Dr. Tapan Mehta, a renal fellow at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center, in Aurora is making the wine lovers very, very happy!

In a recent study, Dr. Mehta found that drinking a little less than a glass of wine, yes you read that correct, a little less than a glass, could cut one’s risk of kidney disease by 37% if you had healthy kidneys to start with.

Now here is where it gets interesting. For those that already have chronic kidney disease there is a very serious increase in risk of cardiovascular disease.

Drinking a little less than a glass of wine a day for people with chronic kidney disease showed a 29% decrease in cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Mehta theorizes that drinking wine decreases protein in the urine. In those with kidney disease, high levels of protein in the urine are associated with kidney disease progression. Wine has also been known to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which may help explain the protective heart effects.

There did not appear to be any difference between red and white wine.

Now I know what you are thinking, if one is good, is two better? There are no studies yet that show if drinking more is better for you.