Effect and Time Course of Acute Red Wine Consumption on Blood Antioxidant Capacity and Arterial Distensibility in Male Smokers

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND: Smoking cigarettes leads to oxidative stress and is harmful to endothelial function. Antioxidants found in red wine have been shown to counteract the negative effects of reactive oxygen species. METHODS: The current study investigated antioxidant capacity and vascular performance after smoking cigarettes and consuming wine. Participants included eight male smokers who attended an orientation where baseline anthropometric measures were obtained. Participants were assigned to the wine or control group in a randomized crossover design. The wine group consumed wine immediately following baseline measures of arterial distensibility and providing blood samples. Smoking occurred 15 and 120 minutes following wine consumption. Arterial distensibility measures and blood samples were again collected at these two time points. Controls followed the same procedure but did not consume wine. Outcome variables included plasma antioxidant capacity (FRAP, ORAC) and vascular measures (arterial distensibility). RESULTS: When given wine, the participants’ antioxidant capacity increased in FRAP (P=0.046) but not ORAC. Vascular measures showed a significant difference at time 3 (P=0.030). DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The results of the present study suggest drinking red wine while smoking cigarettes increases antioxidant capacity but does not provide health benefits related to vascular performance.