Red Wine Consumption Prevents Vascular Oxidative Stress Induced by a High-fat Meal in Healthy Volunteers

In order to investigate the effect of red wine on plasma lipid and oxidative stress parameters after a high-fat meal, fifteen healthy volunteers were studied: three days after a high-fat meal with 250 mL of water, they received the same meal with 250 mL of red wine. During both periods, serial blood samples were drawn before and 2, 4, and 8 hours after the meal to evaluate plasma lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides; retinyl palmitate), oxidative stress (D-ROM, and malondialdehyde) and antioxidant (total plasma antioxidant levels and uric acid) parameters. During the meal without wine, plasma lipid parameters increased significantly, whereas plasma total plasma antioxidant levels decreased, and a trend toward reduction of uric acid levels was seen). A similar trend in lipid parameters was observed after the meal with wine; no significant difference in individual lipid parameter trends after a meal with and without wine was observed. Wine ingestion induced higher total plasma antioxidant levels and uric acid; malondialdehyde levels remained constant after wine ingestion. Plasma D-ROM showed a significant postprandial increase in both experiments, but it was significantly lowered after wine ingestion. Our results give evidence of oxidative stress following a fat-rich meal in healthy subjects, suggesting that ingestion of red wine during a high-fat meal significantly reduces oxidative stress without inducing any significant modification in postprandial lipemia.