Alcohol, Red Wine & Longevity: A Few Thoughts Worth Knowing

When we talk about alcohol, we often stand between two worlds.
On one side: culture, connection, the pleasure of a glass of wine shared with good company or good food.
On the other: growing numbers and studies reminding us that alcohol isn’t nearly as harmless as many of us once believed.

Nothing new — and yet still something most people prefer not to think about. Perhaps because wine is woven into our habits, our rituals, our moments of relaxation.

So I’m not offering a “right” or “wrong” here. Just a few insights that stayed with me after reading two of Peter Attia’s pieces — and that might offer someone else a moment of reflection too.

Alcohol and Healthspan: A Story Becoming Clearer

What has become increasingly unequivocal over the past decade is this: alcohol — even in small amounts — raises the risk of some of the biggest diseases of modern life: cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders.

This doesn’t mean a glass of wine will cause harm.
It does mean alcohol is nowhere a “health-giving” substance that extends life or vitality. That was a widely accepted myth — and one that science is now dismantling quite firmly.

What I find interesting is simply this: alcohol has become so normalised that we rarely talk about it as a factor influencing our health. Not dramatically, not immediately — but long-term, slowly, quietly.

And when we talk about healthspan — the years we live vibrantly, with energy and vitality — every such “quiet” habit carries a different kind of weight.

Red Wine and Quercetin: An Unexpected Piece of the Puzzle

Red wine holds a special place in health narratives. For years, it was considered “heart healthy”, “full of antioxidants”, a symbol of the Mediterranean way of living.

The truth is, as often, more interesting and less romantic.

Quercetin — a plant polyphenol that is beneficial in the diet — behaves differently when combined with alcohol. In red wine, it can inhibit the enzyme ALDH2, which breaks down acetaldehyde, the compound responsible for headaches, nausea, and that familiar “red wine hit me harder than expected” feeling.

The result?

Some people get a headache after just one glass.
Not because of sulphites.
Not because of sugar.
Not necessarily because of alcohol itself.

But simply because their body struggles to clear acetaldehyde — and quercetin makes the job even harder.

It’s not dramatic, and certainly not a reason to panic. But it is a useful clue explaining why red wine “doesn’t sit right” with some people, while white wine gives them no trouble at all.

So… to Drink or Not to Drink?

That’s a question no article, no expert, and no blog should answer for you. Which is why I won’t.

Alcohol has its place.
For some, it brings relaxation, aesthetic pleasure, a sense of social connection.
For others, it brings poor sleep, headaches, or the feeling that the body is gently asking for a bit more kindness.

What I believe is worth taking from Attia’s writings is something very simple:

Alcohol isn’t “healthy”.
But it doesn’t need to be a problem — if we consume it consciously.

And red wine isn’t inherently good or bad — it’s simply a combination of compounds that interacts with every body differently.

Maybe the Real Questions Are These…

How do I feel after a glass of wine?
The next morning? Two days later?

Do I drink because it truly brings me joy — or out of habit?

Do I notice a difference between red and white wine?

Would the moment be just as enjoyable with a non-alcoholic drink?

These are not questions of right or wrong.
They’re questions about how we want to live, how present we want to be in our bodies, and what kind of relationship we want with the things we consume.

My Personal Take

(Hint: I avoid preaching — I love champagne.)

As I went deeper into longevity and health, I realised alcohol is one of those topics where it really pays to listen to your body.

Not to pressure.
Not to tradition.
Not to myths about “a healthy glass of red wine”.

The body is very clear about what serves it — if we choose to listen.

And Here Is Where the Story Ends — or Begins

This blog is not “against” alcohol.
It’s not “for” alcohol.

It is simply an invitation to look a little wider, a little softer, without extremes.

To give ourselves the chance to make decisions based on insight and how we actually feel.

And to acknowledge, as adults, that something that adds beauty to life can occasionally take something away — and that doesn’t mean we have to give it up.

It simply means living with awareness.
And choosing — truly choosing — for ourselves.