Champagne helps open up blood vessels for heart protection

In time for New Year's eve, an interesting study was recently published in the British Journal of Nutrition that investigated the effects of champagne on blood vessel function. "In order to assess whether acute and moderate Champagne wine consumption is capable of modulating vascular function, we performed a randomised, placebo-controlled, cross-over intervention trial." The authors stated in their findings that "consumption of Champagne wine, but not a control matched for alcohol, carbohydrate and fruit-derived acid content, induced an acute change in endothelium-independent vasodilatation at 4 and 8 h post-consumption." (Vasodilation = blood vessel opening.) They also observed "a significant decrease in plasma levels of oxidising species," and conclude: "Our data suggest that a daily moderate consumption of Champagne wine may improve vascular performance..." Best wishes for the new year!