Here's the news you've all been waiting for — natural compounds found in red wine may protect the heart against the effects of ageing.
The magic ingredient
Move over calorie-controlled diets, there's a new heart-saver on the block. According to researchers at the University of Wisconsin, USA, a natural compound known as resveratrol, found in abundance in grapes and red wine, changes gene activity related to ageing. Tomas Prolla, a University of Wisconsin professor of genetics who helped with this study, says this means that, just like calorie restriction, resveratrol blocks the decline in heart function that is typically associated with getting older.
Fountain of youth
Studies have already found that large does of resveratrol prevented early death in mice and extended the lifespan of fruit flies and worms, however this is the first study where relatively low does of the compound were administered with similar age-related benefits.
"Resveratrol at low does can retard aspects of the ageing process, including heart ageing," said Prolla. "And it may also do so by mimicking some of the effects of calorie restriction, which is known to retard ageing in several tissues and extend life span."
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