A MAJOR new study in Spain is inviting thousands of volunteers to help determine whether drinking a glass of wine a day is actually good for your health.

The University of Navarra Alumni Trialist Initiative (UNATI) is the world’s largest clinical trial investigating the effects of moderate alcohol consumption. 

Over the next four years, researchers will track 10,000 people aged 50 to 75 to measure the impact of daily wine, beer, or spirits on rates of heart disease, cancer, mental health disorders, and overall mortality.

READ MORE: Spain tops world wine drinking charts – but global trend declines

Funded by the European Research Council with a grant of €2.4 million, the study is led by Professor Miguel Angel Martinez-Gonzalez, Chair of Preventive Medicine at the University of Navarra and a leading expert on the Mediterranean diet.

So far, 6,500 participants have joined the study, and organisers are now calling for another 3,500 volunteers to sign up before June 2025 to complete the target sample.

Professor Miguel Angel Martinez-Gonzalez. (credit: wikipedia)

To be eligible, participants must live in Spain, be men aged 50-70 or women aged 55-75, and already consume at least three alcoholic drinks per week. 

Those who are teetotal or have health conditions that make drinking unsafe cannot take part.

Speaking to the Olive Press, Professor Martinez-Gonzalez said: “We currently have 6,500 participants enrolled. We are making good progress in recruiting new volunteers day by day. Please help us, because UNATI means health for all.”

He added that the study is guided by two central messages: ‘We want to take better care of you’ and ‘UNATI: your health, our science.’

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one will receive guidance promoting complete abstinence from alcohol, while the other will be encouraged to follow a Mediterranean-style drinking pattern – mainly fermented drinks such as wine or beer, taken in moderation with meals.

Each volunteer will complete in-depth health surveys at the beginning and end, join quarterly online meetings with health coaches and fellow participants, and attend yearly medical check-ups. 

The study is supported by a network of over 500 professionals, including doctors, nutritionists, and psychologists.

The University of Valladolid is coordinating the project in Castilla y Leon, and is also running a sub-study titled UNATI-Sueño, which examines the effect of alcohol on sleep quality. 

That arm of the project is still recruiting 100 to 150 people who are willing to spend a monitored night in Soria.

By collecting detailed biometric, psychological, and lifestyle data from a large and diverse group, the researchers aim to produce strong, real-world evidence to inform future health guidelines.

Importantly, the organisers stress that the study is not intended to promote alcohol use, but rather to clarify whether moderate consumption can play a beneficial role in health – or not.

For those who already drink moderately, it’s a rare chance to take part in a groundbreaking international study, while also receiving long-term support to improve their health and lifestyle.

Interested individuals can register at: http://inscripcion.proyectounati.com/