How does cognac act on blood vessels: does it widen or narrow their lumen?

Alcohol, when ingested into the human body, significantly accelerates the heartbeat and narrows blood vessels, which increases blood pressure. This is a kind of protective reaction, when the blood flow is accelerated to more quickly remove ethyl alcohol derivatives and purify the blood from toxins.

But is it true that cognac acts in a different way – dilates blood vessels and lowers blood pressure? Is it really possible to use it for therapeutic purposes for hypertensive patients to normalize blood pressure? What do the doctors say about this?

How does it affect the circulatory system?

The basis of cognac is the so–called "cognac alcohol", which is extracted by distillation of dry white wines (with a gradual increase in the percentage of ethyl alcohol). How does it differ from the usual one?

Firstly, its "fortress" is about 80%, and also it contains a large amount of tannin - tannic component, as well as essential oils. This is the key difference between cognac and vodka (despite the fact that their strength is similar and is about 40%).

Tannin dilates blood vessels, and at the same time slows down blood flow, which is confirmed by studies Accordingly, the pressure decreases slightly. The use of cognac in small portions gives exactly this effect.

But this is relevant only with a single intake of about 50 – 70 milliliters of the drink. There is little alcohol in such a portion, so the protective reaction (when the heartbeat accelerates for faster withdrawal of ethanol derivatives) does not start.

What happens if you drink more than 70 milliliters at once? The pressure will begin to grow actively, and in leaps and bounds. The effect of alcohol consumption will suppress the action of tannins. More about the effect of alcohol on blood vessels see in a separate article.

What else does cognac do with vessels? There are several key points:

1. Reduces the concentration of cholesterol. But the effect is insignificant (literally 0.1 mmol/l, the effect is temporary, since the concentration is restored after 12-24 hours).
2. Slightly reduces sugar levels. Due to the presence of fruit acids in the composition, glucose breakdown is accelerated.
3. Reduces the concentration of potassium in the blood. As with the use of any alcohol, the outflow of urine increases (while the amount of sodium in the body remains at the same level).

And we should not forget that cognac, like dry wine with a low sugar content, affects the body as an antispasmodic, that is dilates blood vessels . This improves the elasticity of the walls, but with frequent use it leads to their thinning, thereby increasing the likelihood of rupture. Also, do not forget that any alcohol is bad for the heart .

Effects on the brain

The drink also acts in a similar way in this case. In small doses, it slightly reduces blood pressure, dilates blood vessels &8212; this will be useful for hypertension.

But if you drink more than 70 ml, the pressure rises abruptly, blood flow accelerates, pressure on the walls of capillaries increases sharply (and precisely because of this, the risk of stroke increases with alcoholism - capillaries simply cannot withstand strong pressure and burst).

Can it be used to clean arteries?

What does it mean " cleaning of vessels »? This is a decrease in cholesterol levels, which can be deposited on elastic walls, as well as a decrease in the size of atherosclerotic plaques.

Scientists claim that drinking any alcoholic beverages slightly reduces cholesterol levels. And for those who regularly drink the same cognac in small portions (before dinner), the vessels are really "cleaner".

But do not forget about the negative effects on the liver , which is precisely involved in the cleavage of ethyl alcohol derivatives and their subsequent excretion from the body. For her, alcohol in any form is a powerful toxin. And even the "careful" use of cognac (in small portions) will sooner or later provoke liver failure.

Therefore, doctors categorically do not recommend using alcoholic beverages as medicine to clean the circulatory system. The exception is cooking of various kinds cleansing infusions based on them with a very low percentage of alcohol (alcohol in this case acts as a preservative and absorbent element).

Which is better for blood vessels – cognac or vodka?

Vodka helps to narrow blood vessels and increase blood pressure. The effect comes a little faster - alcohol enters the bloodstream almost 15 minutes after drinking drinks.

The duration of the effect depends on the amount of alcohol consumed, as well as the individual physiological characteristics of a person. For some – up to 3 hours, for others – up to 8-10.

Withdrawal. What is the best way to dilate blood vessels and why? Cognac, since at low dosages the pressure decreases (when drinking vodka, the pressure can only increase), the load on the entire cardiovascular system turns out to be less.

15 more vasodilating drinks We have reviewed in a separate article.

Also pay attention to 10 products , which widen the lumen of the arteries .

Folk healing recipes

Although cognac itself is not the best a means to strengthen blood vessels - it is an excellent basis for folk recipes. The most effective among them are:

• Brandy tincture with cranberries;
• Tea with cognac and cinnamon.

1. Cranberry tincture

Cranberries are good for heart vessels, as it contains a large amount of vitamin C and phenolic antioxidants, which just reduce cholesterol and strengthen blood vessels. Preparing Cranberry cleanser as follows:

1. Wash 600 grams of cranberries under running water, spread on a paper towel and knead a little (cover with another towel on top);
2. After – transfer to a jar, cover with gauze on top and leave for a day;
3. Next, put the berries in an enameled bowl, add about 1 – 1.5 cups of water and heat in a water bath to a boil;
4. After cooling, strain through cheesecloth;
5. Add 500 milliliters of cognac to the resulting broth.

Take 30 milliliters before dinner . The course is at least 2 weeks.

Also watch this recipe in the video:

2. Adding to tea

Is considered the best tonic for blood vessels, and also normalizes blood pressure. It's easy to prepare:

1. Brew your usual tea (you can also make green, fruit);
2. Add to 1 cup ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, 2 teaspoons of cognac;
3. Let it brew for 10 minutes and drink warm.

Drink no more than 1 time a day for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

The combination is also extremely useful for CCC cinnamon with honey .

Exposure to other beverages

What happens to the circulatory system when drinking beverages such as wine, vodka, tea, coffee, beer? Which of them dilate blood vessels, which constrict them? What happens to blood pressure in this case?

1. Wine. Dry, with a low sugar content, acts similarly to cognac, that is, in small quantities it reduces pressure, in large quantities (over 70-100 milliliters) it increases. Fortified, in which sugar from 10 to 20% increases the pressure. At the same time, the vessels expand in any case (from the fortified one – more, due to the high content of ethyl alcohol and sugar).
2. Vodka. Dilates blood vessels and increases blood pressure. The effect is also enhanced by the presence of a large amount of fusel oils in vodka (especially in strong vodka – which contains about 60% alcohol).
3. Beer. It acts similar to cognac. If you drink up to 200 milliliters, the pressure decreases slightly (mainly due to the diuretic effect), but the vessels still expand. In large quantities, the pressure increases significantly (due to the high glycemic index and carbohydrate content in the beer wort).
4. Tea. Dilates blood vessels very slightly and for a short period of time. At the same time, the pressure is normalized (at high it decreases, at low it increases). Green tea expands blood vessels more and reduces blood pressure.
5. Coffee. From it, the vessels of the brain narrow, the pressure increases. But the vessels that pass through the muscles expand (due to the narcotic effect of caffeine on the central nervous system).

We also suggest that you familiarize yourself with the video:

Conclusion

In total, the use of cognac dilates blood vessels. But in small quantities, the pressure decreases, in large quantities (from 70 milliliters or more) it increases significantly. With its help, it is really possible to clean blood vessels – cholesterol levels (as well as from any other alcohol) are falling. But doctors still do not recommend using this drink even in small doses – alcohol in any form is quite harmful to the liver. At best, it will simply end in inflammation, at worst – extensive cirrhosis, which is likely to progress to the stage of cancer.