A Chinese study has claimed that red wine can have a protective effect against possible COVID-19 infections.

Appearing in the Frontiers journal, this study investigates data including self-reported consumption of alcohol, in over 470,000 people in the UK Biobank database. Of that, 16,559 tested COVID positive. 

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Interestingly, the study showed that some types of alcohol can be associated with a protective role against COVID-19, while others increased the risk of infections. As per the study, the risk of a COVID infection is 10 to 17% lower in those who consume red wine, than in non-drinkers. It also found that those who consume beer and cider have between 7 and 28% higher chances of being infected. 

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Further, the study added, “the protective effect of red wine for COVID-19 was significant regardless of the frequency of alcohol intake, but it only played the protective effect when subjects consumed alcohol above or double above the guidelines.”

However, it concluded that in the long run, increased alcohol consumption leads to higher chances of contracting COVID infections. This is in line with other studies which have observed that long-term alcohol abuse tends to make a person more susceptible to infections. 

How does red wine prevent COVID? 

The authors of the study have suggested that the findings could have several explanations. For starters, red wine has high polyphenol levels, which come with antioxidant properties. Red wine could also have activated proteins preventing cell death, as the study indicated. 

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Notably, the baseline consumption was only considered without accounting for consumption change during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, alcohol subtypes weren’t considered. 

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While this study has faced backlash from many in the medical community, the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism notes that consuming alcohol “does not prevent or treat coronavirus infection”, and may actually harm the immune system functioning.