Another Medicinal Component in Red Wine
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
“Red wine makes me mellow.”
“A glass of red wine at the end of the workday helps me unwind.”
“Red wine makes me sleepy.”
“A glass of red wine before bed helps me fall asleep.”
Have you uttered one or more of these statements when discussing the benefits – or pitfalls – of consuming red wine?
In past columns I’ve expounded on the health benefits of red wine, including the compounds it contains that boost health and fight off disease. I’ve also stated the obvious fact that moderate consumption is key.
In this week’s column, I’m focusing on one aspect of red wine – its effect on our body’s sleep triggers.
Science has proven that melatonin, a natural hormone produced by our bodies, is a critical element of our circadian rhythm, which regulates daily sleep patterns.
Now science has determined that melatonin is naturally produced outside our bodies in the winemaking process. It has been reported that during the fermentation of red grapes, which includes the contact of juice with skins, a number of natural compounds present in the skins are released, including polyphenols, antioxidants, resveratrol – and melatonin. White wine does not contain these healthful compounds.
Melatonin is naturally produced by our bodies to influence and regulate sleep. Red wine introduces an external influence on our physiology that may influence our circadian rhythm. This ingested melatonin is attributed to various states of mellowness and sleepiness in certain individuals.
After a stressful day at work, a glass of red wine introduces tiny amounts of melatonin into our bloodstream. Just enough to relax us, but not enough to induce sleep.
At a party, consuming several glasses of red wine introduces more quantities of melatonin than a single glass. Just enough to make some feel sleepy, but not enough to induce sleep.
A glass of red wine before bedtime may ease our minds into its natural circadian rhythm, thereby helping to induce sleep.
This is where we need to introduce perspective. A single glass of red wine contains 60 to 100 nanograms of melatonin. A single melatonin pill, be it produced naturally or pharmacologically, typically contains a minimum of one milligram of melatonin, which is 10,000 times greater than in that glass of wine.
Each of us has varying sensitivity levels to absorbing the compounds in wine, which accounts for the wide variations in the effects of wine consumption. Likewise, each of us responds in a unique fashion to varying levels of melatonin introduced into our bloodstream. One person’s sleep threshold may not coincide with another’s. However, increasing red wine consumption should not be considered as an option in self-medicating oneself.
Just as there are benefits to certain compounds, there are also side effects. The melatonin in red wine does not mask the fact that wine is an alcoholic beverage and, as such, is harmful when consumed in excessive quantities.
Alcohol (in any form) consumed before bedtime affects another component of your body’s sleep pattern – homeostasis – which regulates the amount and timing of your sleep. Alcohol disrupts this mechanism, which may cause restless sleep, early waking and early morning grogginess.
It is unclear to me which has greater influence over inducing sleep – the gentle effect of small levels of melatonin in a glass of red wine or the sometimes drastic effects of any form of alcohol consumption. This is an individual evaluation I leave to your discernment.
Rather than introducing melatonin into your body, other (non-alcoholic) food groups induce the body to produce its own quantities of this beneficial compound. Foods rich in protein and selenium (a handful of nuts; walnuts work well for me) and those rich in vitamin B6 (fish such as tuna and salmon) are typically the most impactful.
Above all, always be prudent in assessing your personal tolerances and reactions to wine and its components.
Nick Antonaccio is a 45-year Pleasantville resident. For over 25 years, he has conducted wine tastings and lectures. Nick is a member and Program Director of the Wine Media Guild of wine journalists. He also offers personalized wine tastings. Nick’s credo: continuous experimenting results in instinctive behavior. You can reach him at nantonaccio@theexaminernews.com.
