Long Life, Wine: A Connection?

After the great flood recorded in the Bible, Noah planted vineyards. He lived 900 years -- could there be a connection between long life and the ingredients in wine?

Dr. David Sinclair from Harvard Medical School has been studying reseveratrol, an ingredient in red wine that shows amazing anti-aging properties.

"I think it's going to be the molecule of the 21st century. There are many studies out there that it can slow down cancer, prevent cancer, prevent osteoporosis, it's like a miracle molecule," said Dr. Sinclair.

Now, he is releasing new research, and the results are astonishing.

A group of mice were fed a deadly high calorie, high fat diet with the resveratrol extract, they thrived.

In fact, they resisted the diabetes, heart disease and liver damage they should have suffered while living a lot longer.

Many people wouldn't want to live longer if it meant living in disability. But the mice on resveratrol actually gained balance and coordination as they aged.

"It's making the cell repair it's D.N.A and stop the genes from being re-arranged, and that allows for longer life," said Dr. Sinclair.

He is no fan of wine, so he gets resveratrol from capsules that preserve the fragile substance.

"We figured out what the optimal dose will be in a capsule and it approximates to a few glasses of red wine a day without the alcohol," he said.

What this may mean is that resveratrol now or a future resveratrol-like drug could produce longer lives and in good health.