Alcohol as a medicine
The Jewish Talmud states (Rabbi Banal): Where wine is lacking, medicine is needed. For the Greek physician Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.), wine played a role in almost all his medicines. Among other things, he prescribed it to cool fever, as a diuretic, as a tonic for convalescents, and as a painkiller and sedative. The Romans used the effectiveness of wine as an antibiotic, because during the conquest campaigns, the soldiers were given water mixed with wine (or also vinegar). In some ancient cultures, alcohol consumption and even intoxication were also used as a means of communication. At the boisterous festivals in honour of the wine god Dionysus in ancient Greece, intoxication was regarded as a purifying ceremonial with psycho-hygienic effects (for related practices and customs, see Drinking Culture).
A well-known quotation from the Greek philosopher Plutarch (45-125) reads: " Wine is the most useful of drinks, the most palatable of medicines and the most pleasant of foods. The Greek physician Galen (129-199) recognised the antiseptic effect of wine and the French scholar Arnaldus de Villanova (1240-1311) wrote a book on the healing power of wine. The famous mystic and healer Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) used wine and vinegar against various diseases. Many scholars praised the hygienic effect, including the French chemist Louis Pasteur (1822-1895). In medicine, wine was a universal antiseptic until the end of the 19th century, used to wash out wounds and make water drinkable. Especially in cities, water was a health hazard due to the lack of sewage systems and pollution with faeces. In addition to wine, other products of the vine were also used as medicine or remedies, for example tears of gra pevine against skin diseases.
Positive effects of alcohol consumption
For good reasons, however, alcohol or alcoholic beverages should never be considered or referred to as medicine or medicines, despite all their actual or supposed positive effects. In moderate amounts, alcohol can have a sedative, antispasmodic, antitension, pain-relieving, but also disinhibitory effect on the central nervous system. Up to a certain amount, it triggers a feeling of well-being, but this quickly turns into the opposite when consumed in excess. There has always been great interest in researching the health effects of regular alcohol consumption on the human organism. A number of studies have therefore been carried out in the past. Despite all the differences in detail, there were and still are high levels of agreement regarding positive effects.
The level of the "good" blood fat HDL cholesterol is increased and the level of the "bad" LDL cholesterol is reduced. Certain substances prevent the platelets from sticking together in the arteries and thus reduce the risk of vascular blockage and arteriosclerosis. Phenols, such as those contained in red wines in particular, are responsible for this. Storing in wooden barrels favours the formation of further phenols, which is, so to speak, in favour of barrique ageing. The phenolic compounds act as "health police" or antioxidants, so to speak. They bind "free radicals" (aggressive, malignant molecules) and render them harmless. Flavonoids (pigments), as well as glutathione, resveratrol and salicylic acid make a particularly positive contribution. The latter is also contained in aspirin and is recommended as a preventative for heart disease. Moderate consumption of red wine can apparently prevent heart and circulatory diseases.
A study by the University Hospital Ulm in the German state of Baden-Württemberg has shown that moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages such as wine and beer can increase the adiponectin level in the blood. The hormone is produced in the fat cells, but correlates inversely with body fat. This means that the more obese, the less adiponectin. Together with leptin, insulin and other hormones, it regulates sugar and fatty acid metabolism and the feeling of hunger. It increases the effect of insulin on fat cells and has anti-inflammatory effects on blood vessels. Low adiponectin levels are associated with increased cardiovascular risk, while high levels are considered heart-protective.
The German Wine Academy formulated the following about responsible use of wine, although it should not be concealed that this has also led to criticism: Almost all scientific data available to date clearly point to the health benefits of moderate wine consumption. This is especially true for cardiovascular diseases - the overwhelming burden of proof of hard scientific data leaves even the biggest sceptic no other choice here. This biological fact and the fact that cardiovascular diseases - primarily heart attacks - are the most common cause of death today, virtually oblige us to point to the protective effect of moderate wine consumption. Always implying that the dangers of abuse are not concealed in the process, this is certainly legitimate.
French paradox
In the 1980s, the "Organisation International du Vin" conducted a worldwide scientific study on the connection between wine consumption and the rate of lethal cardiovascular diseases in men between 55 and 64 years of age. It was found that far fewer people die of heart disease in France than in other countries, even though people here do not eat less fatty or "healthier" food. However, the French drink far more wine (especially red wine) than other peoples. They lead in both wine consumption and life expectancy. The extremely health-conscious US Americans are second only to Finland in mortality.
Of course, there was also criticism of this study: after all, what was the point of not suffering from heart and circulatory diseases, but dying early from cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol consumption. In any case, in 1991, American TV reported on what was called the "French paradox" on the basis of these published results. This caused red wine consumption in the USA to skyrocket by 40% virtually overnight. Based on these findings, the pharmaceutical industry sensed a big business with powder extracts from red wine, which contain all the positive phenols but no alcohol. Soon after, there were fruity lozenges made from wine powder with all the valuable substances of red wine.
In the mid-1990s, the US government announced in its dietary guidelines that alcohol, especially wine, promotes health when consumed in moderation. Small amounts consumed regularly reduce the risk of early death from heart attack or other diseases by half. And amazingly, the American "College of Cardiology" put abstinence from alcohol (sic) on the list of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in 1996. This is astonishing for a country that has always had and still has an ambivalent relationship to alcohol and stimulants. One example is Prohibition from 1920 to 1933, where the consumption of alcohol was demonised in an almost inquisitorial manner, but after more than a dozen painful years had to acknowledge that alcohol prohibitions did not bring the desired success.
The connection between moderate wine or alcohol consumption and a reduction in the risk of heart attack was soon put into perspective by a study conducted by medical experts at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. Obviously, a positive result depends on whether the alcohol consumed is broken down quickly or slowly. People with a fast oxidation showed a 36% lower risk of heart disease compared to pure abstainers. But those with a slow breakdown scored as high as 86%. In America, as many as 15 to 17% of the white population belong to the slow group. Various substances contained in wines and spirits are harmful above certain quantities and are therefore partly defined with limit values. These are, for example, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, ethyl carbamate, histamine, methanol, ochratoxin A and sulphurous acid (see a complete list under ADI).
Summary
A study published in 2015 by a team of researchers from University College London challenged all previous analyses and the conclusions drawn from them. This study looked at 18,000 older English people over a ten-year period. The basic message was that all analyses carried out up to that point had been impure. All the dry alcoholics in the group of abstainers had not been excluded. However, these would have a lower life expectancy because of the late effects and would therefore increase the mortality rate among non-drinkers (to which they do not belong) compared to moderate drinkers. Moreover, not a single study has so far proven beyond doubt that alcohol is actually responsible for a higher life expectancy. It could be that moderate drinkers eat a healthier diet than the teetotalers. A Canadian team came to similar conclusions in 2016. Even those people who have to live abstinently due to a disease were not excluded.
The sobering conclusion for all wine lovers: alcohol or regular alcohol consumption certainly has a negative effect on the human organism, even in small amounts. Regarding the question of whether certain substances contained in wine, such as resveratrol, only develop their positive effects in combination with alcohol or on their own in the form of pills, for example, the latter is most likely the case. The positive effects described above, especially when drinking red wine, are at least cancelled out by alcohol. As a rule, abstainers therefore live healthier lives. Nevertheless, one should not allow oneself to be spoiled by a joyful enjoyment of wine with moderation and common sense, because joie de vivre has a positive influence on body and mind.
Acceptable amounts of alcohol
Alcohol should only be consumed regularly if you are in good health. Other aspects to be considered with regard to tolerance are gender, type of person (Asians, for example, tolerate less alcohol - see under ADH), medication to be taken regularly, body weight, amount of fat in the body, type of alcohol, drinking speed (what amount in what period of time) and environmental conditions (air temperature). Regular alcohol consumption in excessive quantities can lead to allergies, a variety of health problems and even dependence - i.e. alcoholism. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, alcohol should be avoided altogether because of the risks for the child. For overweight people, a limited consumption is advisable because of the high energy content (95% is converted into energy). People with pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) or liver damage (fatty liver) as well as former alcoholics must avoid alcohol altogether to avoid the risk of relapse.
The question is what quantities of alcohol are acceptable or presumably not harmful to health. The range of values given is between 20 and 60 grams a day. The World Health Organisation (WHO) published the following in 2002: 20 grams of pure alcohol daily for women and 40 grams for men are the upper limit for (presumably) non-harmful alcohol consumption. This corresponds to a little more than three eighths (exactly 0.42 l) for men and just under two eighths (exactly 0.21 l) for women of wine with 12% alcohol by volume. In women, the amount is lower because the liver is also busy breaking down female sex hormones. If the oestrogens decrease during the menopause, more alcohol is tolerated. Other reasons are lower body weight and higher body fat percentage. According to the DGE (German Nutrition Society), however, the tolerable amounts are much lower, namely only a maximum of 20 grams per day for men and 10 grams for women - exactly half.
Under vinotherapy, many spa facilities and wellness hotels now offer services to promote well-being, beauty and health through various products made from grapes as well as even moderate consumption of wine. Finally, a golden rule for the recovery of the body for all those who consume alcohol regularly: one day a week, one week a month and one month a year without alcohol. The difference between moderate wine consumption and alcohol abuse is also very aptly described in an essay by the poet Peter Rosegger (1843-1918).
Warnings regarding alcohol consumption
In 2023, the Republic of Ireland decided to introduce mandatory warnings on the labels of alcoholic beverages regarding the health risk of liver disease or cancer. In particular, the danger of alcohol consumption during pregnancy is pointed out by pictures, which had already become mandatory in Australia and New Zealand two years earlier. The alcohol content in grams and the calorie content are also mandatory. This will apply from 22 May 2026 after a three-year transition period. The rules also include health information for visitors to restaurants. The EU Commission adopted the Irish draft despite the objections of 13 member states. The EU intends to present its own health warnings valid for all member countries before the end of this year.
Wine law issues
According to EU wine labelling law, any health reference on the label and in promotional statements is prohibited for beverages above 1.2% alcohol by volume. Descriptions such as health wine, wine for the sick, diabetic wine, still wine and others are not permitted in order to avoid associations such as "good for sick people, diabetics or nursing mothers". This also applies to attributes such as "digestible" or similar.
Further information
See also ADH (degradation of alcohol in the human body), ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake), alcoholism (pathological addiction) and intoxication (condition caused by excessive consumption), as well as lists of relevant keywords under alcoholic beverages and alcohol consumption.
Pregnancy warning: istockphoto - MrsWilkins
