Sportspersons consuming red wine could retain testosterone hormone in their bodies, according to a study by London-based Kingston University.

The study, which was conducted in test tube experiments by Kingston University School of Life Sciences professor Declan Naughton and team, found that a red wine compound called quercetin blocked the action of enzyme UGT2B17 that looks for testosterone and sends message to kidney to excrete it.

According to the results, red wine might reduce the amount of testosterone hormone released by the body and could also hinder with the results of anti-doping tests, which are usually done from urine samples.

As testosterone is a steroid hormone that can increase muscle mass, boost stamina and speed up recovery, sportspeople could use the newly discovered side effect of red wine to attain success in sports.

Naughton and team have submitted the findings to the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Naughton said it is difficult to find out how much red wine is needed to improve performance of an individual, as factors like weight, fitness, health and diet vary from person to person.

"A full clinical study would be needed to determine the effects on people but, if the same results were found, it would confirm that compounds in red wine can reduce the amount of testosterone in urine and give a boost to testosterone levels," he added.