BARCELONA (UPI) -- Men at high risk for heart disease had lower blood pressure after drinking non-alcoholic red wine for four weeks, researchers in Spain say.

Gemma Chiva-Blanch of the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona and colleagues studied 67 men with diabetes, or three or more cardiovascular risk factors, who ate a common diet plus one of the following drinks -- about 10 ounces of red wine, a similar amount of non-alcoholic red wine or about 3 ounces of gin.

All of the men tried each diet/beverage combination for four weeks.

The red wine and non-alcoholic wine contained equal amounts of polyphenols, an antioxidant that decreases blood pressure, Chiva-Blanch said.

The study, published in the journal Circulation Research, found during the red wine phase, the men had very little reduction in blood pressure and there was no change while drinking gin. However, after the men drank non-alcoholic red wine, blood pressure decreased by about 6 millimeters of mercury in systolic and 2 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure -- possibly reducing the risk of heart disease by 14 percent and stroke by as much as 20 percent, the study said.

Chiva-Blanch and the team concluded the alcohol in red wine weakens its ability to lower blood pressure, but polyphenols -- still present after alcohol is removed from wine -- are likely the beneficial element in wine.

<관련 한글 기사>

무알콜 와인에 놀라운 건강 기능이?

심장병을 앓을 위험이 높은 남성들의 경우 무알콜 레드 와인을 4주동안 섭취한 결과 혈압이 낮아졌다고 스페인의 한 연구팀이 밝혔다.

이 연구팀은 당뇨병을 앓고 있거나 3가지 이상의 순환기 위험 요인을 가지고 있는 67명의 남성들에게 평소와 같이 식사를 하게 한 후 레드 와인과 무알콜 레드 와인을 마시게 했다.

레드 와인을 마신 그룹은 혈압 감소가 거의 나타나지 않았지만 무알콜 레드 와인을 마신 남성들은 혈압이 감소되는 것으로 나타났다. 이는 심장병 위험을 14퍼센트 낮추고 뇌졸중을 20퍼센트까지 낮추게 된다고 연구팀은 밝혔다.

(코리아헤럴드)