Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center say that heavier drinking leads to a sharp increase in corrosive free radical activity in the body. This increase in oxidative stress could lead to cardiovascular and liver diseases, as well as contribute to a variety of chronic disorders, according to the researchers. A report on the findings appears in the Sept. 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Science can be something of a killjoy.
The benefits of red wine have been attributed to a number of substances, including alcohol, which is a powerful inhibitor of blood clotting that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. But Dr. Jane Freedman of Georgetown University says it has this effect only in quantities high enough to make the drinker inebriated. The idea all started with a number of studies that seemed to link the drinking of wine to some health benefits. After all, wine is one of the biggest culprit in alcoholism. Well, of course as soon as the alcohol industry got wind of the findings that suggested a health benefit to drinking wine, they pumped it up for all it was worth and used it to promote their product.