Could Drinking Champagne Protect Your Heart?

There’s nothing like a chilled glass of fizz to mark a special occasion – but it turns out champagne may have more far-reaching benefits. New research has found drinking champagne could help reduce the risk of sudden cardiac arrest, along with other factors like eating more fruit and maintaining a positive mood.

New Study Finds Surprising Heart Health Benefit Of Champagne

Over 30,000 people in Britain experience cardiac arrest, the sudden loss of all heart activity, which requires immediate life-saving treatment. A new study, published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, has identified 56 non-clinical risk factors – and found compelling evidence that tackling them could prevent a large number of cases.

One of the most intriguing findings was that champagne and white wine seemed to offer a ‘protective effect’ on the heart. Higher consumption of fruit, maintaining a healthy weight, having a positive outlook on life, and keeping blood pressure under control could all help, too.

Scientists from Fudan University in Shanghai, China, studied more than 500,000 people using data from the UK Biobank. Of these, 3,147 people suffered sudden cardiac arrest during an average follow-up period of 13.8 years. From this information, researchers concluded that between 40 percent and 63 percent of sudden cardiac arrest cases may be avoidable, with factors including ‘fed-up feelings’, high body mass indexes and high blood pressure all being found to increase risk.

Dr Huihuan Luo, the lead investigator from Fudan University, said: ‘The study found significant associations between various modifiable factors and sudden cardiac arrest, with lifestyle changes being the most impactful in preventing cases.’

Previously, research has focused on the heart benefits of red wine – a result of its high content of polyphenols, which can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease. However, a recent study appeared to debunk this, suggesting there were fundamental flaws with previous research.

Speaking about Fudan University’s study in an accompanying editorial, Nicholas Grubic, from the University of Toronto, and Dakota Gustafson, from Queen’s University in Ontario, said: ‘One of the study’s most intriguing findings is the cardioprotective effect associated with champagne and white wine consumption, questioning long-held assumptions about the specificity of red wine’s cardioprotective properties.

‘Research on the underlying mechanisms remains unclear, but these findings reinforce the idea that the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption may be more complex than previously assumed.’

It’s worth noting that high consumption of all types of alcohol is associated with a number of negative long-term effects too, including liver disease, strokes and various cancers. The NHS recommends sticking to no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, spread across three days or more.