Red wine is "exercise in a bottle," study suggests

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(CBS) Can red wine offset the negative health effects of a sedentary lifestyle? A new study suggests wine can be "exercise in a bottle."

At least if you're a rat.

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The goal of this study was to see if an ingredient in wine, resveratrol, might help astronauts who often experience bad health effects from all that zero gravity inactivity. Weightlessness in space makes physical activity almost impossible for astronauts, resulting in a decrease in muscle and bone mass.

Cue the resveratrol. Earlier studies showed it can be good for health, because it lowers levels of "bad" cholesterol and protects the lining of heart blood vessels, according to the Mayo Clinic.

For the study, scientists mimicked the inactivity astronauts experience by hanging rats by their back legs. Half the rats received a daily dose of resveratrol, and half did not. What happened? The rats not given resveratrol experienced reduced muscle mass and strength and bone density, and developed insulin resistance - which is considered a prelude to diabetes. The ones that took resveratol didn't experience any of these negative health effects.

How does it work? Weissman told CBS News that resveratrol "flips a switch" for cell metabolism that let's the cells "breath internally" - counteracting the detrimental effects inactivity has on the body's cells.  In any case, there are about 200 studies that "show resveratrol has terrific effects on cells," Dr. Gerald Weissmann, editor-in-chief of the FASEB Journal where the study was published, told CBS News.

But the study doesn't just apply to astronauts, since a sedentary lifestyle also limits physical activity for normal folks.

"For the earthbound, barriers to physical activity are equally challenging, whether they be disease, injury, or a desk job, "Weissmann said in a written statement.

But he concedes it'll take more than a glass or two of wine to reach the doses of resveratrol the rats took, so it's not time for people to start drinking their way to good health.

"Resveratrol may not be a substitute for exercise, but it could slow deterioration until someone can get moving again."

The Mayo Clinic has more on resveratrol.

[rf35]

So the article is telling me that if I drink a couple bottles of red wine a day and hang upside down from my legs I'll be as healthy as a rat.

[healthguru]

This study is just reaffirming all the incredible benefits of resveratrol that I've been following! I, however, have done my research on all the resveratrol supplemnts available out there and have found that Biotivia doesn't even have any red wine grapes in their products - so you should definitely be using a supplement that comes from the source. I personally use the ResVitale Resveratrol, it's organic, has all parts of the red wine grape (which is important to me), and has quercetin that keeps the resveratrol in your system much longer then if you took simply the resveratrol. Everyone do yourselves a favor and take some daily!

[Danize]

Exercise in a bottle? Only for those who like to whine while they dine. For most, the old adage holds true: Use it or lose it.

[tsigili]

No!

A glass a day will help to keep you heart healthy, but it won't do diddly for your muscles.