A study conducted in Chile has evaluated the possible effects of moderate consumption of a low-alcohol wine enriched with polyphenols extracted from grape skins. Published in the scientific journal Food & Function, the research identified favourable changes in some of the health markers analysed, particularly those related to liver function and inflammatory processes.
The work was developed by researchers from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and the Universidad de Talca, through a randomised clinical trial involving overweight adults or those with at least one factor associated with metabolic syndrome, such as elevated fasting blood glucose levels.
Consumption over five to six weeks
Over a period of five to six weeks, participants consumed wine at lunch and dinner. The defined quantities were 125 millilitres per occasion for women and 250 millilitres for men.
The researchers divided participants into groups to compare the effects of the polyphenol-enriched wine with those of a conventional wine used as a control. The objective was to assess whether a higher concentration of these antioxidant compounds could produce changes in the metabolic and inflammatory markers analysed.
At the end of the intervention period, the group that consumed the enriched wine showed improvements in some of the parameters evaluated. Among the results observed was a reduction in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), an enzyme used as an indicator of liver function.
The research also recorded differences in uric acid levels. In certain parameters, the enriched wine prevented the increase observed in the group that consumed the conventional wine.
Another result identified was a reduction in the plasma concentration of kynurenine, a metabolite associated with tryptophan metabolism and inflammatory processes. This change was considered by the researchers to be one of the relevant indicators of the effects observed during the study period.
Results still require further research
According to Felipe Ávila, a professor at the Universidad de Talca and one of the researchers involved in the study, one of its principal contributions lies in generating human evidence through a controlled clinical trial.
Despite the results observed, the researchers underscore the need to conduct additional studies to better understand the role of polyphenols and other antioxidant compounds present in grapes, as well as their possible effects on the human body.
The results do not mean, however, that wine consumption should be recommended as a strategy for the prevention or treatment of health conditions. The study evaluated a specific product — one with reduced alcohol content and enriched with polyphenols — over a limited period, meaning the conclusions cannot be automatically generalised to all types of wine or to habitual consumption of alcoholic beverages.
The research thus adds data to the scientific discussion on the bioactive compounds present in grapes and their potential metabolic effects, while also reinforcing the need for further studies before broader conclusions can be established.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=545285
