Wine lowers heart attack risk
2000-12-28 14:04
New York - Antioxidant compounds found in
tea, wine, fruits and vegetables may lower the risk of having a
non-fatal heart attack for some men but they do not appear to
offer protection against more deadly episodes, researchers
report.
Antioxidants are compounds found in foods that combat the
effects of free radicals, which are naturally-occurring
particles that can contribute to chronic disease and ageing.
Studies have shown that the antioxidants known as flavonols
and flavones can mop up free radicals, reducing the risk of
stroke and reducing the effects of LDL, or "bad'' cholesterol.
To investigate whether they offered any protection against
heart attack, researchers analysed the diets of more than
25,000 male smokers aged 50-69 years with no history of heart
attack.
According to the findings, published in the January issue
of Epidemiology, men who consumed the greatest amount of these
compounds had a slightly lower risk of having a nonfatal heart
attack six years later, compared with men who consumed the
lowest amount each day.
But there was only a weak association between these
compounds and death from heart attack, conclude Dr. Tero
Hirvonen, from the National Public Health Institute in
Helsinki, Finland, and colleagues.
Their finding contradicts previous studies, which have
shown a stronger relationship between the antioxidant compounds
and death from heart attack. The authors note that the average
levels of flavonols and flavones consumed in their study were
low, compared with levels consumed in other trials, possibly
because consumption of tea and wine in Finland is generally
low.
Individuals in the present study also smoked and "it is
possible that the effects of flavonoids are different between
smokers and non-smokers,'' researchers suggest.