AlFulchino
Winemaker of 30+ years
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2008
- Messages
- 3,035
- Reaction score
- 5
from Wine Spectator
<h2 ="no-margin unbold">Wine May Fight Cancer, But How?</h2>
<h5 ="no-margin fontColor">New approach to wine chemistry reveals new cancer- and obesity-preventing properties</h5>
<h6 ="fontColor unbold">
Stuart Fox
Posted: February 17, 2010 </h6>
Numerous
medical studies have produced evidence that wine may help prevent
cancer, but now, some scientists are presenting a new theory on the
science behind its cancer-fighting properties. Their research may help
develop new therapies.
The evidence that wine can help fight some cancers has been growing
for several years. (At the same time, some studies have shown alcohol,
especially in excess, increases the risk of some cancers.) But
researchers have struggled to understand why. Many theories speculated
that antioxidants in wines, including compounds like resveratrol, have
something to do with it. Antioxidants may reduce the stress of chemical
processes in the body. But scientists have struggled to find evidence
that the compounds in wine play such a role.
William Li, president and medical director at the Angiogenesis
Foundation, disagrees with the antioxidant theory. In his recent
presentation at the TED Conference, an innovation summit, he argued
that research shows that some compounds in wine—including
resveratrol—function as antiangiogenic inhibitors, and those are the
real cancer fighters.
Antiangiogenic inhibitors are substances that prevent the growth of
new blood vessels. Because growing tumors need new blood vessels in
order to survive and spread, antiangiogenic inhibitors can suppress
tumor growth. (Blood vessels are not usually built elsewhere in an
adult body unless tissue repair is actively in process.)
Antiangiogenics have proven so effective at fighting cancer that
they make up many of the cancer medications already on the market.
Identifying antiangiogenics inhibitors as the main source of wine's
health effects widens the range of wines that contribute to cancer
reduction. What's more, scientists are currently looking at
antiangiogenic inhibitors as a treatment for chronic obesity, because
they can suppress blood vessel growth in fatty tissue.
"There are very few studies that show an antioxidant approach in
diet creates better health," said Li. "An angiogenesis approach has
already been embraced by the medical community as improving disease
outcomes, including cancer."
In his research, Li discovered that compounds like resveratrol
prevented the development of cancer-feeding blood vessels by as much as
60 percent. And since unhealthy fat growth requires the same kind of
blood vessel development as tumors, a diet rich in antiangiogenic
compounds fights flab just as effectively as it fights cancer.
Other experiments Li performed on teas showed that foods previously
identified as high in antioxidants were not necessarily high in
antiangiogenics. While the antioxidant approach identified red wine as
the healthier drink, Li believes that an antiangiogenic approach could
discover similar health benefits in white wine as well.
"The anti-cancer power of many foods is mistakenly attributed to
antioxidants," said Richard Beliveau, director of molecular medicine at
the University of Quebec and author of Food to Fight Cancer. "Antiangeogentic activity is much more important than antioxidant activity in preventing cancer."
The argument continues to divide researchers, however. While Jack
Losso, professor of food science at Louisiana State University, doesn't
dispute Beliveau's assertion, he does not advocate fully ignoring
antioxidants in favor of antiangiogenics.
"Cancer is like a basketball team—you can't beat it with one
player," said Losso. "I say resveratrol is like Michael Jordan. In
Chicago, he had a good coach and good teammates, and they had a parade
every year. He goes to Washington, and they never win. You need
antioxidants and antiangiogenics."
Li said he plans to continue to investigate the antiangiogenic
properties of wine. Over the next two years, Li hopes to assemble a
comparative grape and wine registry that identifies all of the
antiangiogenic compounds in wine, their potencies, and their relative
abundance in different types of wines and grapes. "By examining the
potential of antiangeogenics in food, we will find answers to cancer
all around us," he said. "In our groceries, in our food, and in our
glasses."
<h2 ="no-margin unbold">Wine May Fight Cancer, But How?</h2>
<h5 ="no-margin fontColor">New approach to wine chemistry reveals new cancer- and obesity-preventing properties</h5>
<h6 ="fontColor unbold">
Stuart Fox
Posted: February 17, 2010 </h6>
Numerous
medical studies have produced evidence that wine may help prevent
cancer, but now, some scientists are presenting a new theory on the
science behind its cancer-fighting properties. Their research may help
develop new therapies.
The evidence that wine can help fight some cancers has been growing
for several years. (At the same time, some studies have shown alcohol,
especially in excess, increases the risk of some cancers.) But
researchers have struggled to understand why. Many theories speculated
that antioxidants in wines, including compounds like resveratrol, have
something to do with it. Antioxidants may reduce the stress of chemical
processes in the body. But scientists have struggled to find evidence
that the compounds in wine play such a role.
William Li, president and medical director at the Angiogenesis
Foundation, disagrees with the antioxidant theory. In his recent
presentation at the TED Conference, an innovation summit, he argued
that research shows that some compounds in wine—including
resveratrol—function as antiangiogenic inhibitors, and those are the
real cancer fighters.
Antiangiogenic inhibitors are substances that prevent the growth of
new blood vessels. Because growing tumors need new blood vessels in
order to survive and spread, antiangiogenic inhibitors can suppress
tumor growth. (Blood vessels are not usually built elsewhere in an
adult body unless tissue repair is actively in process.)
Antiangiogenics have proven so effective at fighting cancer that
they make up many of the cancer medications already on the market.
Identifying antiangiogenics inhibitors as the main source of wine's
health effects widens the range of wines that contribute to cancer
reduction. What's more, scientists are currently looking at
antiangiogenic inhibitors as a treatment for chronic obesity, because
they can suppress blood vessel growth in fatty tissue.
"There are very few studies that show an antioxidant approach in
diet creates better health," said Li. "An angiogenesis approach has
already been embraced by the medical community as improving disease
outcomes, including cancer."
In his research, Li discovered that compounds like resveratrol
prevented the development of cancer-feeding blood vessels by as much as
60 percent. And since unhealthy fat growth requires the same kind of
blood vessel development as tumors, a diet rich in antiangiogenic
compounds fights flab just as effectively as it fights cancer.
Other experiments Li performed on teas showed that foods previously
identified as high in antioxidants were not necessarily high in
antiangiogenics. While the antioxidant approach identified red wine as
the healthier drink, Li believes that an antiangiogenic approach could
discover similar health benefits in white wine as well.
"The anti-cancer power of many foods is mistakenly attributed to
antioxidants," said Richard Beliveau, director of molecular medicine at
the University of Quebec and author of Food to Fight Cancer. "Antiangeogentic activity is much more important than antioxidant activity in preventing cancer."
The argument continues to divide researchers, however. While Jack
Losso, professor of food science at Louisiana State University, doesn't
dispute Beliveau's assertion, he does not advocate fully ignoring
antioxidants in favor of antiangiogenics.
"Cancer is like a basketball team—you can't beat it with one
player," said Losso. "I say resveratrol is like Michael Jordan. In
Chicago, he had a good coach and good teammates, and they had a parade
every year. He goes to Washington, and they never win. You need
antioxidants and antiangiogenics."
Li said he plans to continue to investigate the antiangiogenic
properties of wine. Over the next two years, Li hopes to assemble a
comparative grape and wine registry that identifies all of the
antiangiogenic compounds in wine, their potencies, and their relative
abundance in different types of wines and grapes. "By examining the
potential of antiangeogenics in food, we will find answers to cancer
all around us," he said. "In our groceries, in our food, and in our
glasses."
