A new study has associated wine with increased biodiversity in the microbiota that dwells in the intestines. In other words, wine can be handy in keeping up with health and promoting higher metabolism.
The journal Gastroenterology has published a study done by researchers from King's College London and the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology in Belgium. The research investigated the effects of moderate consumption of alcohol on the biodiversity of the intestinal microbiome.
Intestinal microbiome or gut microbiome are trillions of microbes that live in the digestive tract which largely contributes to the well-being of the human body. It is responsible for aiding certain functions such as digesting and metabolizing food. It is also responsible for moderating the mood, as well as the immune system of a person. According to experts, intestines with a wide range of bacteria have better chances to equip the body with a variety of enzymes and vitamins that can fight off problems in digestion.
The study involves collecting microbiota data from three sources. The team collected the said health information through surveys of more than 2000 people in Belgium and the US. One group of participants consists of 453 pairs of female twins from the US. According to the researchers, their team was able to control for socioeconomic background, life exposure, and genetics when they involved twins in the research.
Upon their observations, the researchers have found out that people who consume an occasional serving of red wine have increased the biodiversity of the microbiome in their intestines. Red wine consumption could even be at a minimum of a single glass in 14 days. The scientists have also observed that those who drink white wine still showed an increase in the biodiversity of their gut microbiome but at a lower rate as compared to those who consume red wine. On the other hand, those who consume beer, spirits, and cider drinks did not exhibit any increase in gut microbiome biodiversity.
One hypothesis that the team of researchers has come up with states that the rich and varied polyphenols that red wine contains encourages greater and healthier biodiversity in a person's intestines.
Still, Dr. Caroline Le Roy, the lead author of the study, cautioned readers that their research is not an encouragement for people to drink more. Later, the doctor explained that red wine could be part of a healthy diet but in moderation moderate consumption. Le Roy explained that for people who do not normally drink red wine, polyphenols can also be found in many other food items.
