Does moderate wine consumption improve lung function?

While several previous studies (as does this one) have reported that wine intake improves lung function, Forum reviewers were concerned about several aspects of the paper, and especially with the conclusions of the authors that resveratrol was the key factor in improved lung function. A reviewer stated: "Resveratrol may well be just the bystander of something else present in wine." The beneficial effects on lung function are probably related to many compounds present in wine, and not just resveratrol'.

Based on a number of scientific studies, moderate wine intake appears to have a favorable effect on lung function. The doses of resveratrol seen in these epidemiologic studies are at levels that could be expected from moderate wine consumption, unlike the huge doses of resveratrol, which we doubt are capable of being metabolized, being evaluated as a potential life-extending drug in pharmaceutical studies.

More information: Siedlinski M, Boer JMA, Smit HA, Postma DS, Boezen HM. Dietary factors and lung function in the general population: wine and resveratrol intake. Eur Respir J 2012; 39: 385-391 DOI: 10.1183/09031936.00184110

Provided by Boston University Medical Center