WATCH ABOVE: As part of Su-Ling Goh’s Health Matters segment, she clears up how U of A research on wine versus exercise got so mixed up.
EDMONTON – You may have seen the headlines all over social media lately: “Is Drinking Wine Better than Going to the Gym? According to Scientists, Yes!” or more specifically, “Science says a Glass of Red Wine may be Equivalent to an Hour at the Gym.” Well, here’s the truth. And it’s gonna hurt.
The articles usually quote University of Alberta researcher, Dr. Jason Dyck. The problem is, that research is three years old, and it was not about avoiding physical activity. In 2012, Dyck’s team published a study on a compound found in red wine called resveratrol, and its ability to boost exercise performance in mice.
Dyck doesn’t know why the research has resurfaced – or how it became so distorted. But lately he’s been bombarded with interview requests from media outlets around the world.
“Unfortunately, the inaccurate information spread much wider and had more appeal than the accurate information. So that was a little disappointing for us,” Dyck tells Global News. “We thought our finding alone was of significance, but I guess it paled in comparison.”
The original study found resveratrol helped mice run on a treadmill 20 per cent longer. That’s similar to what a human might see from extensive endurance training. But if you’d like to get that benefit from wine, you’d better be thirsty.
“If you’re drinking red wine to get resveratrol, you would have to drink anywhere from 100 to 1,000 bottles per day,” laughs Dyck.
READ MORE: Reality check: Are dark chocolate and red wine not healthy after all?
Now Dyck’s team is studying how resveratrol, in pill form, can help patients with heart failure who are too sick to exercise. Fascinating research – but not quite as cool as sipping Shiraz instead of squats.
You can read the University of Alberta’s correction here.
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