255: Red Wine Headache? Quercetin May be the Cause

What causes the “red wine headache”? Is it sulfites? A histamine reaction? Andrew Waterhouse, Professor Emeritus of Enology in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis and Apramita Devi, Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis have identified a flavanol that can interfere with the metabolism of alcohol. That flavanol is quercetin, a natural product made in grape skins in response to sunlight. It is a natural sunscreen produced to protect the fruit from ultraviolet light.

This conversation covers why quercetin may be more prevalent in high end wines, how skin contact during wine production impacts quercetin levels, and why sulfites may play a role in “red wine headache”.

Resources:        

• 74: The Spirit of Wine
• Andrew Waterhouse
• Andrew Waterhouse | Google Scholar
• Andrew Waterhouse | LinkedIn
• Apramita Devi | LinkedIn
• Apramita Devi |Google Scholar
• Inhibition of ALDH2 by quercetin glucuronide suggests a new hypothesis to explain red wine headaches
• Why Do Some People Get Headaches From Drinking Red Wine?

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