Wine and Metabolic Syndrome

Though we’ve all heard of diabetes, many Americans are less familiar with a disorder that can develop long before diabetes is diagnosed: metabolic syndrome (MetS). According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, MetS refers to a group of risk factors linked to extra body weight/obesity that increase your chance for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

This syndrome is surprisingly prevalent in our culture. In fact, some studies estimate that up to 25% of Americans are affected.1 How do you know if you have MetS─also referred to as Syndrome X? The National Cholesterol Education Programmmes Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEPATP III) clinical definition of the metabolic syndrome requires the presence of at least three risk factors from among these five:2

• Excess abdominal fat (apple shape)
• Low levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol
• High plasma triacylglycerols
• High blood pressure
• High fasting glucose

If you think you’re courting MetS─or just want to ensure you keep it at bay─you should know that it's highly preventable with some basic, healthy lifestyle tactics. These include quitting smoking, moderate daily exercise, consuming a diet rich in fresh produce with minimal trans fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and salt, and trimming excess body weight. You also need to monitor your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. You may be surprised to learn that there’s something else that may help, which you might actually enjoy: a daily glass or two of red wine.

Recent studies have demonstrated many beneficial effects of moderate wine consumption in protecting you from developing MetS, and from its related medical complications. In fact, the association between wine and lower incidence of MetS and atherosclerotic heart disease has been repeatedly documented in numerous studies on diverse ethnic groups.3

Research suggests that resveratrol from red wine can protect against the metabolic changes associated with high calorie diets in mice with induced insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia, preventing the dangerous effects of overeating while minimizing the risk of cardiovascular events.4 Dyslipidemia refers to any of several lipid abnormalities, including high levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, low levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and high triglycerides (non-cholesterol fats). Both low HDL and high triglycerides increase your risk of developing MetS, while all three boost your risk of heart attack.

Moderate alcohol consumption in general is associated with a decreased incidence of MetS and beneficial effects on blood fat levels, waist circumference and fasting plasma glucose (blood sugar). Of all the components of MetS, alcohol is most helpful in boosting HDL (“good)” cholesterol levels. However, the benefits are more pronounced among red wine drinkers because red wine polyphenols increase the activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), an enzyme that helps minmize insulin resistance, arterial hypertension and dyslipidemia.5

If you’re really health conscious, you may want to pay special attention to even one or two indicators of MetS. The good news is that this syndrome is largely preventable with small daily adjustments. Take today for instance. How about an afternoon walk, a big, veggie-laden salad with dinner, and a glass of Zinfandel? Some would call that the good life. Here’s to your health!

1 Syndrome JAMA 287(3):356-359. PMID 11790215
2 Cell Biochem Funct. 2006 Jul-Aug;24(4):291-8
3 Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets(Formerly Current Dru, Volume 8, Number 2, June 2008 , pp. 89-98(10)
4 J Cardiometab Syndr. 2009 Spring;4(2):102-6
5 Pol Arch Med Wewn. 2007 Jul;117(7):306-11