Let’s face it, everyone wants to stay looking young and healthy for a long as they can. It’s the reason so many creams and supplements exist to keep us looking youthful and vibrant. But thanks to new research out of the University of Iowa, those remedies may be unnecessary, as long as you drink a moderate amount of beer or wine.
Researchers were curious how aging was impacted by tobacco or alcohol use and how these substances impacted premature aging. According to the American Society of Human Genetics who first reported the findings, “to conduct the study researchers estimated each person’s biological age using a previously validated epigenetic ‘clock’ based on methylation levels at 71 locations in their genome, as measured by the widely used Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. Then, they calculated the difference between biological age and chronological age, and assessed the relationship between tobacco and alcohol use and premature aging.”
The results were a bit surprising. While tobacco use was found, as expected, to accelerate aging, Alcohol consumed in moderation – 1 to 2 glasses a day – without smoking, was correlated to the healthiest form of aging. This was even compared to those who did not drink at all.
Had Ponce De Leon known this information, he could have abandoned his quest. The Fountain of Youth he sought was inside his glass of wine all along.