The American Heart Association takes the position that drinking wine contributes to high blood pressure. But a study conducted by the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre in Toronto and reported by the American Journal of Physiology and ScienceDaily indicates that a single glass of wine may have no effect on blood pressure at all, so the health risk may depend on how much you drink.
Moderate Consumption
Moderate consumption is one glass of wine a day for women and two for men, according to the American Heart Association. The Peter Munk Cardiac Centre study indicated that a single glass of wine dilated blood vessels and eased the heart's work load in 13 non-smoking adults who habitually drank in moderation. It didn't have any effect on the subjects' blood pressure readings.
Increased Consumption
Drinking even slightly more than a moderate amount of wine can increase blood pressure, however. According to the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre study, two glasses of red wine increased the subjects' heart rates and triggered a sympathetic nervous system response, both of which can lead to hypertension. Another study performed by the School of Medicine and Pharmacology at the University of Western Australia and reported in "Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association" showed that 13 oz. of red wine, two to three times the American Heart Association recommendation, increased systolic blood pressure in subjects by 1.9 mm Hg.
Wine Versus Other Beverages
Both studies compared wine with other beverages. The Peter Munk Cardiac Centre's research also tested subjects with ethanol alcohol and got the same results. The University of Western Australia study tested its subjects with beer as well. The researchers found that more than a moderate amount of wine did not increase blood pressure as much as increased consumption of beer.
Recommendations
MayoClinic.com indicates that drinking too much of any alcohol can raise your blood pressure temporarily, and repeated heavy drinking can affect it more permanently. If you're a wine drinker, a glass a day doesn't appear to have any negative impact on your blood pressure. If you're already prone to hypertension, speak with your doctor before you drink wine at all. The American Heart Association advises that if you don't already drink wine, you shouldn't start, and if you do, keep to the recommended consumption of no more than a glass or two a day, depending on your gender. Wine does increase your levels of "good" HDL cholesterol, but if you drink too much, the negatives will outweigh the positives.
References
- ABC News; One Drink May Help Heart But Two is Too Many; Kevin McKeever
- American Heart Association; Alcohol, Wine and Cardiovascular Disease; 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Does Drinking Alcohol Affect Your Blood Pressure; Sheldon D. Sheps, M.D.; July 2010
- "Hypertension"; Red Wine and Beer Elevate Blood Pressure in Normotensive Men; RR Zilkens, et al; May 2005
