A groundbreaking research reveals that the daily intake of two glasses of non-alcoholic muscadine wine can noticeably enhance skin elasticity and hydration in middle-aged and elderly women, probably due to the presence of polyphenols in the wine. This research, a pioneer in its own right, has identified the unique polyphenolic profile of muscadine wine as the driving force behind the beneficial effects on skin health, though the researchers suggest further investigations with a bigger cohort and factoring in the impact of alcohol.
The daily intake of non-alcoholic wine enhanced skin flexibility in women in their middle age.
Could non-alcoholic muscadine wine be the newly discovered remedy for drooping skin? A recent research indicates it might be. Women who drank two glasses of non-alcoholic muscadine wine daily experienced notable improvements in skin flexibility and hydration, in contrast to those who were given a placebo.
This innovative research studied the influence of non-alcoholic wine intake on skin health, in a supervised, randomized clinical trial. The research team conjectures that the positive outcomes are attributable to polyphenols, chemical compounds commonly found in plants.
“Muscadine grapes exhibit a distinct polyphenolic profile in comparison to other red wine varieties,” stated Lindsey Christman, Ph.D., who led the research along with Liwei Gu, Ph.D., a professor of food chemistry and functional food at the University of Florida. “Our research suggests that muscadine wine polyphenols have the capacity to enhance skin conditions, especially elasticity and transepidermal water retention, in middle-aged and elderly women.”
Christman will showcase the findings at NUTRITION 2023, the premier annual gathering of the American Society for Nutrition taking place in Boston from July 22–25.
Muscadine grapes, native to the Southeastern United States, are typically used for wine production. Prior clinical trials have proposed that polyphenols in muscadine wine, including anthocyanins, quercetin, and ellagic acid, can aid in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
For the study, 17 women aged between 40-67 were enlisted and randomly assigned to either consume non-alcoholic wine or a placebo drink with a similar taste but lacking polyphenols. Participants consumed about 10 ounces (roughly two glasses of wine) of their assigned beverage daily for six weeks, took a break for three weeks, and then switched to the alternative drink for another six weeks.
Skin conditions of the participants and inflammation and oxidative stress markers were evaluated at the commencement of the research and at the conclusion of each six-week phase. It was observed that drinking muscadine wine significantly enhanced skin flexibility (loss of which results in increased skin sagging with age) and was linked to a decrease in surface skin water loss, an indication that the skin is functioning more effectively as a barrier against damage.
There wasn’t any significant difference noticed in wrinkle quantity on the skin. Participants exhibited enhancements in skin smoothness and lesser signs of inflammation and oxidative stress compared to the initial state, but there wasn’t a significant difference between non-alcoholic muscadine wine and the placebo in these factors.
“This cross-over study demonstrated that six weeks of non-alcoholic muscadine wine intake resulted in the improvement of certain skin parameters linked with aging, such as elasticity on the forearm and skin barrier function on the face, compared to the initial state and placebo,” said Christman. “This is probably due to reductions in inflammation and oxidative stress.”
Given that only 17 participants were involved in the trial, reproducing the study with a larger and more diverse group would aid in confirming and reinforcing the findings. Furthermore, most commercially available muscadine wine contains alcohol, and researchers warned that the outcome might differ when consuming wine with alcohol.
“We opted for non-alcoholic muscadine wine as we were exploring the impact of the bioactive compounds in wine, specifically polyphenols, on skin health,” Christman explained. “Introducing alcohol would add another variable to the research that could potentially alter the outcomes. Besides, the dealcoholization process might change the chemical composition.”
Reference: “Non-Alcoholic Muscadine Wine Enhanced Skin Health, Reduced Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Women in a Randomized Controlled Trial” by Lindsey Christman and Liwei Gu, 24 July 2023, NUTRITION 2023 (abstract; presentation details).
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Non-alcoholic Muscadine Wine
What does the recent study on muscadine wine suggest?
The recent study suggests that daily intake of two glasses of non-alcoholic muscadine wine can significantly improve skin elasticity and hydration in middle-aged and elderly women, likely due to the polyphenols present in the wine.
What is unique about the polyphenolic profile of muscadine wine?
Muscadine wine’s polyphenolic profile is unique when compared to other red wine varieties. This unique profile is believed to have the potential to improve skin conditions, especially elasticity and transepidermal water loss.
How was the study conducted?
Researchers recruited 17 women aged between 40-67 years and assigned them randomly to drink either non-alcoholic muscadine wine or a placebo beverage that lacked polyphenols. Participants consumed about 10 ounces of their assigned beverage daily for six weeks, then took a three-week break before switching to the opposite beverage for another six weeks.
Were there any limitations to this study?
Yes, the study had a small participant group of only 17 women. The researchers recommend further research with a larger and more diverse participant group. Additionally, the study focused on non-alcoholic muscadine wine, and results may differ for muscadine wine that contains alcohol.
What improvements in skin health were observed?
Participants who consumed non-alcoholic muscadine wine showed significant improvements in skin elasticity and hydration. There was also a decrease in surface skin water loss, indicating a more effective skin barrier. However, no significant difference was observed in the quantity of wrinkles on the skin.
What are the next steps for this research?
The researchers recommend repeating the study with a larger and more diverse group of people to confirm and strengthen the findings. They also suggest considering the effects of alcohol in future studies as most commercially available muscadine wine contains alcohol.
More about Non-alcoholic Muscadine Wine
- Link to the NUTRITION 2023 conference
- Polyphenols and Skin Health
- Understanding Skin Aging
- Muscadine Wine Information
- Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidants
5 comments
very intriguing, i always believed that good skin starts from within. Maybe it’s time to swap my green tea for muscadine wine. Also curious about how the alcohol in the regular version would affect the results tho…
it’s cool and all but shouldn’t we also consider the effect of alcohol in wine? Seems like they’re overlooking that part. And yeah, larger study needed for sure!
I’ve heard about the anti-aging benefits of resveratrol in red wine but this is new! Muscadine wine, huh? Could be the next big thing in skincare! Need to add this to my routine asap!!!
Hmm, only 17 people in the study…seems like a small sample. Wonder how it’d go with a bigger group, and with men too. Just seems a bit preliminary to me, needs more research.
Wow, this is very interesting. Always knew red wine had benefits but never thought it could help with skin elasticity. Polyphenols are real game changers! Will definitely look more into this.