A new study shows positive association with moderate wine consumption and a lower prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
And the benefits do not stop there. For those who already have CKD, the study indicates some wine consumption may help the heart by lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Those with healthy kidneys who drank less than one glass of wine a day had a 37 percent lower risk of having chronic kidney disease than those who drank no wine.
The study used data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination surveys. Researchers at the University of Colorado-Denver analyzed the wine intake of the 5,852 participants, of which about a thousand were diagnosed with CKD.
“Kidney disease shares common risk factors with cardiovascular disease, and previous studies have shown that wine consumption has an association with lower risk of cardiovascular disease in the general population,” lead study author Dr. Tapan Mehta, a renal fellow at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center, in Aurora, said to FoxNews.com.
About 26 million Americans have chronic kidney disease, and 80 million Americans have one or more type of heart disease.
Wine is found to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties called polyphenols, which may help explain the protective heart effects. Wine intake correlates with lower levels of protein in the urine. According to Mehta, previous studies show that high levels of protein have been linked to a progression of CKD.
However, while the study found an association, it does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship. Moderate alcohol consumption is key. As for those who do not drink, this study does not give reason to start.
S.C. Rhyne is a blogger and novelist in New York City. Follow the author on Twitter @ReporterandGirl, http://Facebook.com/TheReporterandTheGirl and visit her website at http://www.SCRhyne.com
