Whenever I've written about the benefits of drinking red wine or alcoholic beverages of any kind in moderation, I've always recommended not drinking either of them because I am convinced the alcohol itself is a neurotoxin, meaning it can poison your brain. A new study explains why alcohol consumption -- even in moderation -- affects how your blood clots in a very bad way.
Scientists examined the effect of alcohol on platelets, particles in the blood that affect clotting. Moderate alcohol consumption (defined as three to six drinks a week) was found to slow the means by which platelets activate and aggregate (confirming earlier research that showed moderate drinkers had less sticky platelets).
Essentially, alcohol works on your body much the same way as aspirin does as a blood thinner, which also elevates your risk of suffering from a bleeding stroke.
If you're drinking red wine, in hopes of loading up on the powerful polyphenolic bioflavonoids, your health would benefit much more from eating grape skins and passing up the meat of the grape (that has no resveratrol but lots of extra fructose).
Forbes.com October 14, 2005