It is revealed which type of wine you are most likely to get drunk with during the end-of-year holidays - Gazeta Express
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Medical Advice

Express newspaper

23/12/2024 20:14

It is revealed which type of wine you are most likely to get drunk with during the end-of-year holidays

Medical Advice

Express newspaper

23/12/2024 20:14

Multiple headaches, nausea, and fatigue are familiar to anyone who has had a little too much to drink.

But have you ever stopped to wonder why you feel so much worse after an evening of drinking red wine compared to other drinks?

Researchers believe they have found the reason why delicious Cabernets and Pinots cause so much suffering the next day.

According to American scientists, a compound called quercetin - found in abundance in red wines - may prevent the body from processing alcohol properly.

Red wine has more quercetin, as the grapes are used whole, including the skins – while in white wine the skins and seeds are removed.

Also, quercetin is more abundant in grapes that have been exposed to more sun, according to researchers at the University of California.

This means that cheaper red wine may be better for avoiding a hangover, because cheaper grape varieties grow on vines with more leaves and shade, getting less sun.

“If you’re willing to take a risk, look for a light, inexpensive red wine,” Professor Andrew Waterhouse, an expert in oenology, and Apramita Devi, a postdoctoral researcher in food science, told The Conversation., reports GazetaExpress.

Scientists don't yet know exactly how quercetin affects humans, but they believe it blocks an enzyme needed to break down alcohol in the body.

“First, alcohol is converted to acetaldehyde [in the liver],” they explained.

“The ALDH enzyme then converts acetaldehyde into acetate, a common and harmless substance.”

Once this happens, it can be excreted from the body as waste.

However, quercetin prevents acetaldehyde from being converted to acetate, causing it to remain in the body, causing inflammation and headaches.

“Our enzyme tests suggest that quercetin…interrupts your body’s metabolism of alcohol,” they added.

Studies have previously suggested that sulfites – preservatives that extend the shelf life of wine – may be to blame for red wine headaches, which can occur within half an hour of drinking even the smallest amount.

However, generally the sulfite content is higher in sweet white wines than in red wines.

Another possible culprit is histamine – a more common ingredient in red wine than in white or rosé.

Histamine can dilate blood vessels in the body, which can cause headaches. But research is limited.

The team, who published their research on quercetin in the journal Scientific Reports, now hope to test their theory with clinical trials on the effects of red wines with different levels of quercetin.

They hope the findings will help people avoid headaches from red wine in the future.

Leading experts have debated the harms of moderate drinking for decades.

This topic was put into the spotlight last year when WHO officials warned that no amount of alcohol is safe.

The NHS recommends that people drink no more than 14 "units" of alcohol - around six glasses of wine or pints of beer - per week.

Meanwhile, in the US, it is said that women should drink no more than seven standard drinks per week and men up to 14.

Scientists agree that excessive alcohol consumption can permanently damage the liver, cause a variety of cancers, and increase blood pressure.

This puts strain on the heart muscle and can lead to cardiovascular disease (CVD), increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Binge drinking – sometimes defined as consuming five drinks within two hours – can cause the heart to beat irregularly, causing symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue and increased blood pressure.

The World Health Organization estimates that alcohol kills three million people worldwide each year.