(Decanter) - The UK's National Health Service has spoken out following a series of media articles claiming that drinking red wine may help people to lose weight.

Health officials moved to quash hopes among wine lovers that their passion could have an unexpected health benefit.

A study published in the International Journal of Obesity found a link between mice being given resveratrol – a polyphenol found in grapes – and lower weight gain.

The research is one of several studies on resveratrol, which has been associated with a range of health benefits.

But, it remains unclear whether the amount of resveratrol in most red wines would be enough to have any health effect, particularly when set against the health risks of drinking too much alcohol.

With this specific research, ‘based on mice studies only, we don’t know whether resveratrol will have the same effect in people,’ said the NHS on its NHS Choices website.

‘And drinking plenty of red wine [as one headline claimed] will not lead you to lose weight – if anything the opposite will occur.