The term describes the hypothesis that French people would live longer than, for example, Germans or Americans despite alcohol and fat consumption. This phenomenon was already observed in 1819 by the Irish physician Samuel Black (1763-1832). An epidemiological study published in 1981 by French researchers Jacques L. Richard, François Cambien and Pierre Ducimetière concluded that fewer fatal heart attacks were observed in French people who smoked more frequently and consumed higher amounts of saturated fats. The term "French paradox" was coined in 1992 by epidemiologist Professor Serge Renaud (1927-2012), a researcher at the University of Bordeaux. This refers to his observation that the rate of coronary heart disease in France was low even though the French tended to eat a lot of saturated fat in the form of meat, pies and cheese. It is considered certain that a high intake of saturated fat is associated with a high mortality due to coronary heart disease (CHD).
The situation in France is paradoxical in that there is a high intake of saturated fat but low mortality from CHD. This paradox could be partly due to the high consumption of wine. Epidemiological studies show that the consumption of alcohol in the amount commonly consumed in France (20 to 30 g per day, see Health) can reduce the risk of CHD by at least 40%. Alcohol is thought to protect against coronary heart disease by preventing atherosclerosis through the action of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. However, serum concentrations of this factor are not higher in France than in other countries.
In any case, due to the publication of Serge Renaud's findings, the "French paraxone" was spread by the media within a very short time and became a common word in the wine world. Particularly in the USA, wine consumption was promoted as a result and red wine consumption increased by 40% virtually overnight.
A re-examination of earlier results suggests that moderate alcohol consumption does not essentially prevent CHD through an effect on arteriosclerosis. but rather through a haemostatic mechanism. Further research showed that platelet aggregation, which is associated with CHD, is significantly inhibited by alcohol in amounts associated with reduced CHD risk. The inhibition of platelet reactivity by wine (alcohol) could be an explanation for the protection against CHD in France, as pilot studies have shown that platelet reactivity is lower in France than in other countries. One of the main reasons for the positive effect is resveratrol, which is particularly abundant in red wine. A casual conclusion is that the French may suffer less from circulatory and heart diseases, but more from cirrhosis of the liver.
See also the keywords alcoholism, allergy, health, intoxication and drinking culture.
Source (paragraphs 2 to 4): National Library of Medicine
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