Older folks who enjoy a tipple could prevent a topple, according to a study that looks at the effects of red wine in mice.
Resveratrol, the natural compound found in the drink, might help improve mobility and prevent life-threatening falls among the ageing population.
The catch, says lead researcher Jane Cavanaugh of US-based Duquesne University, is that because resveratrol is poorly absorbed by the body, you'd have to drink a lot benefit. We're talking almost 700 120ml glasses of red wine a day for a 68kg person.
Nonetheless, this finding is believed to be groundbreaking and could lead to the development of natural products to help older people live healthier lives.
Previous studies on resveratrol have shown the antioxidant might help reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, slash the risk of heart disease and certain cancers and, perhaps, have some anti-ageing effects in the body. Some experts call it the "miracle molecule".
To determine its effects on balance and mobility, Cavanaugh and her team fed both young and old laboratory mice a diet containing resveratrol for eight weeks. They periodically tested the rodents' ability to navigate a steel mesh balance beam, counting the number of times each mouse had a misstep.