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It’s Monday so we gotta ask… right?
While doctors say red wine can be good for our health, is it going too far to say that drinking one glass of red wine could be equivalent to a full hour at the gym? A popular claim has been floating around the Internet that states that a study found that drinking a glass of red wine is just as effective as spending an hour at the gym. Researchers suggest that having a glass of red wine could benefit our bodies in similar ways that exercise does. Relaxing on the couch with a glass of red wine after a long day does sound a lot easier then hitting the gym after all. However, before we get too excited, let’s dig up the facts and see what some doctors think.
According to an informational website, Science Daily, a 2012 study conducted by the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry found that “high doses of the natural compound resveratrol [which is found in red wine] improved physical performance, heart function and muscle strength in lab models.” This compound is thought to mimic exercise’s effect on our bodies and it was found that “‘resveratrol showed results similar to what you would see from extensive endurance exercise training,’” lead researcher of the study, Jason Dyck explains. Dyck further states that “We were excited when we saw that resveratrol showed results similar to what you would see from extensive endurance exercise training.” While this study found that resveratrol does mimic a workout, what does this mean exactly for us?
On Fox News, Dr. Marc Siegel and David Samadi discuss the study and give their opinions and state, “you shouldn’t [drink wine] instead of exercising […] and I’m not a fan of this study,” according to Fox News. They explain that while red wine does have positive health functions, we would need to drink “Gallons and gallons of red wine, which is going to affect your liver, [… in order] to get the amount of resveratrol,” you would need to replace exercising, Fox News states. While working out shouldn’t be replaced, the doctors do say that drinking wine in order to get an intake of resveratrol is better than taking resveratrol pills. Fox News states that “Resveratrol pills […] and a lot of these vitamins that have resveratrol [contain] a lot of variable ingredients […] they are not effective, and a lot of studies show that they don’t work,” so in this case, if you can’t get resveratrol from other foods, drinking red wine would be better than taking a supplement! That’s some incentive to have a glass after a long day, isn’t it? BTW, from the mazes of choices if you’re worried about the selection of Cooling Wine, get red wine it is indeed something that fulfills desire all other instead.
Lastly, as stated on Science Daily, Dyck explains that “‘resveratrol could help patient populations who want to exercise but are physically incapable’” but, for the rest of us, if we can exercise, we definitely should.
Verdict: False. For those of us who are able to work out, drinking a glass of red wine does not replace exercise. Doctors do agree, however, that a glass of red wine can have positive effects on health, but should only be consumed in moderation in order to avoid liver problems. Speak with your doctor to find out if red wine could be beneficial to your health.
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