Red Wine Counters Some Negative Health Effects of Microgravity

astroengine writes "Great news for astronaut red wine aficionados: the alcoholic beverage can counteract some of the most troublesome physiological effects of microgravity. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on whether or not you have to pilot a spaceship), you have to drink a lot of wine to reap any benefit. These findings are fresh from the labs of French researchers (abstract) who found that by dosing unfortunate rats — hung by their tails to simulate microgravity — with resveratrol (a compound found in red wine), they could help stave off bone density loss and muscle atrophy. Does this mean resveratrol is an astronaut's best friend? Possibly, but judging by the quantities that are needed, it would most likely come in supplement form, rather than 750 ml bottles."

Comments

MMMMmmmm

[rubycodez]

Fermented grapes...is there anything they can't do?

Re:MMMMmmmm

[PopeRatzo]

You know, it's interesting, in my experience red wine has directly caused me to experience microgravity.

Half a bottle and I'm walking on air. A full bottle and I can't feel my feet. A bottle and a half and I'm on my way to the moon.

The border condition appears at approximately the two bottle mark. Microgravity disappears and I re-enter what feels like three or four gees. Finally, I end up looking through the porcelain port-hole, driving the bus, doing the technicolor yawn. Talking to Ralph on the big white telephone. "Hello, Raaaalph!"

Ah, Dionysus, how you taunt us!

Re:MMMMmmmm

[rubycodez]

No, the focus of your article was BOOZE, not red wine, which is a different matter. Proven anti-carcinogenic properties, proven antibacterial and antibiotic-like properties, proven anti-arterial plaque properties, proven cardiovascular health benefits.

Quit your prudish teetotaling whining, get your wuss ass down to the liquor store, and plug into a bottle of God's own cure to half a man's ills.

French solution

[mmarlett]

Why is it that every time the French see a problem, they throw red wine at it? I'm not being mean, just curious. They make fine cheeses, too, but you never see them suggesting cheese for bone-mass loss.

Re:French solution

[siddesu]

Because they produce and sell a lot of it, and want to sell even more. So there's always a sum of money around for every honest scientist, who can pen something that the wine marketing departments can use. I have very rarely seen research on the health benefits of wine that wasn't sponsored in some way by those who make it. Come to think of it, all positive "wine benefit" science that I bothered to research the funding for was paid for by the wine industry.

Re:French solution

[king neckbeard]

If you only have a problem, you nail it by getting hammered
or something like that..

Re:French solution

[rubycodez]

false, on list of countries sorted by decreasing life expectancy, Japan is at the top. France is number 10, United States is NUMBER 36!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy

"rates of death from coronary heart disease among males aged 35–74 years were 115 per 100,000 people in the U.S. but only 83 per 100,000 in France."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Paradox

Re:Another "DUH!" science

[Anonymous Coward]

Booze increases susceptibility to full gravity ...

Re:This Article says a lot about Science

[Anonymous Coward]

Spin the bottle is a reallllllllllllllly long game in space.

Poor Research.

[Hylandr]

The atrophy claim is likely caused by the rats using their muscles to try and get upright. This sounds a lot like French researchers getting bored and drunk at work and said "Hey, Lets hang rats by their tails!! Woo hoo!"

- Dan.

It's a good thing too.

[Culture20]

Jesus walked on water and ascended bodily; two instances of micro gravity. He would normally need a lot of red wine to counter the effects, but as it turns out, that's His blood.