One drink of wine, alcohol beneficial

TORONTO, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- One drink of red wine or alcohol slightly benefits the heart and blood vessels, but the positive effects disappear with two drinks, a Canadian study found.

Researchers at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre of the Toronto General Hospital conducted a real-time study of 13 volunteers to determine whether a red wine with a verified high polyphenol content differed from alcohol in its effects on high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and heart failure.

The study, published in the American Journal of Physiology, showed virtually identical effects of red wine and alcohol on the specific markers tested.

After one drink of either red wine or alcohol, blood vessels were more "relaxed" or dilated, which reduced the amount of work the heart had to do. But, after two drinks, the heart rate, amount of blood pumped out of the heart and action of the sympathetic nervous system all increased, counteracting the beneficial effect of one drink of red wine or alcohol, the study said.

Study leader Dr. John Floras said any benefits found were not specific to red wine.

"Our findings point to a slight beneficial effect of one drink -- be it alcohol or red wine -- on the heart and blood vessels, whereas two or more drinks would seem to turn on systems that stress the circulation," Floras said in a statement.