Could regular wine drinking prevent from deafness? Probably yes! At least there are indications for it, according to Michael Seidman’s research at the Henry Ford hospital.. Responsible for the positive effect of wine might be, once again, the super-molecule resveratrol, a natural substance found in the grapes. 

To test the effect of resveratrol on the perception of sounds, rats were exposed to extremely loud noise for a long period, after being fed with resveratrol. Another «test group» of rats got the same noise treatment, but no resveratrol. The results were significant, as the hearing damage of the «resveratrol rats» was much lower. Another trophy for this super molecule, as resveratrol is already known to protect our cardiovascular system, to prevent certain cancers, and to lower the risk of Alzheimer disease. 

“Resveratrol is a very powerful chemical that seems to protect against the body’s inflammatory process as it relates to aging, cognition and hearing,” says Michael Seidman. 

The results of his research group in a way confirm those of Dr. J. Schachts from the University of Michigan, who a couple of years ago, discovered that resveratrol protects the filaments of the inner ear.