Chronic and acute effects of red wine versus red muscadine grape juice on body composition, blood lipids, vascular performance, inflammation, and antioxidant capacity in overweight adults

Purpose: Red wine may benefit health due to the presence of polyphenolic compounds. This research investigated effects of wine (W) versus grape juice (J) on body composition, blood lipids (cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides [TG]), vascular responses (augmentation index [AIx] and central pulse wave velocity [cPWV]), inflammation (C-reactive protein [CRP]), and plasma antioxidant capacity (ferric-reducing ability of plasma [FRAP]) in sedentary individuals. Methods: In a randomized crossover design, 19 participants consumed 300 mL of W or J for two weeks and then acutely in the lab. Blood was drawn at baseline, post two weeks, and within 1 hr after consuming treatment. Repeated measures ANOVA with 2 (treatment) × 3 (time) was used for FRAP, AIx, and cPWV and 2 (treatment) × 2 (time) for blood lipids and CRP. A paired t-test was used to compare differences in diet and weight change. Results: Acute, but not chronic, consumption of wine significantly increased FRAP (treatment P = 0.028) and significantly decreased AIx (treatment P = 0.038) while juice exhibited no effects. An overall treatment effect existed for TG (P = 0.028) in wine only. Cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and CRP were not affected in either group. Conclusion: Acute, but not chronic, consumption of wine significantly increased antioxidant capacity and resulted in beneficial changes to the vasculature as determined by AIx.