Benefits of Red Wine Busted - Heavy Metals Present in Wine

If you're a lifelong wine drinker, and you haveoxidative damage, a key component of chronic
read all the research released about the benefitsinflammatory disease which is a suggested initiator
of red wine, the results of an analysis of Britishof cancer."
researchers might have you changing theSo if you drink a glass or two of wine a day,
beverage you enjoy each day.over the course of a lifetime you've been
Potential harmful levels of metal ions have beenunknowingly taking in chemicals like vanadium,
found in many wines being sold on the marketcopper and manganese; as well as zinc, nickel,
even as you read this.chromium and lead. What's more, some 30 other
Researchers analyzed levels of metals in winesmetal ions were found in the wines, but THQ's
from 16 different countries in Europe, Southcouldn't be calculated because the safe level of
America, and the Middle East and found that onlyexposure to these substances remains unknown.
those of Argentina, Brazil and Italy were free ofFrustrating since beyond simple enjoyment... many
the dangerous metals.of us were choosing red wine for all those
Professor Declan Naughton along with Doctorprotective antioxidants.
Andrea Petróczi, both of London'sNow we're left to wonder... are the antioxidants
Kingston University, conducted the analysis using astripped of their powers by pro-oxidant heavy
formula from the U.S. Environmental Protectionmetals?
Agency to estimate the health risks associatedOf special concern to behavioral neurotoxicologist
with long term exposure to pollutants.Bernard Weiss, PhD, a professor of environmental
While not testing the wines themselves, the teammedicine at the University of Rochester in New
instead calculated the target hazard quotientsYork, is the inclusion of manganese on the list of
(THQ) based on data published in scientific journals.heavy metals in wines. Not any part of the
Data on the heavy metal content of U.S.Naughton/Petróczi work, he notes that
produced wine isn't gathered, so these winesthis substance in the brain has been linked to
were left out of the analysis. The Target HazardParkinson's disease.
Quotient (THQ) is an indication or risk based onWeiss is quick to point out, "Any time you see
the upper range of known safe limits of exposurenumbers like they have in this study, you begin to
to various chemicals. Any reading below 1.0 isscratch your head and wonder about the effects
considered safe.over a long period of ingestion: Not one glass of
What was startling to the team conducting thewine last Tuesday, but a glass a day over a
analysis was that THQ values of most wineslifetime."
were way over 1.0. Typical wines were found toYour best bet is to be an informed consumer.
have a THQ that ranged from a low of 50 to aWhile wine from Argentina, Brazil and Italy was
high of 200, with the values for both red andfound to be heavy metal free, there are twelve
white being equally high. By comparison, THQsother wine producing countries who offer some
that have sounded alarms when it comes toserious contenders for most metal laden drink.
heavy metals in seafood are usually between 1Wines from Hungary and Slovakia had potential
and 5.THQ values in excess of 350. Close on the heels
Professor Naughton said, "These values areof these, wine from France, Austria, Spain,
concerning, in that they are mainly above theGermany and Portugal - some of the largest
THQ value of 1.0. Excess intake of metal ions isimporters of wine to the U.S. market - had
credited with pathological events such aspotential THQ values up over 100. Values for
Parkinson's disease. In addition to neurologicalNorth American wines remain unknown.
problems, these ions are also believed to enhance