- Researchers in Spain are conducting the world’s largest clinical trial on the health effects of moderate alcohol consumption, tracking 10,000 adults aged 50–75 over four years.
- The study, funded by the European Research Council, aims to provide clear evidence on whether moderate drinking is beneficial, neutral, or harmful—but volunteers must live in Spain to join.
Do you enjoy sipping a glass of wine each evening? If so, scientists in Spain are looking for your help—and will give you free wine in exchange.
In May, The Olive Press shared the news that researchers at the University of Navarra’s Alumni Trialist Initiative (UNATI) are currently seeking volunteers to participate in the world’s largest clinical trial on alcohol, aiming to understand the effects of moderate drinking on human health.
As the volunteer intake form explained, participants will be tracked for the next four years to “determine whether moderate alcohol consumption is beneficial, neutral, or harmful to health.”
The research, funded by a €2.4 million (about $2.79 million) grant via the European Research Council, will track 10,000 people aged 50 to 75 split into two groups: one group who will consume alcohol daily (moderate amounts equal to fewer than seven drinks a week for women and 14 drinks a week for men) and the other who will completely abstain from any alcohol throughout the research period.
Those who sign up must be prepared to join either group, as they will be randomly assigned to either arm. Both groups will undergo in-depth health surveys at the start and end of the trial, be asked to join quarterly meetings, and be willing to work with health coaches.
“Policymakers and clinicians are currently perplexed on how to reduce alcohol harms in drinkers, because of contradictory guidelines: abstention is proposed as the healthiest option by many health advocates, stating that ‘there is no safe level of alcohol intake,’ but most nonrandomized studies found lower all-cause mortality and other beneficial outcomes in moderate drinkers than in abstainers among subjects over 50,” the research plan’s abstract explains. “However, potential biases may compromise these latter studies, particularly when effects are null or moderate.” Thus, it’s pulling together its “large pragmatic randomized controlled trial” to really get to what’s what.
“It will provide first-level evidence to confront the harms of one of the most widely used substances by humankind,” it added.
Both groups will receive “gift foods and beverages.” The abstainers will receive “0%-alcohol beer, and extra-virgin olive oil to foster adherence to the Mediterranean diet,” while the moderation group will receive “red wine (1.5 l/mo) and the same amount of extra-virgin olive oil to foster adherence to the Mediterranean diet as in the other group.”
To avoid any conflict of interest, the free wine will come from a supermarket chain, not from any single winery or alcohol company.
To date, the Olive Press reported that 6,500 participants have signed up, meaning the team is still seeking 3,500 volunteers in the 50-75 age range.
There is, however, one major catch: you must live in Spain to participate. But now’s as good a time as any to move there, right?
