the
Phytochemicals in Red Wine Walczuk 5
functioning of mitochondria (Dain et al., 2016). In the human body, resveratrol increases cyclic
AMP by suppressing the activity of cyclooxygenase enzymes (Dain et al., 2016). The build-up of
cAMP would then result in the activation of glycolytic pathways and gluconeogenesis (Gropper
& Smith, 2013). Due to this, resveratrol may reduce inflammation in the body and lower the risk
of blood clotting.
diabetes, and metabolism. 30 glucose-intolerant participants between the ages of 50-80 year old
without a prior diabetes diagnosis were examined (Anghel et al., 2017). 1500mg tablets of
resveratrol were obtained from the RevGenetics Corporation and were administered to 9
participants in the experimental group for two 6-week periods—due to side effects some
participants received 1000mg resveratrol tablets (Anghel et al., 2017). Participants maintained all
of their normal lifestyle habits while taking the resveratrol tablets. Participants were examined
for glucose levels, insulin levels, endothelial functioning with arterial pulse wave amplitude, and
were given skeletal muscle biopsies before and after the 6-week resveratrol supplementation
(Anghel et al., 2018). Participants were given the same breakfast the morning before testing
including the same portion size as a means of standardization. The data for both the placebo and
resveratrol groups was analyzed and compared using a paired t-test. A Wilcoxon’s test was used
for the data that was not distributed normally (Anghel et al., 2017).
Anghel et al. (2017) found that those in the resveratrol supplementation group had a 13%
higher fasting reactive hyperemia index (RHI) than did the placebo group (P=0.002).
significantly due to the increased number of mitochondria (P=1.6x10-11) (Anghel et al., 2017).
No significant differences were found between the placebo and resveratrol groups for glucose
tolerance or insulin sensitivity, although insulin secretion was increased in the resveratrol group
by 9% (P=0.03) (Anghel et al., 2017). These findings have theoretical importance because
resveratrol is a possible factor that may reduce the risks for cardiovascular disease by increasing
the number of mitochondria and increasing the rate of oxidative phosphorylation. Increased
reduction in inflammation may occur and may lead to an increase in overall vascular health.
The amount of red wine that is consumed by a person makes a major difference in the
effects that the drink has on the body. The previous study mentioned by Bullo et al. (2015) also
examined the amount of red wine consumption necessary to see results and used 100mL as the
measurement for a standard drink of alcohol. Of the 5801 elderly Mediterranean study
participants with a high risk for cardiovascular disease from the PREDIMED cohort, 50% of the
participants were considered non-drinkers, 36% consumed 0-1 drink/day, 12% consumed >1
drink/day, and 0.02% of the population consumed >5 drinks/day (Bullo et al., 2015). The
participants that consumed more than 1 drink/day were found to have a lower BMI and a lower
heart rate, but there was no significant difference found (Bullo et al., 2015). The participants that
consumed between 0-1 drinks/day were found to have a significantly lower risk of developing
metabolic syndrome (P<0.001) (Bullo et al., 2015). After adjusting for heavy drinkers and
removing those that consumed > 2 drinks/day for women—200mL—a stronger and significant
association was found in female participants (Bullo et al., 2015). Participants that consumed 1
drink/day or greater within these parameters were found to have a 41% lower risk of abnormal
Phytochemicals in Red Wine Walczuk 7
waist circumference (P<0.001), a 58% lower risk of low HDL (P<0.001), a 72% reduced risk for
having high blood pressure (P<0.001), and a 33% reduced risk for high fasting blood glucose
concentrations (P<0.001) (Bullo et al., 2015). This study has theoretical implications because it
suggests that elderly Mediterranean women with a high risk for cardiovascular disease can
consume 200mL or less of red wine and receive more benefits than from the consumption of 1
drink/day or 100mL or less (Bullo et al., 2015). This is slightly higher than the current
recommendations for consumption of wine for females (McWilliams, 2017). More studies would
need to be done for this to have practical implications. Based on these results, 100 mL to 200 mL
of red wine would need to be consumed in order to lower the risk of metabolic syndrome and
cardiovascular disease.
In a study conducted by Carraro et al. (2014), 24 participants between the ages of 18 and
65 years old from the Clinical Nutrition and Nutrigenomic Section from the University of Rome
Tor Vegata were examined. This randomized control trial divided the participants into six groups
including a control, fasting and 250 mL of red wine consumption, a Mediterranean meal, a
Mediterranean meal with 250 mL of red wine, a McDonald’s meal, and a McDonald’s meal with
Oxidative LDL values in the study by Carraro et al. (2014) were lowered significantly for
all conditions incorporating 250 mL of red wine into their diet (P<0.05). Specifically, the
McDonald’s meal with red wine had a 20.78% lower oxidative LDL than the McDonald’s meal
only group (P<0.05) (Carraro et al., 2014). Expression of antioxidant genes significantly
increased in all groups with the consumption of 250 mL of red wine (P<0.05), and C-C motif
ligand 5 (CCL5) decreased significantly in the Mediterranean meal with red wine compared to
the group with only the Mediterranean meal (P<0.05) (Carraro et al., 2014). CCL5 leads to
Phytochemicals in Red Wine Walczuk 8
inflammation in the body, which is known to enhance cardiovascular disease (Carraro et al.,
2014). Overall, these results lead to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease from the
receive the healthful benefits of the beverage. More research would need to be done to determine
a more exact volume of red wine that would be needed to see benefits.
Other types of wine besides red, and other types of alcohol need to be considered in order
to determine if the benefits observed in the consumption of red wine are exclusive. Cioccoloni et
al. (2018) compared the differences between 250 mL of red wine, 250 mL of white wine, and
100 mL of vodka with a baseline, Mediterranean meal and a high fat meal among 55 healthy
participants. This randomized control trial compared all types of alcohol with the baseline,
Mediterranean meal, and the high fat meal (Cioccoloni et al., 2018).
Oxidative LDL levels were significantly reduced in the high fat meal with red wine
condition (P<0.05), but not in conditions with other alcohols (Cioccoloni et al., 2018). All
conditions supplemented with red wine consumption significantly increased the up-regulation of
catalase (P<0.05), and all conditions will white wine and vodka significantly increased a down-
regulation of catalase (P<0.05) (Cioccoloni et al., 2018). This regulation in antioxidant gene
expression is crucial for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (Cioccoloni et al., 2018). These
results demonstrate that red wine consumption provides benefits to reduce the risks of
Resveratrol and several other polyphenols are found in red wine grapes, and they are not
present in other types of wine or alcohol (McWilliams, 2017). These components provide the
Phytochemicals in Red Wine Walczuk 9
health benefits that are observed from the consumption of red wine such as a reduced risk for
cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and inflammation. Other alcohols do not have these
The benefits of drinking red wine are important to understand, but it also important to
understand the risks of drinking all types of alcohol. A study by Maclure et al. (2016)
investigated the effect and timing of alcohol consumption on sudden cardiac death. 3869
participants with the average age of 61.4 years were interviewed for four days after having an
acute myocardial infarction across 64 hospitals in the United States between 1989 and 1996.
(Maclure et al., 2016). After analyzing the data, the researchers found that after one hour of
alcohol consumption, the onset of the acute myocardial infarction was elevated 1.72 fold
(CI=1.37-2.16) with the association being stronger for liquor than for wine and beer (Maclure et
al., 2016). No significant difference occurred in daily drinkers (Maclure et al., 2016). These
results indicate that all alcohol consumption can be considered dangerous and can lead to ill-
Additionally, a study conducted by Djousse et al. (2014) examined the effect of moderate
alcohol consumption and total morality on 449 American male physicians between the ages of 67
and 83 years old. All of the participants had heart failure. Alcohol consumption was assessed
with a food frequency questionnaire and mortality was evaluated with annual follow-up
Even though there was evidence found between the amount of alcohol consumed and
mortality, there was no significant result found between wine, beer, or liquor and mortality
(Djousse et al., 2014). Drinking in excess of any type of alcohol can lead to alcohol cirrhosis
Phytochemicals in Red Wine Walczuk 10
hepatic encephalopathy, increase blood ammonia, toxicity to the brain, and liver cirrhosis
(Gropper & Smith, 2013). The consumption of alcohol can complicate pre-existing conditions
Overall, it is better not to consume any alcohol in the diet. If a person were to choose to
drink alcohol, red wine is the better choice for long-term consumption in regards to positive
health outcomes.
Conclusion
When choosing to drink alcohol, red wine is the beverage that provides the greatest
health benefits. The polyphenols that are found in red wine come from the skin of red wine
grapes (Dain et al., 2016). The polyphenolic compounds including anthocyanins, flavonones, and
resveratrol in red wine provide several health benefits for the human body. First, anthocyanins
and flavonones reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and metabolic disease (Bertoia et al.,
2016). Resveratrol has been found to reduce inflammation, reduce the risk of cardiovascular
disease, increase the number of mitochondria, and increase the rate of oxidative phosphorylation
(Anghel et al., 2017). These health benefits are seen at their greatest when the consumption of
red wine is in between 100 mL and 250 mL (Carraro et al., 2014). Other alcohols and other types
of wine besides red wines do not have these benefits because they do not have the polyphenol
content that comes from the red grapes (Dain et al., 2016). The health benefits of drinking red
wine are important to understand when making the decision to drink. Over time, moderate
consumption of red wine can help to prolong health and have a positive impact on the human
body.
Phytochemicals in Red Wine Walczuk 11
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