Recent studies have shown that having a glass of red wine once in a while is good for your heart. Now there's even more good news for those mommies who love to partake in a glass of red wine in the evening. A recent study has shown that an ingredient in red wine slows the aging process in mice.
A small amount of resveratrol, an ingredient in red wine, slowed signs of bone and heart muscle aging in the genes of mice, researchers said.
The study, published today in the online Journal of the Public Library of Science, showed that the compound slowed signs of aging in mice as effectively as a calorie-restricted diet, proven to retard aging in animals.
High daily doses of resveratrol, equivalent to what is in 1,000 or more bottles of wine, previously have been shown to prolong the lives of laboratory animals. Drugmakers are investigating the substance for uses against diseases such as cancer and diabetes. Scientists at Sirtris Pharmaceuticals Inc., which London-based GlaxoSmithKline Plc is buying for about $720 million, are working on a compound similar to resveratrol.
``The discovery of compounds could have profound public health impact by reducing disease incidence and possibly extending the quality and length of the human lifespan,'' said senior author Tomas Prolla, of the University of Wisconsin's medical genetics department in Madison, and other researchers, in the study. ``Because cardiac disease is a major contributor to age-related mortality, positive findings could lead to a novel and important approach to improve the quality of human life.''
So as I relish my glass of pinot noir tonight, I just may be extending my life at the same time.
I can live with that.
LOL! Tuesday night I had a 1/3 of a cup of merlot mixed with sprite zero. Drunk much? Holy cow. I need to start practicing my drinking habits again. =0
Posted by: Darla | June 05, 2008 at 05:55 PM