Is red wine good for the brain — 6 scientific facts

There is an opinion that red wine in small quantities is useful not only for the cardiovascular system, but also for the brain.

Modern research confirm that red wine does indeed have neuroprotective properties.

Other Research indicates that moderate wine consumption reduces the risk of dementia.

But is everything so unambiguous and is this drink really so useful? Or should alcohol, even in the form of wine, still be abandoned? All the answers are below.

In this article we will talk about tap dry wine, since it is supposed to have a positive effect on the brain. The remaining types of &8212; white, pink, semi-sweet and sweet, as well as any other, we will not consider.

6 facts about the effect on the thinking organ

The first thing to remember is that red wine is a drink with a high alcohol content. And ethyl alcohol is a rather powerful toxin that simply destroys the cells of a living organism.

This also applies to the brain – under the influence of alcohols neurons are destroyed quite quickly, as well as neurotransmitters.

All these processes are activated with any amount of alcohol consumed, even if it is a glass of wine or 1 tablespoon of syrup based on ethyl alcohol. The whole question is only about the scale of these processes.

What effect does wine have on the human brain? Several of the following effects can be distinguished:

1. Blood pressure in the vessels of the head increases. At the same time, the capillaries expand slightly, and with this increases the heart rate and the amount of blood pumped through the brain. Accordingly, with hypertension, alcohol should be given up altogether. Learn more about the effect of wine on vessels we talked here.
2. The blood in the blood vessels of the brain becomes thicker. This increases the risk of thrombosis and stroke.
3. Sensitivity to neurotransmitters decreases. It is because of this that the "control" of the musculature deteriorates, and along with this coordination is disrupted, sensitivity to pain decreases.
4. After alcohol is removed from the blood, the sensitivity of the muscles to the impulses of the nervous system increases. This is achieved due to the presence of resveratrol in the composition of the wine (it is contained in the peel of dark grapes).
5. Slows down the course of inflammatory processes. Sometimes it can relieve headaches, slow down blood vessel thrombosis.
6. Reduces the likelihood of depression. Resveratrol indirectly inhibits the production of cortisol, which causes depression.

And most doctors agree that red wine has little benefit for the brain, and only if no more than 50-70 milliliters are drunk at one time (if more, blood pressure rises abruptly, which is just harmful to the blood vessels of the brain).

Recall that the effect of red wine on the heart and blood vessels we discussed in detail in a separate article.

Does it purify the vessels?

Under " cleaning of vessels " it should mean reducing the amount of cholesterol deposited on their walls. Wine does not affect this indicator in any way, however really slows down the formation of new plaques.

But, in principle, such an action is observed with any alcoholic beverage : Ethyl alcohol destroys cholesterol and lipids.

Features of use in certain diseases

Is it possible to drink wine for diseases of the nervous system? According to the doctors' instructions:

1. After a stroke any alcohol is categorically contraindicated for consumption, even in the most minimal doses. Moreover, all medicines prescribed during the rehabilitation period also do not contain ethyl alcohol.
2. In case of concussion (as well as other traumatic brain injuries) alcohol is also strictly contraindicated. Any stress on the nervous system can worsen the patient's condition, so he is also forbidden to watch TV for more than 30 minutes a day during rehabilitation, use a computer, and so on.
3. Atherosclerosis is also a contraindication for drinking any alcohol. Although some doctors hold the opinion that if you drink no more than 70-100 milliliters of red wine per day, there will be no deterioration in the patient's health, and some even talk about a certain benefit. However, the destruction of liver cells increases the concentration of toxins in the blood, which adversely affect the entire nervous system. And if atherosclerosis is combined with any chronic liver diseases, then any alcoholic beverages are strictly contraindicated.
4. For migraines wine can be drunk, but in small quantities (and no more than 2 times a week). If you drink only 50 – 70 milliliters, then this will help to relieve the headache to a certain extent, but the effect is not long-lasting.
5. For hypertension it is better to give up any alcoholic beverages, since when they are consumed, the pressure increases additionally and the risk of stroke increases. This also applies to vegetative-vascular dystonia.

Also check out the infographic:

And doctors also pay attention to the fact that under no circumstances should alcoholic beverages be combined with nicotine – this not only thinns the walls of blood vessels, but also provokes inflammation of the cerebral cortex (especially often occurs in patients with migraines).

Interesting video

And now we invite you to familiarize yourself with the video:

In total, this drink has practically no benefit for the vessels of the head. The main effect is an increase in blood pressure, impaired sensitivity of neurons, and acceleration of the oxidation process of nerve cells. And although this drink can interfere with inflammatory processes and reduce the concentration of harmful cholesterol, it should still be abandoned, since it causes more harm. And in most diseases of the nervous system, alcohol is generally categorically contraindicated.