Red wine wonder pill to go on sale combats heart disease and cancer.

The £1-a-day red wine wonder pill to combat heart disease and cancer

By SOPHIE BORLAND
Last updated at 12:49 AM on 29th January 2011

Antioxidants: A supplement producer claims its 'wonder pill', which includes a substance found in red wine, can prevent heart disease and cancer

A £1-a-day red wine wonder pill that claims to ward off heart disease, cancer and diabetes is to go on sale in Britain for the first time.

Makers Biotivia claim the resveratrol supplement – derived from an anti oxidant found in grape skins and naturally present in red wine – is as beneficial as exercise.

They say the drug can also protect against Alzheimer’s as well as delaying the ageing process and tackling obesity-related health problems.

But other experts warn that the benefits are unproven in humans and that it should not be used as a replacement for regular exercise and a healthy diet.

Wine lovers, meanwhile, might argue that there is more enjoyment in cracking open a bottle of the real thing

Some studies have indicated that resveratrol could work by preventing the build up of fatty deposits in the arteries caused by high cholesterol. The pill goes on sale at Nutri Centre health stores next month. On Biotivia’s website it costs just over £30 for a month’s supply. 

It is already one of the most popular supplements in the U.S. but until now had been available in Britain only over the internet.

However, although some positive results have been found in animal studies, there has been no published research to show it works in humans.

Even the animal studies used doses equivalent to 2,000mg a day, while doctors advise that humans should take a daily dose of no more than 50mg. 

And they warn that it can cause unpleasant side effects such as insomnia, joint pain, diarrhoea and acne.

Biotivia claims the pill can help prevent cancer by triggering the death of malignant cells. They say it effectively protects against a high-fat, high-calorie diet and even though people would still be overweight they would be less likely to suffer from related health risks.

Some studies have shown it can help reduce inflammation inside the arteries and prevent blood cells sticking together and forming a clot.

Dr Alex Barber, a GP in Hampshire said: ‘The benefits are widespread and it effectively protects against a high-fat, high-calorie diet. It protects against cardiovascular disease by lowering cholesterol and reducing blood pressure.

‘If you can afford it, it’s got to be a good gamble.’

Health benefits: Studies have suggested drinking red wine can protect the body from building fatty deposits

Other claims made by Biotivia are that it enables the body to function on less sleep and that animal studies have shown that it improves stamina.

Studies on mice which were fed the pill have also shown that they didn’t gain weight despite eating fatty foods.

Scientists stumbled on the drug 20 years ago when trying to establish why France has low rates of heart disease. 

Some theories suggested that by drinking comparatively high quantities of red wine, the French were protected from the build-up of fatty deposits.

Research in 2009 showed the benefits of resveratrol, which is also found in raspberries, blueberries, cranberries and peanuts, extended to helping people to think clearer.

Northumbria University researchers found adults given the supplement performed better in mental arithmetic tests.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1351632/The-1-day-red-wine-wonder-pill-combat-heart-disease-cancer.html#ixzz1CQnFyarp