Wine Drinkers May Live Longer

Men Who Drank Half Glass Daily Extended Lives 4 Years in Dutch Study

Men who drink about half a glass of wine a day over decades may outlive teetotalers by four years on average, a 40-year Dutch study shows.

But that's not a reason to start drinking, or to drink too much, the researchers say.

"Since alcohol consumption can be addictive, starting to drink alcohol because of its positive health benefits is not advised," says researcher Martinette Streppel in an American Heart Association news release.

Men who currently drink "should do so lightly (one to two glasses per day) and preferably drink wine," says Streppel, a graduate student at Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

A standard drink is 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, 8 ounces of malt liquor, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits or liquor such as rum, vodka, or whiskey.

The study was presented today in Orlando, Fla., at the American Heart Association's 47th annual conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.

Moderate Drinking, Longer Life

Streppel and colleagues studied data on 1,373 men living in the Dutch town of Zutphen.

The men were followed from 1960 (when they were 40-60 years old), until death or June 2000, whichever came first. During that time, the men completed up to seven surveys about their drinking habits.

Men who drank any type of alcohol -- in moderate amounts -- tended to live longer, and the wine drinkers lived longest of all.

Compared with teetotalers, men who reported moderate drinking (less than two glasses per day) of any type of alcohol were 33% less likely to die of any cause and 28% less likely to die of heart problems during the study.

Wine showed benefits over other forms of alcohol. Compared with men who drank no wine, those who drank about half a glass daily were 38% less likely to die of any cause and 46% less likely to die of heart problems during the study.

On average, wine drinkers lived four years longer than men who drank no wine or other alcohol.

Heart Benefits?

Modest amounts of alcohol, especially wine, may be good for men's hearts, the researchers note.

Light alcohol intake may boost HDL ("good") cholesterol and help prevent blood clots, says Streppel.

The researchers didn't ask men to change their drinking habits, and the data don't show the men's other lifestyle habits, including diet, exercise, and smoking.

So the study doesn't prove wine or other types of alcohol were the sole reason for the men's longevity.

Diabetes Heart Help Without Surgery

Diabetes Patients Reverse Silent Heart Threat With Medications

It may be possible for people with type 2 diabetes to reverse a heart threat without surgery, a new study shows.

The study included 358 people with type 2 diabetes who took stress tests to check their heart's health.

The stress tests showed that a fifth of the patients had silent myocardial ischemia. Translation: Those patients had no heart disease symptoms, but their heart muscle didn't get enough oxygen during the stress test.

Heart muscle needs oxygen, which it gets from blood. Blood flow to the heart muscle suffers if the coronary arteries narrow. Ischemia (and possibly a heart attack) can be the result.

The patients and their doctors were free to pick any ischemia treatment.

None of the patients got surgery, but they tended to start taking at least one of the following medications:

• Aspirin
• Statin drugs, which lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol
• ACE inhibitors, which lower blood pressure

Three years after their initial stress test, the patients repeated the stress test.

The researchers expected that the patients' ischemia would have worsened. But they were wrong.

Of the 71 patients who had ischemia at the study's start, 56 patients (79%) no longer had ischemia three years later.

That finding was "striking and unexpected," write Yale University's Frans Wackers, MD, and colleagues.

The researchers aren't sure that the medications reversed ischemia.

For instance, the study doesn't show whether the patients also got serious about their diet and exercise after learning they had silent cardiac ischemia, or which medications helped most.

The surprising results deserve further research, Wackers and colleagues conclude.

Their study appears in the November edition of Diabetes Care.

Food for Men: 10 Foods to Boost Male Health Part 2

Foods men should include in their diets to improve health and prevent disease.

Food for Men No. 6: Whole Grains

Most men get enough carbs in their diets, but they tend to be the wrong kind, experts say.

"A diet rich in whole grains provides fiber, vitamins, minerals – all the co-factors for heart health, building muscles, and keeping waistlines small," says Gerbstadt.

She suggests trying whole grain pasta or quinoa, a trendy, not-so-whole-grain-tasting grain that's rich in lutein for prostate health.

Oatmeal and barley are rich in soluble fiber, full of B vitamins that can help lower LDL or "bad" cholesterol, and are also good for the prostate. Suzanne Farrell, RD, recommends getting 10-25 grams of soluble fiber a day from oatmeal or other sources of soluble fiber like apples, pears, and beans.

When buying grain products, look for those whose labels say they have at least 3-5 g fiber per serving.

To avoid digestive problems, increase your fiber intake gradually, and don't forget to drink plenty of water.

Food for Men No. 7: Plant Stanols

Stanols are naturally occurring substances in fruits and vegetables that have been shown to lower mildly elevated blood cholesterol levels. Manufacturers are now adding concentrated versions of them to products like margarine, yogurt, orange juice, and granola bars.

"Men should regularly include a total of 2 grams of plant stanols, taken in two doses with meals, to help inhibit absorption of cholesterol in the intestine," says Farrell.

She suggests having 2-3 teaspoons of plant stanol spreads such as Benecol, or 16 ounces of stanol-fortified orange juice per day. Plant stanols can safely be used with cholesterol lowering medication.

Food for Men No 8: Soybeans

Soy is rich in isoflavones, which protect prostate health and have been shown to lower prostate cancer risk, says Gerbstadt.

And "according to a recent study, eating 25 grams or about 1 ounce of soy protein a day can help decrease cholesterol," Farrell says.

The FDA has approved a health claim for food labels that says having 25 grams of soy protein per day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, can help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Try to eat a few servings a day of soy products, such as soy nuts, soy milk, soy cheese, veggie burgers, tofu, or edamame.

Food for Men No 9: Berries or Cherries

The violet, blue, and red colors in all kinds of berries and cherries are responsible for the healthy properties of these fruits. These little jewels are chock-full of the health-protecting flavonoid, anthocyanin.

"Berries contain over 4,000 different compounds that have antioxidant properties beyond vitamin C, so make sure you include these delicious and low-calorie fruits to help meet your 5+ servings of fruits each day," says Gerbstadt.

Adding berries to the diet may even help slow the decline in brain function that can occur with aging.

"Large studies show the more produce you eat the better, but specifically berries (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, and cherries) can enhance brain function and keep your brain healthy," says Bauer.

Food for Men No 10: Red-Orange Vegetables

Vitamin C and beta-carotene are antioxidants that help preserve healthy skin cells and prevent oxidation from the sun.

"Vitamin C is involved in collagen production," says Bauer. "Beta-carotene converts to the active form of vitamin A, which helps to repair epithelial or skin cells."

She recommends getting these nutrients from red bell peppers (just one has 300% of the recommended daily value for vitamin C), carrots, pumpkin, or sweet potatoes.

But for that matter, just about any vegetable should be on the list of top foods for men (and women). Dark, leafy greens and any nutrient-rich vegetable can help reduce the risk of enlarged prostates, according to a recent study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Men whose diets are high in nutrients found in vegetables -- like vitamin C, beta-carotene, and potassium – were found to be less likely to develop benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or enlarged prostate.

Food for Men: 10 Foods to Boost Male Health Part 1

Foods men should include in their diets to improve health and prevent disease.

Men are different from women in all kinds of ways -- including their nutritional needs. Just as women need particular nutrients during pregnancy or for protection from breast cancer, men need nutrients that can help them maintain muscle mass, prevent prostate cancer, and more.

Many foods that tend to be favorites among men are not the best choices for good health. Yet a healthy diet and regular physical activity can help prevent heart disease and cancer, the No. 1 and No. 2 killers for men over 35. They can also enhance performance, from the board room to the bedroom.

Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, notes that any food that is good for the cardiovascular system is also good for erectile function in men.

"Nutrients that are good for the heart improve circulation to all parts of the body, and these same nutrients provide a layer of protection against cancer and other chronic diseases," says Gerbstadt, a Florida-based physician and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

Quality nutrients are also critical for maintaining immune function and preventing bone loss, muscle loss, and oxidative damage from the environment, Of course, any one (or 10) foods can't do the job alone. An overall healthy lifestyle, which also includes not smoking and getting regular physical activity, is what's really important for health, say the experts.

"It is not about one single food or even a handful of foods. What is more important is the pattern of regularly consuming a diet rich in a variety of essential nutrients," says Joy Bauer, MS, RD, author of Joy Bauer's Food Cures and Today Show nutrition expert.

Still, adding nutrient-rich super foods to the diet, as well as taking a daily multivitamin designed exclusively for men (for nutritional insurance), can give men's nutrition a boost, says Dave Grotto, RD, an American Dietetic Association spokesman.

With the help of the experts, WebMD came up with this list of 10 disease-fighting foods that can be a good start to improving health:

Food for Men No. 1: Oysters

Could there be something to the legend that oysters are the food of love? Well, it's true that just a few oysters each day will deliver a full day's supply of the antioxidant mineral zinc. Zinc is involved in hundreds of body processes, from producing DNA to repairing cells.

"Research shows that adequate zinc may protect against cellular damage that leads to prostate cancer," says Grotto. "Sexual functioning of the male reproductive system, including increased sperm counts, is also enhanced with zinc."

You can also get your daily recommended dose of 11 milligrams a day by eating other shellfish, lean beef, lean pork, or legumes.

Food for Men No. 2: Bananas

Bananas are a great portable source of quick energy and are rich in potassium, which is needed to regulate nerves, heartbeat and, especially, blood pressure. Diets rich in potassium and magnesium (which is also found in bananas) can reduce the risk of stroke.

As a super source of vitamin B-6, bananas can also aid your immune system, help form red blood cells, ensure a well-functioning nervous system, and assist protein metabolism. So enjoy a banana each day, at breakfast on your whole grain-cereal or before your workout at the gym.

Not a banana fan? Orange juice, milk, tomato products, and beans are other good sources of dietary potassium.

Food for Men No. 3: Fatty Fish

No list of superfoods would be complete without the healthy fat, omega-3 fatty acids. These polyunsaturated fats are the preferred form of fats in your diet for many reasons. They can benefit the heart, circulation, and immune system and reduce the risk for prostate cancer, among other things.

"Omega-3 fatty acids are potent anti-inflammatory foods that can help lower triglyceride [blood fat] levels, reduce aches and pains in athletes, and offer relief with certain kinds of arthritis," says Bauer.

Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel, herring) are the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. In fact the American Heart Association recommends that everyone eat fish twice weekly.

You can also get omega-3s in plant-based foods, like flaxseed, walnuts, soy, canola oil, and fortified products such as eggs. But there are other good reasons to eat fish.

"Fatty fish are also a good source of vitamin D, a nutrient that tends to be deficient in our diets and [which] in adequate supply can help prevent cancer, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and bone disease," says Bauer.

Food for Men No. 4: Broccoli

While virtually all vegetables deserve a place on the superfoods list, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli are helpful in the prevention of heart disease and cancer. It's loaded with vitamin C, beta-carotene, potassium, and a phytochemical called sulphoraphane, which has strong anticancer (prostate and colon) properties.

A recent Harvard study found that participants who had five servings a week of cruciferious vegetables were half as likely as others to develop bladder cancer, a cancer that affects two to three times as many men as women. This super-nutritious green vegetable may also help lower levels of homocycteine, an amino acid associated with increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

Don't care for broccoli? Go for other cruciferous choices like cabbage, bok choy, shredded broccoli slaw, cabbage, cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts.

And did you ever wonder where the term "cruciferous" originates? "It is not because they are crunchy vegetables, but when the buds from this group of vegetables sprouts, their leaves form a cross like a crucifix," explains Denver dietitian Mary Lee Chin, MS, RD.

Food for Men No. 5: Brazil Nuts

These large nuts from Brazil are packed with magnesium and selenium, powerful antioxidants that may help prevent heart disease and cancer and protect prostate health. (Bauer, however, notes that the studies showing reduction in cancer have been primarily in people whose diets were deficient in selenium, not in those who were already getting enough.)