Red Wine Counters Some Negative Health Effects of Microgravity 78
astroengine writes "Great news for astronaut red wine aficionados: the alcoholic beverage can counteract some of the most troublesome physiological effects of microgravity. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on whether or not you have to pilot a spaceship), you have to drink a lot of wine to reap any benefit. These findings are fresh from the labs of French researchers (abstract) who found that by dosing unfortunate rats — hung by their tails to simulate microgravity — with resveratrol (a compound found in red wine), they could help stave off bone density loss and muscle atrophy. Does this mean resveratrol is an astronaut's best friend? Possibly, but judging by the quantities that are needed, it would most likely come in supplement form, rather than 750 ml bottles."
French solution (Score:4, Insightful)
Why is it that every time the French see a problem, they throw red wine at it? I'm not being mean, just curious. They make fine cheeses, too, but you never see them suggesting cheese for bone-mass loss.
Re:French solution (Score:4, Insightful)
Because they produce and sell a lot of it, and want to sell even more. So there's always a sum of money around for every honest scientist, who can pen something that the wine marketing departments can use. I have very rarely seen research on the health benefits of wine that wasn't sponsored in some way by those who make it. Come to think of it, all positive "wine benefit" science that I bothered to research the funding for was paid for by the wine industry.