Newsweek

It's been years since I read Newsweek!

http://www.newsweek.com/id/181242

[David M. Bueker]

Of course in a few months they will do a story that wine causes Alzheimers.

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

Lawsy, lawsy, I am so weary of the ad naseum publication of "discoveries" of how wine consumed in moderation is "good for us". Whomever wrote the Old Testament knew it, the Greeks knew it, the Romans knew it and I'll even make a stab in the dark and guess that even those people we today call "The Barbarians" knew it.

Perhaps the federal monies directed towards such studies will be better applied to something more serious - e.g. the control of Nile fever in Antarctica.

Best
Rogov

Of course in a few months they will do a story that wine causes Alzheimers.

Probably. Having had family members with Alzheimers and Early On-Set Alzheimers it is fascinating to follow the research and how the mainstream media often mis-reports it. But that can be said about just about anything.

Perhaps the federal monies directed towards such studies will be better applied to something more serious - e.g. the control of Nile fever in Antarctica

Did I miss where the article states the source of the funding for each of the studies. I did not see that disclosed. Nor did I see what was the intent of each of the studies as the Alzheimer section seems to indicate that wine was not even a focus but a link made by someone based upon the fact that wine contains polyphenols.

Let's not be too dismissive of the research this article discusses. Much of the work mentioned studies the molecular mechanisms by which foods and nutrients can combat various disease states. This is very important and timely research. As always, the problem arises when these research results are taken up by the popular press. In this case, it looks as if the reporter focused on the results of one research lab at UCLA and, probably lacking much scientific background, did no fact-finding of his/her own. What this particular reporter missed is that resveratrol (found principally in red wine) has already been shown to reduce Alzheimer's and Parkinson's in animal models, as well as to reduce the incidence of cancer and improve cardiovascular fitness. And it's very likely that there are other isoflavonoids and polyphenols that have similar effects.

Mark Lipton

...resveratrol (found principally in red wine) has already been shown to reduce Alzheimer's and Parkinson's in animal models, as well as to reduce the incidence of cancer and improve cardiovascular fitness. And it's very likely that there are other isoflavonoids and polyphenols that have similar effects.

Mark, Hi.....

Agreed, but again I ask the question "what's new". All of this has been more or less broadly known since the first articles about the French paradox appeared more than twenty years ago. Unless we (the proverbial "we") agree about the chemical-physciological details, why drink wine if someone can replicate this in pill form. I ask, as I have always done, if part of the impact is not in a combination of life-style, attitude and cultural habits. There may, after all, be something to the two hour lunch taken at leisure in good company in an appealing setting and that taken with wine.

Me, I'm as much for environmental as the genetic/chemical arguments

Best
Rogov

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

Lawsy, lawsy, I am so weary of the ad naseum publication of "discoveries" of how wine consumed in moderation is "good for us". Whomever wrote the Old Testament knew it, the Greeks knew it, the Romans knew it and I'll even make a stab in the dark and guess that even those people we today call "The Barbarians" knew it.

Perhaps the federal monies directed towards such studies will be better applied to something more serious - e.g. the control of Nile fever in Antarctica.

Best
Rogov

Daniel:

Not only did the "Barbarians" know it, but so did the "Barbareschi".

Marco

Let's not be too dismissive of the research this article discusses. Much of the work mentioned studies the molecular mechanisms by which foods and nutrients can combat various disease states. This is very important and timely research. As always, the problem arises when these research results are taken up by the popular press. In this case, it looks as if the reporter focused on the results of one research lab at UCLA and, probably lacking much scientific background, did no fact-finding of his/her own. What this particular reporter missed is that resveratrol (found principally in red wine) has already been shown to reduce Alzheimer's and Parkinson's in animal models, as well as to reduce the incidence of cancer and improve cardiovascular fitness. And it's very likely that there are other isoflavonoids and polyphenols that have similar effects.

Mark Lipton

Yeah, I think the reporter focused on the wine because it seemed a "story". These same scientists are working with all the natural plants that contain resveratrol - table grapes, blueberries, giant knotweed etc. Though I'm no scientist - and couldn't play one on the tube if I tried - I have been reading everything I can find about resveratrol for several years now. I have chemical symbols and mathematical radicals coming out me ears.

Again, for everybody who's listening, as I said above, if you don't know your source stay away from the resveratrol pill sold on the internet. Most are worthless.