A glass of red wine a day may actually help you get pregnant

A new study has found that, contrary to popular belief, a daily glass of red wine may actually boost your fertility.

Published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endrocrinology & Metabolism, the study uncovered that resveratrol, a natural compound found in red wine, lowers a woman’s risk of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), one of the main causes of infertility in women.

Unfortunately, PCOS is a pretty common disorder among women of child-bearing age. It may involve having enlarged ovaries, which can lead to either infrequent or longer than normal period cycles, abnormal hair growth and/or weight gain. As doctors are unsure as to what causes PCOS in some women, the idea that something as simple as drinking wine could help lower the risk has many raising their glasses.

So how does it work?

Scientists found that women with PCOS often exhibit an excess of testosterone. After giving a sampling of 30 women with PCOS resveratrol supplements or a placebo over the course of three months, they found that those taking the supplement saw a drop in their testosterone levels by 23 per cent. The placebo patients saw their testosterone increase by nearly three per cent.

“Our study is the first clinical trial to find resveratrol significantly lowers PCOS patients’ levels of testosterone as well as dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), another hormone that the body can convert into testosterone,” said Professor Antoni Duleba from the University of California, who led the study. “This nutritional supplement can help moderate the hormone imbalance that is one of the central features of PCOS.”

If you’re feeling a little weary about drinking so much wine, resveratrol can also be taken in supplement form or can be found in foods like grapes, blueberries, cranberries and even dark chocolate.

Cheers to science!