Red wine won't reduce blood pressure, study says

(Arkady Ten)

There is research aplenty on the health benefits of a daily glass (or two) of red wine, but a new study presented September 23 reveals one thing it doesn't do: reduce blood pressure.

Health news website WebMD reported that red wine's heart-healthy benefits have often been attributed to antioxidants called polyphenols. While expert opinions have varied on polyphenols' effect on the heart, Dutch researchers have discovered that polyphenols don't seem to promote heart health by reducing blood pressure, according to WebMD.

Lead researcher Ilse Botden, MD and a PhD student at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, Netherlands, presented the findings on Friday at the American Heart Association's High Blood Pressure Research 2011 Scientific Sessions in Florida in the US.

Still, the researchers note that the study doesn't discount red wine's health benefits.

Research has shown that red wine helps to block the signals of molecules that can lead to the buildup of plaque in the arteries. Additionally, researchers at Johns Hopkins University in the US recently discovered that red wine "protects the brain from damage following a stroke."

Moderate drinking (one drink a day for women, two a day for men) has also been shown to significantly increase the levels of "good" cholesterol circulating in the body, which can have a protective effect against heart disease.