Can Wine and Moderate Alcohol Intake Work as Functional Food Nutraceuticals? A Tribute to Dr. Serge C. Renaud

ABSTRACT

Alcohol appears to be a double-edged sword because moderate alcohol intake is protective whereas drinking more than 10 drinks in a week appears to have adverse effects on morbidity and mortality. Recently, the exponential nature of the relation between average alcohol consumption and mortality has been demonstrated in Russia. This study revealed that substantial numbers of people report drinking three or more half-litre bottles of vodka per week. However, the exponential curves for dose-response relations between average volume of alcohol consumption and the mortality risk of various diseases is not fully explained. The variation in mortality may be due to presence of confounders such as physical activity, greater consumption of fish and salads which are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenolics. It is possible that patients with type 2 diabetes, moderate alcohol us-e, particularly wine consumption, is associated with reduced risks of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. Serge C. Renaud gave the definition of the French paradox and suggested that the inhibition of platelet reactivity by wine may be one explanation for protection from CAD in France. It is known that aging of alcohol also increases 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and therefore moderate drinking of aged whisky and other alcoholic drinks in moderation may provide beneficial effects. Excess of alcohol intake causes decreases in vitamin B1, B6 and B12 as well as in folic acid, antioxidants vitamins A,E ,C and beta carotene, flavonoids, amino acids, coenzyme Q10, l-carnitine, omega-3 fatty acids as well as in minerals magnesium, potassium, calcium, copper, zinc, chromium and selenium. Alcoholism also has a direct adverse effects on cell membrane, mitochondria and genes. Alcoholic cirrhosis, fatty liver, cardiomyopathy, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperuricemia, oxidative stress and inflammation are well known adverse effects of alcoholism. It also damages the brain causing dementia, depression and psychosis. However, moderate alcohol intake up to 10 drinks per week may have beneficial effects on the risk of all these problems. Moderate alcohol intake increases HDL-C, and decreases C-reactive proteins, IL-6, TNF-alpha, Lp (a), plasminogen activator inhibiter-1, insulin resistance which are risk markers of CVDs, type 2 diabetes and cancer. These beneficial effects are enhanced by omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenolics that are rich in Mediterranean style diets. Vodka and spirits can be made healthly if enriched with fish oil or alpha- linolenic acid (rich source of w-3) and cocoa (flavanol) which can repair this deficiency. It is like a cleaning drink for the all the organs of the body. If standard Vodka is 40% alcohol, then we need +/- 1-g DHA per 500-ml bottle.

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