Drinking red wine can slow down ageing process

5 Jul, 2008, 0830 hrs IST, REUTERS
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Red wine
WASHINGTON: Large doses of a compound in red wine can ward off multiple ravages of age as trials with midlife mice have found, according to a new study. However, these improvements conferred by resveratrol — cardiovascular benefits, greater motor coordination, reduced cataracts and better bone density — don’t necessarily extend the animals’ lifespan.

The study, by a team led by David Sinclair of Harvard Medical School and National Institute on Aging’s Rafael de Cabo, further showed evidence that resveratrol mimics the beneficial effects of eating fewer calories. In mice, they found that resveratrol induces gene activity patterns in multiple tissues that parallel those induced by dietary restriction and every-other-day feeding.

“From a health point of view, the quality of life of these mice at the end of their days is much better,” said de Cabo. It suggests that resveratrol may “extend productive independent life, rather than just extending life span.”