Metabolically Active Compounds of Wine between Myth and Reality

Given the fact that in Romania, the chronic alcohol consumption is a matter of public health and that the media has intensely published certain studies regarding wine consumption (the speculative, near-sensational conclusions are most of the times presented), a critical approach of these studies is necessary. All these studies have as a starting point the extremely complex composition of wine (rightfully associated with that of the blood). This extremely complex composition has become the object of thorough studies whose results have been included into various treaties of oenochemistry. But, it is from the same complexity that the trends of current researches derive. At the moment, there are two broad directions of study. The former in anchored at the level of fundamental research and approaches the effects of the metabolically active substances present in the composition of wine, their analysis including problems of molecular biology. The other line of research is represented by population oriented studies, conducted especially by nutritionists, often based on questionnaires. As a conclusion, we state that a pragmatic approach of the research regarding the influence of metabolically active compounds of wine is necessary, as well as an explicit presentation of the conclusions of these studies before their dissemination in the media, because for the moment, the results of the research, especially if they are accompanied by spectacular conclusions, are heavily publicized.