Journal of the American Heart Association . Researchers surveyed 224 women between the ages of 15 and 44 who had suffered an ischemic stroke within the last year, as well as 392 women of the same ages who had not had strokes.
Ischemic stroke is caused by a blood clot blocking a brain artery.
To assess alcohol consumption patterns, researchers conducted interviews asking how often, how recently and in what quantities the women consumed light beer, beer, wine or hard liquor. Blood tests were also conducted. Studies have indicated a protective effect of moderate alcohol use, but here researchers looked specifically at young white and black women, and the type of alcohol used. Wine appeared to have a beneficial effect, while beer and liquor were not as strongly related to stroke risk. Wine may have additional benefits than other alcoholic beverages because it contains flavonoids - compounds in fruits and vegetables that may protect against heart disease and cancer.