Study: Daily Glass of Wine
Fights Depression
While a mountain of research supports light drinking for protecting
your heart, a new study finds that a glass of wine a day could lower
your risks of developing depression.
Researchers from the University of Navarra in Spain looked at data on
5,505 men and women ages 55 to 80 years old. Subjects had no history of
depression or alcohol-related problems prior to the study, and over the
course of seven years, researchers tracked their drinking habits,
lifestyle, and mental health through repeated visits, medical exams, and
interviews.
Findings showed that those who drank moderate amounts of alcohol,
mostly wine, had similar protective effects on depression to those who
have been observed for coronary heart disease. The lowest rates of
depression were seen in subjects who drank two to seven small glasses of
wine per week. These results remained significant even when the
researchers adjusted for other lifestyle and social factors, such as
smoking, diet, and marital status.
Findings were published online in the journal BMC Medicine.
"Lower amounts of alcohol intake might exert protection in a similar
way to what has been observed for coronary heart disease," said senior
author Miguel A. Martínez-González. "In fact, it is believed that
depression and coronary heart disease share some common disease
mechanisms."
Previous studies have indicated that non-alcoholic compounds in the
wine, such as resveratrol and other phenolic compounds, may have
protective effects on certain areas of the brain.
© AFP/Relaxnews 2013
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