ACCORDING TO A new study of more than 500,000 people, a glass of bubbly may help reduce your risk of sudden cardiac arrest.
In a first-of-its-kind study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, researchers identified 56 non-clinical and, crucially, modifiable risk factors associated with sudden cardiac arrest. Among those risk factors – which spanned lifestyle, physical measures, psychosocial factors, socioeconomic status, and the local environment – white wine and champagne intake was found to demonstrate protective effects against sudden cardiac arrest.
The study
In this large-scale cohort study (a type of observation study which follows participants over a long period), researchers used data from the UK Biobank to track and study more than half a million people. In what is a typical follow-up time of 14 years, researchers found that 3,147 of those they had tracked had suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.
As well as drinking white wine and champagne, the researchers’ analysis of the data found that eating more fruit, maintaining a positive outlook on life, improved education, and good blood pressure regulation could help reduce sudden cardiac arrest risk.
What does this mean for us?
The researchers are keen to stress the unique nature of this study in terms of the data and methods used. They highlighted that, to their knowledge, all previous studies on the risk factors of sudden cardiac arrest were hypothesis-driven (based on a prediction) ‘and focused on a limited number of candidate exposure factors grounded in previous knowledge or theoretical frameworks’. In contrast, this study looked at a wide range of environmental exposures and health outcomes using the Biobank data and something called ‘Mendelian randomisation’, which scientists use to assess causal relationships.
On an individual level, the data reveals practical and often very manageable ways we can help reduce our risk of sudden cardiac arrest. Researchers estimated that, by adhering to the more favourable profiles identified, somebody could reduce their risk of sudden cardiac arrest by between 40% and 63%.
The bottom line
Regarding white wine and champagne intake specifically, it’s important not to get too carried away. The evidence contradicts government guidelines on alcohol and heart health, which highlights its detrimental rather than positive effects.
No, the results don’t suggest that drinking champers every day for breakfast will help protect you against sudden cardiac arrest. However, if kicking back with a glass of bubbly on a Friday night is your thing, there’s now interesting new evidence to suggest it’s not only not bad for you, but could also be beneficial in the long run.
This article originally appeared on Men’s Health UK.
