Does Resveratrol Act As An Anti-Aging Supplement To Enhance Longevity
Resveratrol is a chemical that is found naturally on the skin of red grapes, of the polyphenol family that includes such other members as the powerful antioxidants anthocyanadin and the flavanoids. They destroy free radicals that are responsible for many ill effects in the body, including cardiovascular disease and aging. Aging occurs through the destruction of body cells that free radicals initiate, and can theoretically be retarded by the destruction of the free radicals.
Free radicals are becoming more common invaders of our bodies due to their increasing concentration in the atmosphere through vehicle and aircraft emissions, and also of our seas and rivers through industrial effluents. Free radicals are also created by excessive radiation, such as the harmful UV content of sunlight that is no longer effectively filtered by an adequate ozone layer.
Resveratrol is known to be effective against cardiovascular diseases due to its anti oxidant properties, and also for other reasons, but it is also believed to be a possible anti-aging supplement, to beat off the effects of old age. There is the obvious reason of it being a very powerful anti-oxidant and so preventing cell damage through the effects of free radicals, but there is more to it than just that.
The French do not seem to possess a longevity beyond that which could be expected from their diet high in saturated fats and alcohol. The fact that most of that alcohol is in the form of wines, especially red wines, is significant, but their high cheese intake with its cholesterol and saturated fat content, and other highly saturated animal fats, would be expected to cause a much lower average life expectancy that that which is actually normal in the area.
Although resveratrol is commonly found on red grape skins, and is a constituent of red wine, the quantities are small and it is the Japanese Knotweed that is the major natural source. Resveratrol is currently manufactured from knotweed, which is the main source of the supplement in health food stores. In fact you can purchase online what is described as ‘>99% pure knotweed Resveratrol that is not contaminated with plant residues.’ A lot depends on your viewpoint I suppose!
Perhaps the biggest contribution to be made to longevity by resveratrol is that it can activate the SIRT1 gene. This is the gene that activates the protein and enzyme sirtuin. Sirtuin is thought to be what is loosely terms a ‘protector of cells’ and helps cells to repair themselves when they are close to destruction. When the cell is not sure whether to carry on with the struggle or just give up and die, sirtuin persuades it to fight on and to repair itself. Without the sirtuin, the cell would have died, and as cells die, one ages.
However, the amount of resveratrol found in red wine is insufficient to activate the SIRT1 gene that has to be active before the sirtuin is activated, and supplementation is generally needed. The SIRT1 gene is also activated by a calorie reduced diet, and this can also help to protect cells from dying under stress. Such diets are useful in some situations, but will not necessarily prolong life for those that adopt it.
The SIRT1 enzyme is also thought by some to increase the activity of the mitochondria, the power packs inside cells that provide them with energy by processing fats. Mice fed with resveratrol appeared full of energy that was consistent with a surge in the number and efficiency of the mitochondria within their body cells. This is supported by an increase in muscle tissue. If this is true, and studies on this are continuing, then resveratrol fed to humans could also increase their energy as they age, since the aging process coincides with a reduction in the number and efficiency of the mitochondria within the cells.
This could also tie up in a way with the calorie controlled diet, since an increase in the metabolism that comes with increased mitochondria activity results in a higher calorie uptake, and so a reduction in the free calories available in the body. However, one of the mysteries of the human body is that what makes logical sense does not necessarily work in fact, and so the jury will remain out until the results of the large number of studies underway have been published.
For example, more evidence is required to prove the mitochondria activity theory unequivocally although all of the evidence so far tends to support it. At the moment resveratrol has restricted known uses, though the evidence is being collected and accumulated to provide support for the theories that exist on its ability to help us live longer and with more energy.
As more studies are carried out over the next few years, it seems highly likely that many more beneficial effects will be discovered, and those we are aware of confirmed by scientific proof. Resveratrol has many medicinal properties in addition to its beneficial effect on aging, such as its antioxidant properties, and ability to destroy free radicals, its anti-inflammatory properties where it is of benefit in the treatment of conditions such as arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, and also its effect as an antiseptic agent.
It is already known to increase the longevity of fruit flies, yeasts and worms and results on mice are just as encouraging. The theory behind its effect on human longevity is valid science, and it is known that if cells have a longer time to repair broken DNA, then they are able to do so. The enzyme sirtuin does this, and that is activated by the SIRT1 gene that is turn is activated by resveratrol. So the theory works, and so far laboratory tests are supporting this theory.
Whether or not resveratrol helps us to live longer or look younger as we age is not yet known, but studies are under way. Since the material is natural and not a prescription drug, there is nothing to prevent you from using it, but you are advised to consult your doctor before trying out medication that you have not taken before.
By: Darrell Miller
About the Author:
Free radicals are becoming more common invaders of our bodies due to their increasing concentration in the atmosphere through vehicle and aircraft emissions, and also of our seas and rivers through industrial effluents. Free radicals are also created by excessive radiation, such as the harmful UV content of sunlight that is no longer effectively filtered by an adequate ozone layer.
Resveratrol is known to be effective against cardiovascular diseases due to its anti oxidant properties, and also for other reasons, but it is also believed to be a possible anti-aging supplement, to beat off the effects of old age. There is the obvious reason of it being a very powerful anti-oxidant and so preventing cell damage through the effects of free radicals, but there is more to it than just that.
The French do not seem to possess a longevity beyond that which could be expected from their diet high in saturated fats and alcohol. The fact that most of that alcohol is in the form of wines, especially red wines, is significant, but their high cheese intake with its cholesterol and saturated fat content, and other highly saturated animal fats, would be expected to cause a much lower average life expectancy that that which is actually normal in the area.
Although resveratrol is commonly found on red grape skins, and is a constituent of red wine, the quantities are small and it is the Japanese Knotweed that is the major natural source. Resveratrol is currently manufactured from knotweed, which is the main source of the supplement in health food stores. In fact you can purchase online what is described as ‘>99% pure knotweed Resveratrol that is not contaminated with plant residues.’ A lot depends on your viewpoint I suppose!
Perhaps the biggest contribution to be made to longevity by resveratrol is that it can activate the SIRT1 gene. This is the gene that activates the protein and enzyme sirtuin. Sirtuin is thought to be what is loosely terms a ‘protector of cells’ and helps cells to repair themselves when they are close to destruction. When the cell is not sure whether to carry on with the struggle or just give up and die, sirtuin persuades it to fight on and to repair itself. Without the sirtuin, the cell would have died, and as cells die, one ages.
However, the amount of resveratrol found in red wine is insufficient to activate the SIRT1 gene that has to be active before the sirtuin is activated, and supplementation is generally needed. The SIRT1 gene is also activated by a calorie reduced diet, and this can also help to protect cells from dying under stress. Such diets are useful in some situations, but will not necessarily prolong life for those that adopt it.
The SIRT1 enzyme is also thought by some to increase the activity of the mitochondria, the power packs inside cells that provide them with energy by processing fats. Mice fed with resveratrol appeared full of energy that was consistent with a surge in the number and efficiency of the mitochondria within their body cells. This is supported by an increase in muscle tissue. If this is true, and studies on this are continuing, then resveratrol fed to humans could also increase their energy as they age, since the aging process coincides with a reduction in the number and efficiency of the mitochondria within the cells.
This could also tie up in a way with the calorie controlled diet, since an increase in the metabolism that comes with increased mitochondria activity results in a higher calorie uptake, and so a reduction in the free calories available in the body. However, one of the mysteries of the human body is that what makes logical sense does not necessarily work in fact, and so the jury will remain out until the results of the large number of studies underway have been published.
For example, more evidence is required to prove the mitochondria activity theory unequivocally although all of the evidence so far tends to support it. At the moment resveratrol has restricted known uses, though the evidence is being collected and accumulated to provide support for the theories that exist on its ability to help us live longer and with more energy.
As more studies are carried out over the next few years, it seems highly likely that many more beneficial effects will be discovered, and those we are aware of confirmed by scientific proof. Resveratrol has many medicinal properties in addition to its beneficial effect on aging, such as its antioxidant properties, and ability to destroy free radicals, its anti-inflammatory properties where it is of benefit in the treatment of conditions such as arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, and also its effect as an antiseptic agent.
It is already known to increase the longevity of fruit flies, yeasts and worms and results on mice are just as encouraging. The theory behind its effect on human longevity is valid science, and it is known that if cells have a longer time to repair broken DNA, then they are able to do so. The enzyme sirtuin does this, and that is activated by the SIRT1 gene that is turn is activated by resveratrol. So the theory works, and so far laboratory tests are supporting this theory.
Whether or not resveratrol helps us to live longer or look younger as we age is not yet known, but studies are under way. Since the material is natural and not a prescription drug, there is nothing to prevent you from using it, but you are advised to consult your doctor before trying out medication that you have not taken before.
By: Darrell Miller
About the Author:
Visit VitaNet Health Foods for additional information on Resveratrol at http://vitanetonline.com/ stop in and read more articles as well as browse our large selection of Resveratrol supplements.
How Resveratrol Packs Red Wine With Health
Steve Smith asked:
Resveratrol has recently attracted great interest in connection with the the so-called “French Paradox” which has long puzzled medical science. As a polyphenol type flavonoid it is in any case a very useful anti-oxidant, but many now believe it also to be the explanation of the relatively low rates of cardiovascular disease enjoyed in France despite a national diet traditionally rich in cholesterol and saturated fat. The French, of course, are also known as high per capita consumers of alcohol, particularly in the form of red wine. Recent research appears to have established that the consumption of alcohol in moderation offers significant protection for the cardiovascular system, and may even reduce the incidence of related diseases by as much as 30%. There is good evidence, however, that the resveratrol which is almost unique to red wine may provide benefits which go far beyond those which can be explained by the effects of the alcohol alone
This is not surprising in so far as fat-soluble anti-oxidants are known to be important protectors of the circulatory system against damaging attack from free radicals, and the resveratrol and other polyphenols found in red wine are likely to be highly beneficial in this context. Laboratory research, moreover, has revealed significant anti-inflammatory and blood anti-coagulant effects arising from the action of resveratrol.
But there’s still more to resveratrol than this. It’s known that some potentially harmful compounds in the body do not become carcinogenic unless and until they are metabolised by particular enzymes. Resveratrol has been shown in some laboratory research to help inhibit the activity of these enzymes and it seems possible that resveratrol may therefore have some protective effect against certain cancers. Resveratrol has also been shown in the laboratory to slow the proliferation of DNA damaged cells, which have the potential to become cancerous, and to allow time for the repair or removal of DNA damaged cells before rapid and harmful proliferation can occur. Invasive cancer tumours depend on specialised enzymes to allow them to take over healthy tissue and also need to establish their own blood supply if they are to develop. Resveratrol has been found in the laboratory to have inhibiting effects on both these processes, perhaps principally because of its anti-inflammatory qualities.
Orthodox opinion, however, currently maintains that more large scale trials are required outside the laboratory before any protective effects of resveratrol against cancer can be definitively established.
But the anti-inflammatory properties of resveratrol may also have a significant protective effect in the battle against atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), a significant precursor of serious cardiovascular disease. Resveratrol has also been shown to play an important role in preventing the formation of the blood clots which if they obstruct a coronary or cerebral artery may lead to a heart attack or stroke, two of the leading causes of premature death or disability in the affluent Western world.
And amazingly enough it appears that resveratrol may also have a more direct effect in terms of increasing longevity. A good deal of research has shown that reduced calorie intake may increase lifespans, including those of certain mammalian species, apparently by increasing the activity of specific enzymes. Resveratrol has also been shown to stimulate these enzymes and to enhance the life spans of worms and fruit flies. It is not known whether these findings would be replicated in higher life forms, humans included, but there seems no logical reason why they should not.
To obtain a significant intake of this potentially highly beneficial compound from wine you need to concentrate on red wine, because only this is produced by a pulp fermentation including the red or black grape skins where most of the resveratrol is found. As a rule of thumb, the richer and darker the colour of the wine, the longer the pulp fermentation will have lasted, and the more resveratrol and other polyphenols the wine will contain. Generally speaking it is those produced in the sunnier latitudes which will have the highest concentration.
No toxicity issues have been reported from the intake of resveratrol, as such, although problems of course may arise if red wine is used to excess to achieve a desired high intake. Supplements of resveratrol providing up to 50 mg are now readily available, however; whilst moderate consumption of alcohol is now generally recognised as potential boon to health, and to be particularly protective of the cardiovascular system. So there seems to be every reason to continue to enjoy a couple of glasses of wine of an evening. And your enjoyment can only be increased by the awareness that the resveratrol it contains may well be doing your health a power of good.
Vie Restveratrol
Resveratrol has recently attracted great interest in connection with the the so-called “French Paradox” which has long puzzled medical science. As a polyphenol type flavonoid it is in any case a very useful anti-oxidant, but many now believe it also to be the explanation of the relatively low rates of cardiovascular disease enjoyed in France despite a national diet traditionally rich in cholesterol and saturated fat. The French, of course, are also known as high per capita consumers of alcohol, particularly in the form of red wine. Recent research appears to have established that the consumption of alcohol in moderation offers significant protection for the cardiovascular system, and may even reduce the incidence of related diseases by as much as 30%. There is good evidence, however, that the resveratrol which is almost unique to red wine may provide benefits which go far beyond those which can be explained by the effects of the alcohol alone
This is not surprising in so far as fat-soluble anti-oxidants are known to be important protectors of the circulatory system against damaging attack from free radicals, and the resveratrol and other polyphenols found in red wine are likely to be highly beneficial in this context. Laboratory research, moreover, has revealed significant anti-inflammatory and blood anti-coagulant effects arising from the action of resveratrol.
But there’s still more to resveratrol than this. It’s known that some potentially harmful compounds in the body do not become carcinogenic unless and until they are metabolised by particular enzymes. Resveratrol has been shown in some laboratory research to help inhibit the activity of these enzymes and it seems possible that resveratrol may therefore have some protective effect against certain cancers. Resveratrol has also been shown in the laboratory to slow the proliferation of DNA damaged cells, which have the potential to become cancerous, and to allow time for the repair or removal of DNA damaged cells before rapid and harmful proliferation can occur. Invasive cancer tumours depend on specialised enzymes to allow them to take over healthy tissue and also need to establish their own blood supply if they are to develop. Resveratrol has been found in the laboratory to have inhibiting effects on both these processes, perhaps principally because of its anti-inflammatory qualities.
Orthodox opinion, however, currently maintains that more large scale trials are required outside the laboratory before any protective effects of resveratrol against cancer can be definitively established.
But the anti-inflammatory properties of resveratrol may also have a significant protective effect in the battle against atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), a significant precursor of serious cardiovascular disease. Resveratrol has also been shown to play an important role in preventing the formation of the blood clots which if they obstruct a coronary or cerebral artery may lead to a heart attack or stroke, two of the leading causes of premature death or disability in the affluent Western world.
And amazingly enough it appears that resveratrol may also have a more direct effect in terms of increasing longevity. A good deal of research has shown that reduced calorie intake may increase lifespans, including those of certain mammalian species, apparently by increasing the activity of specific enzymes. Resveratrol has also been shown to stimulate these enzymes and to enhance the life spans of worms and fruit flies. It is not known whether these findings would be replicated in higher life forms, humans included, but there seems no logical reason why they should not.
To obtain a significant intake of this potentially highly beneficial compound from wine you need to concentrate on red wine, because only this is produced by a pulp fermentation including the red or black grape skins where most of the resveratrol is found. As a rule of thumb, the richer and darker the colour of the wine, the longer the pulp fermentation will have lasted, and the more resveratrol and other polyphenols the wine will contain. Generally speaking it is those produced in the sunnier latitudes which will have the highest concentration.
No toxicity issues have been reported from the intake of resveratrol, as such, although problems of course may arise if red wine is used to excess to achieve a desired high intake. Supplements of resveratrol providing up to 50 mg are now readily available, however; whilst moderate consumption of alcohol is now generally recognised as potential boon to health, and to be particularly protective of the cardiovascular system. So there seems to be every reason to continue to enjoy a couple of glasses of wine of an evening. And your enjoyment can only be increased by the awareness that the resveratrol it contains may well be doing your health a power of good.
Vie Restveratrol
Support A Healthy Cardiovascular System With Resveratrol
Chemically, Resveratrol is a polyphenol that includes the flavanoids and proanthocyanadins, both very powerful antioxidants. These are very useful for the destruction of free radicals that threaten your health and well-being in this age of excessive pollution and vehicle emissions, and also excessive exposure to the harmful factors of sunlight through the erosion of the ozone layer that acts as a filter against these harmful free radical-inducing rays.
Biohemically it is a phytoalexin, a chemical used by a plant to protect against and destroy invaders. Each phytoalexin is specific to a particular invader, whether it is an insect, a bacterium or a fungus. They can take the form of terpenes, alkaloids or any other chemical that disrupt the cell walls of or otherwise destroy the enemy to the plant concerned.
Resveratrol is particularly well known for existing on the skins of red grapes, but can also be produced synthetically and marketed as a nutritional supplement. The so-called ‘French Paradox’ relates to the low incidence of coronary heart disease in Southern France in spite of the high saturated fat content of their diet. At least part of this is claimed to be due to the Resveratrol content of the red wine they drink, although the quantity even in a whole bottle is very small.
However, before considering the nutritional benefits of the extract, apart from red grape skins where else can resveratrol be found? Japanese knotweed is a bushy perennial plant, about 4 to 10 feet high, is a very rich source of resveratrol, and is the more important natural source of the two. Red grape skins hardly contain enough to be worthy of extracting. It is also present in minor quantities in pine nuts, peanuts and various other vines and grapes.
It has been under study for many years now for its effect on the heart and other parts of the body, and the antioxidant effect of resveratrol has been found to be unique. The effect of free radicals on the arteries is to help, along with cholesterol, to promote the thickening and hardening of the artery walls. Damage to the arteries by free radicals, and the resulting scar tissue, causes the production of even more free radicals and a vicious circle of damage and even more free radical production occurs.
The antioxidant action of resveratrol is in the enhancement of the nitric oxide content of the blood. Free radicals can reduce the levels of blood nitric oxide that in turn increases blood pressure. An increase in nitric oxide by appropriate antioxidants can help to reduce blood pressure closer to normal. Resveratrol is more effective in achieving this than any of the vitamin antioxidants, A, C or E. It does so by opening up the arteries and reducing the resistance to blood flow through them. .
It also helps to prevent blood cells from sticking together and forming clots that can lead to serious cardiovascular problems, and has been found by Canadian studies to be effective against a much wider range of chemicals that promote blood clotting than any other anti-clotting components of wine. In fact it has now been established, and more or less confirmed by the medical profession, that drinking red wine significantly reduces the effects of cardiovascular disease and can even go a long way towards curing it. Napa Valley here we come!
Inflammation is a condition that is caused by the immune system of the body, the purpose of which is to protect us against foreign invaders. However, once inflammation starts, it triggers even further immune responses itself, that if not controlled can lead to extremely painful and sometimes very serious conditions, even after the major trigger for the initial immune response has been dealt with.
Inflammation is regulated by chemicals known as cytokines, the master of which is NF Kappa B that controls all other cytokines. NF Kapa B also controls the activity of cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) essential for that part of the immune system that causes inflammation.
COX-2 is an enzyme that increases the production of Postaglandin E-2 (PGE-2) that is an essential trigger for T-cells that attack perceived foreign cells. If PGE-2 is suppressed, then the T-cells will not be activated. This is an essential part of reducing unwanted inflammation. However, it can be dangerous to suppress molecules below NF Kappa B such as COX-2 or PGE-2. VIOXX is a prime example of the type of heart problems that can occur if you try that type of inhibition, and Celebrex is another.
The beauty of resveratrol is that, although advertised and claimed to control COX-2 and Prostoglandin E-2, it does so by suppressing the action of NF Kapa B, the ’supreme controller’ of the inflammatory war.
Finally, there is also some evidence that resveratrol can have an effect on aging. It is well known that powerful anti-oxidants can help to protect against the cell destruction that free radicals can cause, and so help to protect the body against the aging effect of this cell destruction. However, there is another way in which resveratrol might contribute to us all looking more youthful in future (though for many of us it is a bit too late!).
Sirtuins (silent information regulator proteins) are enzymes that are known to promote the survival of cells through adverse conditions, such as SIRT 1 that protects against premature aging by suppressing the destruction of damaged cells long enough for them to be repaired. Plant polyphenols such as resveratrol are though to be able to activate sirtuins with the possibility of lengthening life by slowing natural cell destruction, and have also been shown to be able to slow aging by activating sirtuins to mimic the benefits of calorie restriction.
There is still a lot of research and work required on resveratrol, but the signs are evident that this is a possibility in the future for extending the average lifespan of human beings by a significant amount. In the case of yeast it has been demonstrated to be as much as 80%.
Translated to you or I that would mean us living to about 140 years old - if we want it!
By: Darrell Miller
About the Author:
Biohemically it is a phytoalexin, a chemical used by a plant to protect against and destroy invaders. Each phytoalexin is specific to a particular invader, whether it is an insect, a bacterium or a fungus. They can take the form of terpenes, alkaloids or any other chemical that disrupt the cell walls of or otherwise destroy the enemy to the plant concerned.
Resveratrol is particularly well known for existing on the skins of red grapes, but can also be produced synthetically and marketed as a nutritional supplement. The so-called ‘French Paradox’ relates to the low incidence of coronary heart disease in Southern France in spite of the high saturated fat content of their diet. At least part of this is claimed to be due to the Resveratrol content of the red wine they drink, although the quantity even in a whole bottle is very small.
However, before considering the nutritional benefits of the extract, apart from red grape skins where else can resveratrol be found? Japanese knotweed is a bushy perennial plant, about 4 to 10 feet high, is a very rich source of resveratrol, and is the more important natural source of the two. Red grape skins hardly contain enough to be worthy of extracting. It is also present in minor quantities in pine nuts, peanuts and various other vines and grapes.
It has been under study for many years now for its effect on the heart and other parts of the body, and the antioxidant effect of resveratrol has been found to be unique. The effect of free radicals on the arteries is to help, along with cholesterol, to promote the thickening and hardening of the artery walls. Damage to the arteries by free radicals, and the resulting scar tissue, causes the production of even more free radicals and a vicious circle of damage and even more free radical production occurs.
The antioxidant action of resveratrol is in the enhancement of the nitric oxide content of the blood. Free radicals can reduce the levels of blood nitric oxide that in turn increases blood pressure. An increase in nitric oxide by appropriate antioxidants can help to reduce blood pressure closer to normal. Resveratrol is more effective in achieving this than any of the vitamin antioxidants, A, C or E. It does so by opening up the arteries and reducing the resistance to blood flow through them. .
It also helps to prevent blood cells from sticking together and forming clots that can lead to serious cardiovascular problems, and has been found by Canadian studies to be effective against a much wider range of chemicals that promote blood clotting than any other anti-clotting components of wine. In fact it has now been established, and more or less confirmed by the medical profession, that drinking red wine significantly reduces the effects of cardiovascular disease and can even go a long way towards curing it. Napa Valley here we come!
Inflammation is a condition that is caused by the immune system of the body, the purpose of which is to protect us against foreign invaders. However, once inflammation starts, it triggers even further immune responses itself, that if not controlled can lead to extremely painful and sometimes very serious conditions, even after the major trigger for the initial immune response has been dealt with.
Inflammation is regulated by chemicals known as cytokines, the master of which is NF Kappa B that controls all other cytokines. NF Kapa B also controls the activity of cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) essential for that part of the immune system that causes inflammation.
COX-2 is an enzyme that increases the production of Postaglandin E-2 (PGE-2) that is an essential trigger for T-cells that attack perceived foreign cells. If PGE-2 is suppressed, then the T-cells will not be activated. This is an essential part of reducing unwanted inflammation. However, it can be dangerous to suppress molecules below NF Kappa B such as COX-2 or PGE-2. VIOXX is a prime example of the type of heart problems that can occur if you try that type of inhibition, and Celebrex is another.
The beauty of resveratrol is that, although advertised and claimed to control COX-2 and Prostoglandin E-2, it does so by suppressing the action of NF Kapa B, the ’supreme controller’ of the inflammatory war.
Finally, there is also some evidence that resveratrol can have an effect on aging. It is well known that powerful anti-oxidants can help to protect against the cell destruction that free radicals can cause, and so help to protect the body against the aging effect of this cell destruction. However, there is another way in which resveratrol might contribute to us all looking more youthful in future (though for many of us it is a bit too late!).
Sirtuins (silent information regulator proteins) are enzymes that are known to promote the survival of cells through adverse conditions, such as SIRT 1 that protects against premature aging by suppressing the destruction of damaged cells long enough for them to be repaired. Plant polyphenols such as resveratrol are though to be able to activate sirtuins with the possibility of lengthening life by slowing natural cell destruction, and have also been shown to be able to slow aging by activating sirtuins to mimic the benefits of calorie restriction.
There is still a lot of research and work required on resveratrol, but the signs are evident that this is a possibility in the future for extending the average lifespan of human beings by a significant amount. In the case of yeast it has been demonstrated to be as much as 80%.
Translated to you or I that would mean us living to about 140 years old - if we want it!
By: Darrell Miller
About the Author:
More information on Resveratrol supplements can be found at http://vitanetonline.com/
Resveratrol Supplements and the Benefits of Resveratrol in Fighting the Aging Process
Valerie Rosenbaum asked:
Most resveratrol supplements are not worth the investment. While researchers have shown many resveratrol benefits in the laboratory, the nutrient must reach your bloodstream in order to perform its magic. The latest research indicates that it does not usually make it to the bloodstream.
They have tested people’s blood after drinking wine on an empty stomach, drinking it with food and taking uncoated resveratrol supplements. None of these caused a significant increase in the levels of trans-resveratrol in the bloodstream.
All of the studies concerning resveratrol benefits were conducted using trans-resveratrol. The supplement with the highest trans-resveratrol content is standardized to a 50% concentration. If an enteric coating is applied, this type of supplement can increase the blood level of trans-resveratrol, but most companies don’t use the right form and they don’t include an enteric coating.
You won’t get any resveratrol benefits from a powder or liquid form. You might get some by drinking red wine, but researchers believe that the benefit of red wine is not due to its trans-resveratrol content. The amount that you would have to drink to significantly affect circulating blood levels would be damaging to the liver.
So, resveratrol supplements are a good idea, as long as the manufacturer uses the right form, combines it with other important nutrients and wraps the whole thing up in an enteric coating, to insure that it reaches the upper intestine, where it can pass through to the bloodstream.
Some of the resveratrol benefits include a healthier heart, a reduced risk of cancer, better functioning metabolism and possibly an extension of your lifespan, if the results of the laboratory studies can be transferred to humans.
No one is sure how or why it works in the ways that it does. There are only theories.
One of the most convincing is that trans-resveratrol increases the activity of a gene that can reduce a free radical known as superoxide. Superoxide molecules are not highly toxic, but they can, over time, cause DNA degeneration.
If this theory is correct, resveratrol supplements should include vitamin C, enzymes and glutathione. The gene reduces superoxide to hydrogen peroxide, which is also a free radical. Vitamin C and other ascorbates, reduce hydrogen peroxide to water. If glutathione and enzymes are also present, vitamin C remains more active for a longer period of time.
Some of the better supplement manufacturers include the right combination of antioxidants and other nutrients to provide the greatest effect. Resveratrol benefits are included among them.
There are hundreds of different nutrients and plant extracts that are known to be beneficial to human health. It would be nearly impossible to include all of them in your diet. Some of them are not plants that we normally eat. Extracts from marigold, for example, are known to protect the eyes from oxidative damage. When was the last time that you ate a marigold?
So, supplementation is important and necessary, if you want to live the longest, healthiest life possible. But, single-ingredient resveratrol supplements are not your best choice for supplementation.
Vital Rez V
Most resveratrol supplements are not worth the investment. While researchers have shown many resveratrol benefits in the laboratory, the nutrient must reach your bloodstream in order to perform its magic. The latest research indicates that it does not usually make it to the bloodstream.
They have tested people’s blood after drinking wine on an empty stomach, drinking it with food and taking uncoated resveratrol supplements. None of these caused a significant increase in the levels of trans-resveratrol in the bloodstream.
All of the studies concerning resveratrol benefits were conducted using trans-resveratrol. The supplement with the highest trans-resveratrol content is standardized to a 50% concentration. If an enteric coating is applied, this type of supplement can increase the blood level of trans-resveratrol, but most companies don’t use the right form and they don’t include an enteric coating.
You won’t get any resveratrol benefits from a powder or liquid form. You might get some by drinking red wine, but researchers believe that the benefit of red wine is not due to its trans-resveratrol content. The amount that you would have to drink to significantly affect circulating blood levels would be damaging to the liver.
So, resveratrol supplements are a good idea, as long as the manufacturer uses the right form, combines it with other important nutrients and wraps the whole thing up in an enteric coating, to insure that it reaches the upper intestine, where it can pass through to the bloodstream.
Some of the resveratrol benefits include a healthier heart, a reduced risk of cancer, better functioning metabolism and possibly an extension of your lifespan, if the results of the laboratory studies can be transferred to humans.
No one is sure how or why it works in the ways that it does. There are only theories.
One of the most convincing is that trans-resveratrol increases the activity of a gene that can reduce a free radical known as superoxide. Superoxide molecules are not highly toxic, but they can, over time, cause DNA degeneration.
If this theory is correct, resveratrol supplements should include vitamin C, enzymes and glutathione. The gene reduces superoxide to hydrogen peroxide, which is also a free radical. Vitamin C and other ascorbates, reduce hydrogen peroxide to water. If glutathione and enzymes are also present, vitamin C remains more active for a longer period of time.
Some of the better supplement manufacturers include the right combination of antioxidants and other nutrients to provide the greatest effect. Resveratrol benefits are included among them.
There are hundreds of different nutrients and plant extracts that are known to be beneficial to human health. It would be nearly impossible to include all of them in your diet. Some of them are not plants that we normally eat. Extracts from marigold, for example, are known to protect the eyes from oxidative damage. When was the last time that you ate a marigold?
So, supplementation is important and necessary, if you want to live the longest, healthiest life possible. But, single-ingredient resveratrol supplements are not your best choice for supplementation.
Vital Rez V
Does Resveratrol Extend Ones Lifespan?
Darrell Miller asked:
Resveratrol is a phytonutrient molecule whose time has come. It is a polyphenolic phytoalexin present in grape skins and red wine that has been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Resveratrol has potent antioxidant and anti-tumorigenic activities as well as important protective effects on the nervous system and more.
This component of red wine has been found to inhibit the proliferation of a variety of human cancer cell lines, including those from breast, prostate, stomach, colon, pancreatic, and thyroid cancers. More recently, reports on the potential for resveratrol to inhibit the development of cancer and extend lifespan in cell culture and animal models have continued to generate scientific interest.
Clinical trials are currently underway to address this question and to also determine whether resveratrol might be beneficial in cancer treatment. There is an extensive and growing amount of work devoted to the possible links between diet and a reduction in the risk of breast cancer as well as other forms of cancer. Recently, reports have come in that resveratrol could inhibit a number of cellular events associated with the initiation, promotion, and progression of cancer.
Researchers at the Harvard Medical School and the National Institute on Aging report that a natural substance found in red wine, known as resveratrol, offsets the bad effects of a high-calorie diet in mice and significantly extends their lifespan. Research at the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine and Ohio State University indicates that resveratrol has direct inhibitory action on cardiac fibroblasts and may inhibit the progression of cardiac fibrosis. Furthermore, researchers discovered that the liver and other systems in obese mice remained healthy (when they should not have) and fat related deaths dropped thirty one percent for those mice given a resveratrol supplement.
Research by Harvard Medical School Professor of Pathology David Sinclair, MD has shown that resveratrol extends the life span of mice by up to twenty four percent and the life span of other animals by as much as fifty nine percent. Another way this research differs from earlier work is that it looks specifically at the expression of genes known to be affected by aging in several important tissue types. The group explored the influence of the agent on heart, muscle and brain by looking for changes in gene expression in those tissues.
Insulin and glucose levels in mice on the high fat plus resveratrol diet were closer to the mice on standard diet than to the mice on the high fat diet. Resveratrol again demonstrated changes associated with longer lifespan, including increased insulin sensitivity, reduced insulin like growth factor-1 levels, increased AMP activated protein kinase and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1alpha activity, increased mitochondrial number, and improved motor function. But, in contrast resveratrol treatment had no significant effect on body weight, serum cholesterol, radial bone growth, epithelial cell height, or messenger RNA levels for insulin-like growth factor I.
Resveratrol supplements on the market today may contain anywhere from 10 to 150 mg of resveratrol per pill, but the effective doses for chronic disease prevention in humans are not known. Resveratrol is not known to be toxic or cause adverse effects in humans, but there have been only a few controlled clinical trials to date. However since there aren’t studies in humans, it’s impossible to say how much resveratrol is needed to create health benefits.
The amount of resveratrol in food varies greatly. Of course, understanding exactly how procyanidins work in the human body remains to be investigated, and the researchers plan to dose people with the compound in a future clinical trial. Resveratrol is a good antioxidant in any potency to help reduce oxidative stress, improving the immune system, cardiovascular system, and all other parts of the body that benefit from antioxidants.
Rez V MD
Resveratrol is a phytonutrient molecule whose time has come. It is a polyphenolic phytoalexin present in grape skins and red wine that has been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Resveratrol has potent antioxidant and anti-tumorigenic activities as well as important protective effects on the nervous system and more.
This component of red wine has been found to inhibit the proliferation of a variety of human cancer cell lines, including those from breast, prostate, stomach, colon, pancreatic, and thyroid cancers. More recently, reports on the potential for resveratrol to inhibit the development of cancer and extend lifespan in cell culture and animal models have continued to generate scientific interest.
Clinical trials are currently underway to address this question and to also determine whether resveratrol might be beneficial in cancer treatment. There is an extensive and growing amount of work devoted to the possible links between diet and a reduction in the risk of breast cancer as well as other forms of cancer. Recently, reports have come in that resveratrol could inhibit a number of cellular events associated with the initiation, promotion, and progression of cancer.
Researchers at the Harvard Medical School and the National Institute on Aging report that a natural substance found in red wine, known as resveratrol, offsets the bad effects of a high-calorie diet in mice and significantly extends their lifespan. Research at the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine and Ohio State University indicates that resveratrol has direct inhibitory action on cardiac fibroblasts and may inhibit the progression of cardiac fibrosis. Furthermore, researchers discovered that the liver and other systems in obese mice remained healthy (when they should not have) and fat related deaths dropped thirty one percent for those mice given a resveratrol supplement.
Research by Harvard Medical School Professor of Pathology David Sinclair, MD has shown that resveratrol extends the life span of mice by up to twenty four percent and the life span of other animals by as much as fifty nine percent. Another way this research differs from earlier work is that it looks specifically at the expression of genes known to be affected by aging in several important tissue types. The group explored the influence of the agent on heart, muscle and brain by looking for changes in gene expression in those tissues.
Insulin and glucose levels in mice on the high fat plus resveratrol diet were closer to the mice on standard diet than to the mice on the high fat diet. Resveratrol again demonstrated changes associated with longer lifespan, including increased insulin sensitivity, reduced insulin like growth factor-1 levels, increased AMP activated protein kinase and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1alpha activity, increased mitochondrial number, and improved motor function. But, in contrast resveratrol treatment had no significant effect on body weight, serum cholesterol, radial bone growth, epithelial cell height, or messenger RNA levels for insulin-like growth factor I.
Resveratrol supplements on the market today may contain anywhere from 10 to 150 mg of resveratrol per pill, but the effective doses for chronic disease prevention in humans are not known. Resveratrol is not known to be toxic or cause adverse effects in humans, but there have been only a few controlled clinical trials to date. However since there aren’t studies in humans, it’s impossible to say how much resveratrol is needed to create health benefits.
The amount of resveratrol in food varies greatly. Of course, understanding exactly how procyanidins work in the human body remains to be investigated, and the researchers plan to dose people with the compound in a future clinical trial. Resveratrol is a good antioxidant in any potency to help reduce oxidative stress, improving the immune system, cardiovascular system, and all other parts of the body that benefit from antioxidants.
Rez V MD
Resveratrol Supplements: or Just Polish Off the Merlot
JD Bell asked:
The popularity of the Mediterranean Diet and it’s apparent impact on longevity has led to research into the substance resveratrol, an ingredient found in red wine and a diet staple in the Mediterranean culture.
After extensive experimentation, doctors have concluded that resveratrol demonstrates the ability to reverse the effects of obesity in mice. In addition, they observed that mice placed on a diet of resveratrol supplements also exhibited higher endurance levels and longer lifespans than mice on a non-supplemented diet.
In a controlled test environment, ordinary mice will normally run approximately one kilometer on a treadmill before collapsing in exhaustion. However, mice that have been given a resveratrol supplement will run twice as far before showing evidence of tiring. In addition, subsequent tests also show that the mice on the resveratrol program demonstrate heightened muscle control and strength and have a significantly reduced resting heart rate when compared to the ordinary mice.
After the success of resveratrol supplement testing on mice and other animals, doctors at the Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology in Illkirch, France have now completed initial human experiments that demonstrate that similar results can be obtained in human test subjects that are placed on a program of high quality resveratrol supplementation.
The key to resveratrol’s effects on the body are in the substance’s ability to work at a cellular level to increase the production of mitochondria. Mitochondria are the organisms in the body that generate energy. The extra mitochondria in the treated mice resulted in the ability to burn more fat and to optimize muscle functions.
Dr. Ronald M. Evans, a scientist at the Salk Institute and an expert on the hormonal control of metabolic functions, stated that the report by the French genetics team had “shown very convincingly that resveratrol improves mitochondrial function” and wards off metabolic disease. Evans characterized described the study as “very important, because it is rare that we identify orally active molecules, especially natural molecules, that have such a broad-based, positive effect on a problem which is as widespread in society as metabolic disease.”
A drug that can prevent degenerative disease, promote weight loss, prolong life, and reshape an individual into a highly trained athlete sounds like the stuff of science fiction. But doctors are convinced that their work into the effects of resveratrol and resveratrol synergy have led to some surprising advancements in the area of anti-aging. They now believe that the body’s ability to utilize sirtuins, enzymes that protect and energize our systems, declines with age. This is the process that is reversed by resveratrol.
The growing evidence supporting the benefits of resveratrol has enthused scientists who do research on the aging process, several of whom are already taking resveratrol supplements. Dr. David Sinclair, a scientist at the anti-aging drug research company Sirtris, has been taking resveratrol supplements in liquid and capsule form for over three years. He claims that half the members of his laboratory do the same and that he is encouraging use of the supplements to family and friends. There are a range of views on appropriate resveratrol dosages, but this involves detailed debate around ingredient purity and potency.
Quality resveratrol supplements are designed to maximize the efficicencies of formula and dosage.
RezV Max
The popularity of the Mediterranean Diet and it’s apparent impact on longevity has led to research into the substance resveratrol, an ingredient found in red wine and a diet staple in the Mediterranean culture.
After extensive experimentation, doctors have concluded that resveratrol demonstrates the ability to reverse the effects of obesity in mice. In addition, they observed that mice placed on a diet of resveratrol supplements also exhibited higher endurance levels and longer lifespans than mice on a non-supplemented diet.
In a controlled test environment, ordinary mice will normally run approximately one kilometer on a treadmill before collapsing in exhaustion. However, mice that have been given a resveratrol supplement will run twice as far before showing evidence of tiring. In addition, subsequent tests also show that the mice on the resveratrol program demonstrate heightened muscle control and strength and have a significantly reduced resting heart rate when compared to the ordinary mice.
After the success of resveratrol supplement testing on mice and other animals, doctors at the Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology in Illkirch, France have now completed initial human experiments that demonstrate that similar results can be obtained in human test subjects that are placed on a program of high quality resveratrol supplementation.
The key to resveratrol’s effects on the body are in the substance’s ability to work at a cellular level to increase the production of mitochondria. Mitochondria are the organisms in the body that generate energy. The extra mitochondria in the treated mice resulted in the ability to burn more fat and to optimize muscle functions.
Dr. Ronald M. Evans, a scientist at the Salk Institute and an expert on the hormonal control of metabolic functions, stated that the report by the French genetics team had “shown very convincingly that resveratrol improves mitochondrial function” and wards off metabolic disease. Evans characterized described the study as “very important, because it is rare that we identify orally active molecules, especially natural molecules, that have such a broad-based, positive effect on a problem which is as widespread in society as metabolic disease.”
A drug that can prevent degenerative disease, promote weight loss, prolong life, and reshape an individual into a highly trained athlete sounds like the stuff of science fiction. But doctors are convinced that their work into the effects of resveratrol and resveratrol synergy have led to some surprising advancements in the area of anti-aging. They now believe that the body’s ability to utilize sirtuins, enzymes that protect and energize our systems, declines with age. This is the process that is reversed by resveratrol.
The growing evidence supporting the benefits of resveratrol has enthused scientists who do research on the aging process, several of whom are already taking resveratrol supplements. Dr. David Sinclair, a scientist at the anti-aging drug research company Sirtris, has been taking resveratrol supplements in liquid and capsule form for over three years. He claims that half the members of his laboratory do the same and that he is encouraging use of the supplements to family and friends. There are a range of views on appropriate resveratrol dosages, but this involves detailed debate around ingredient purity and potency.
Quality resveratrol supplements are designed to maximize the efficicencies of formula and dosage.
RezV Max
Does Resveratrol in Red Wine Solve the French Paradox?
Steve Smith asked:
Resveratrol is a polyphenol type flavonoid currently exciting great interest as a potential boon to health. Like other flavonoids and polyphenols, it is a very useful anti-oxidant in its own right, but resveratrol has attracted particular attention as a potential solution to the so-called “French Paradox”.
This is the term used to describe the phenomenon, which has long been a puzzle to medical science, by which rates of cardiovascular disease in France have remained low relative to those in the rest of the developed world, despite the widespread national consumption of a diet high in animal fat and cholesterol, and a firmly entrenched tobacco habit. Of course France also enjoys many of the benefits of the so-called Mediterranean diet through its high intake of fresh fruit and vegetables, oily fish and olive oil, but there are good reasons to think that the consumption of red wine may be the real explanation of the apparent paradox.
It is known in any case that the moderate consumption of alcohol has a significant protective effect on the cardiovascular system, reducing disease by as much as 20-30%, but conventional medical opinion is characteristically cautious in acknowledging that the resveratrol in red wine may have any benefits over and above those which would in any case be provided by the alcohol. However, the role of fat-soluble anti-oxidants in protecting the circulatory system from damaging free radical attack is well understood, and it would therefore appear that the resveratrol and other polyphenols contained in red wine can only be beneficial. Laboratory tests, moreover, have shown resveratrol to have significant anti-coagulant and anti-inflammatory effects.
For the purposes of obtaining your intake of resveratrol from wine you need to know that it’s contained principally in the skins of red or black grapes, and is consequently found in significant quantities only in those wines produced by an initial pulp fermentation which allows the developing alcohol to leach both colour and other substances, including resveratrol, from the skins. It follows that the longer this pulp fermentation is allowed to continue the more resveratrol the wine will contain. So the colour of the wine is a handy guide. Generally, the richer and darker the colour of the wine the more resveratrol will be found. Rose types and light reds may contain some, but white wines produced by a juice fermentation alone will provide little if any.
Usually it is the red wines produced in the sunnnier climates close to the Mediterranean, and the New World, which will be richest in resveratrol, and dark red wines of this type may provide as much as 2 mg of resveratrol in a small 5 oz glass. But unfortunately from a health point of view, these also tend to be the strongest in alcohol and the so-called “congeners” which accentuate hangovers.
But fortunately for those who dislike red wine, or are concerned about alcohol intake, other sources of resveratrol are available. The amount in foods varies widely, but the best sources are peanuts and red grapes, both of which may provide anywhere between 0.3 and 1.3 mg of resveratrol per cup. Bilberries and cranberries may also be a useful source.
Supplements of resveratrol are also now readily available, principally in the form of red wine or red grape extracts, which will also contain other anti-oxidant polyphenols. Manufacturers’ recommended doses will typically provide between 10 and 50 mg of resveratrol, which would require a very high, and potentially hazardous, level of wine consumption to achieve regularly.
That said, there is no known toxicity from taking resveratrol, as such, although its blood thinning properties will tend to inhibit the blood’s clotting ability and resveratrol is therefore not recommended for those taking anti-coagulant drugs such as warfarin, or certain types of anti-inflammatory including aspirin. Needless to say, however, toxicity problems of a different kind may occur if alcoholic drinks are used to excess as the principal or only source.
But as noted above, moderate consumption is generally recognised to be beneficial to health, particularly for the cardiovascular system. So the message seems to be: if you want to enjoy a couple of glasses of wine with your dinner then go right ahead. And have that age old pleasure enhanced by the knowledge that the resveratrol it contains is also doing you some good.
Vie Restveratrol
Resveratrol is a polyphenol type flavonoid currently exciting great interest as a potential boon to health. Like other flavonoids and polyphenols, it is a very useful anti-oxidant in its own right, but resveratrol has attracted particular attention as a potential solution to the so-called “French Paradox”.
This is the term used to describe the phenomenon, which has long been a puzzle to medical science, by which rates of cardiovascular disease in France have remained low relative to those in the rest of the developed world, despite the widespread national consumption of a diet high in animal fat and cholesterol, and a firmly entrenched tobacco habit. Of course France also enjoys many of the benefits of the so-called Mediterranean diet through its high intake of fresh fruit and vegetables, oily fish and olive oil, but there are good reasons to think that the consumption of red wine may be the real explanation of the apparent paradox.
It is known in any case that the moderate consumption of alcohol has a significant protective effect on the cardiovascular system, reducing disease by as much as 20-30%, but conventional medical opinion is characteristically cautious in acknowledging that the resveratrol in red wine may have any benefits over and above those which would in any case be provided by the alcohol. However, the role of fat-soluble anti-oxidants in protecting the circulatory system from damaging free radical attack is well understood, and it would therefore appear that the resveratrol and other polyphenols contained in red wine can only be beneficial. Laboratory tests, moreover, have shown resveratrol to have significant anti-coagulant and anti-inflammatory effects.
For the purposes of obtaining your intake of resveratrol from wine you need to know that it’s contained principally in the skins of red or black grapes, and is consequently found in significant quantities only in those wines produced by an initial pulp fermentation which allows the developing alcohol to leach both colour and other substances, including resveratrol, from the skins. It follows that the longer this pulp fermentation is allowed to continue the more resveratrol the wine will contain. So the colour of the wine is a handy guide. Generally, the richer and darker the colour of the wine the more resveratrol will be found. Rose types and light reds may contain some, but white wines produced by a juice fermentation alone will provide little if any.
Usually it is the red wines produced in the sunnnier climates close to the Mediterranean, and the New World, which will be richest in resveratrol, and dark red wines of this type may provide as much as 2 mg of resveratrol in a small 5 oz glass. But unfortunately from a health point of view, these also tend to be the strongest in alcohol and the so-called “congeners” which accentuate hangovers.
But fortunately for those who dislike red wine, or are concerned about alcohol intake, other sources of resveratrol are available. The amount in foods varies widely, but the best sources are peanuts and red grapes, both of which may provide anywhere between 0.3 and 1.3 mg of resveratrol per cup. Bilberries and cranberries may also be a useful source.
Supplements of resveratrol are also now readily available, principally in the form of red wine or red grape extracts, which will also contain other anti-oxidant polyphenols. Manufacturers’ recommended doses will typically provide between 10 and 50 mg of resveratrol, which would require a very high, and potentially hazardous, level of wine consumption to achieve regularly.
That said, there is no known toxicity from taking resveratrol, as such, although its blood thinning properties will tend to inhibit the blood’s clotting ability and resveratrol is therefore not recommended for those taking anti-coagulant drugs such as warfarin, or certain types of anti-inflammatory including aspirin. Needless to say, however, toxicity problems of a different kind may occur if alcoholic drinks are used to excess as the principal or only source.
But as noted above, moderate consumption is generally recognised to be beneficial to health, particularly for the cardiovascular system. So the message seems to be: if you want to enjoy a couple of glasses of wine with your dinner then go right ahead. And have that age old pleasure enhanced by the knowledge that the resveratrol it contains is also doing you some good.
Vie Restveratrol
Resveratrol Is An Anti-Aging Pholyphenol That May Increase Longevity
Resveratrol is a chemical that is found naturally on the skin of red grapes, of the polyphenol family that includes such other members as the powerful antioxidants anthocyanadin and the flavanoids. They destroy free radicals that are responsible for many ill effects in the body, including cardiovascular disease and aging. Aging occurs through the destruction of body cells that free radicals initiate, and can theoretically be retarded by the destruction of the free radicals.
Free radicals are becoming more common invaders of our bodies due to their increasing concentration in the atmosphere through vehicle and aircraft emissions, and also of our seas and rivers through industrial effluents. Free radicals are also created by excessive radiation, such as the harmful UV content of sunlight that is no longer effectively filtered by an adequate ozone layer.
Resveratrol extract is known to be effective against cardiovascular diseases due to its anti oxidant properties, and also for other reasons, but it is also believed to be a possible anti-aging supplement, to beat off the effects of old age. There is the obvious reason of it being a very powerful anti-oxidant and so preventing cell damage through the effects of free radicals, but there is more to it than just that.
The French do not seem to possess a longevity beyond that which could be expected from their diet high in saturated fats and alcohol. The fact that most of that alcohol is in the form of wines, especially red wines, is significant, but their high cheese intake with its cholesterol and saturated fat content, and other highly saturated animal fats, would be expected to cause a much lower average life expectancy that that which is actually normal in the area.
Although resveratrol extract is commonly found on red grape skins, and is a constituent of red wine, the quantities are small and it is the Japanese Knotweed that is the major natural source. Resveratrol extract is currently manufactured from knotweed, which is the main source of the supplement in health food stores. In fact you can purchase online what is described as ‘Greater than 99% pure knotweed Resveratrol extract that is not contaminated with plant residues.’ A lot depends on your viewpoint I suppose!
Perhaps the biggest contribution to be made to longevity by resveratrol is that it can activate the SIRT1 gene. This is the gene that activates the protein and enzyme sirtuin. Sirtuin is thought to be what is loosely terms a ‘protector of cells’ and helps cells to repair themselves when they are close to destruction. When the cell is not sure whether to carry on with the struggle or just give up and die, sirtuin persuades it to fight on and to repair itself. Without the sirtuin, the cell would have died, and as cells die, one ages.
However, the amount of resveratrol found in red wine is insufficient to activate the SIRT1 gene that has to be active before the sirtuin is activated, and supplementation is generally needed. The SIRT1 gene is also activated by a calorie reduced diet, and this can also help to protect cells from dying under stress. Such diets are useful in some situations, but will not necessarily prolong life for those that adopt it.
The SIRT1 enzyme is also thought by some to increase the activity of the mitochondria, the power packs inside cells that provide them with energy by processing fats. Mice fed with resveratrol extract appeared full of energy that was consistent with a surge in the number and efficiency of the mitochondria within their body cells. This is supported by an increase in muscle tissue. If this is true, and studies on this are continuing, then resveratrol extract fed to humans could also increase their energy as they age, since the aging process coincides with a reduction in the number and efficiency of the mitochondria within the cells.
This could also tie up in a way with the calorie controlled diet, since an increase in the metabolism that comes with increased mitochondria activity results in a higher calorie uptake, and so a reduction in the free calories available in the body. However, one of the mysteries of the human body is that what makes logical sense does not necessarily work in fact, and so the jury will remain out until the results of the large number of studies underway have been published.
For example, more evidence is required to prove the mitochondria activity theory unequivocally although all of the evidence so far tends to support it. At the moment resveratrol has restricted known uses, though the evidence is being collected and accumulated to provide support for the theories that exist on its ability to help us live longer and with more energy.
As more studies are carried out over the next few years, it seems highly likely that many more beneficial effects will be discovered, and those we are aware of confirmed by scientific proof. Resveratrol extract has many medicinal properties in addition to its beneficial effect on aging, such as its antioxidant properties, and ability to destroy free radicals, its anti-inflammatory properties where it is of benefit in the treatment of conditions such as arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, and also its effect as an antiseptic agent.
It is already known to increase the longevity of fruit flies, yeasts and worms and results on mice are just as encouraging. The theory behind its effect on human longevity is valid science, and it is known that if cells have a longer time to repair broken DNA, then they are able to do so. The enzyme sirtuin does this, and that is activated by the SIRT1 gene that is turn is activated by resveratrol. So the theory works, and so far laboratory tests are supporting this theory.
Whether or not resveratrol helps us to live longer or look younger as we age is not yet known, but studies are under way. Since the material is natural and not a prescription drug, there is nothing to prevent you from using it, but you are advised to consult your doctor before trying out medication that you have not taken before.
By: Darrell Miller
About the Author:
Free radicals are becoming more common invaders of our bodies due to their increasing concentration in the atmosphere through vehicle and aircraft emissions, and also of our seas and rivers through industrial effluents. Free radicals are also created by excessive radiation, such as the harmful UV content of sunlight that is no longer effectively filtered by an adequate ozone layer.
Resveratrol extract is known to be effective against cardiovascular diseases due to its anti oxidant properties, and also for other reasons, but it is also believed to be a possible anti-aging supplement, to beat off the effects of old age. There is the obvious reason of it being a very powerful anti-oxidant and so preventing cell damage through the effects of free radicals, but there is more to it than just that.
The French do not seem to possess a longevity beyond that which could be expected from their diet high in saturated fats and alcohol. The fact that most of that alcohol is in the form of wines, especially red wines, is significant, but their high cheese intake with its cholesterol and saturated fat content, and other highly saturated animal fats, would be expected to cause a much lower average life expectancy that that which is actually normal in the area.
Although resveratrol extract is commonly found on red grape skins, and is a constituent of red wine, the quantities are small and it is the Japanese Knotweed that is the major natural source. Resveratrol extract is currently manufactured from knotweed, which is the main source of the supplement in health food stores. In fact you can purchase online what is described as ‘Greater than 99% pure knotweed Resveratrol extract that is not contaminated with plant residues.’ A lot depends on your viewpoint I suppose!
Perhaps the biggest contribution to be made to longevity by resveratrol is that it can activate the SIRT1 gene. This is the gene that activates the protein and enzyme sirtuin. Sirtuin is thought to be what is loosely terms a ‘protector of cells’ and helps cells to repair themselves when they are close to destruction. When the cell is not sure whether to carry on with the struggle or just give up and die, sirtuin persuades it to fight on and to repair itself. Without the sirtuin, the cell would have died, and as cells die, one ages.
However, the amount of resveratrol found in red wine is insufficient to activate the SIRT1 gene that has to be active before the sirtuin is activated, and supplementation is generally needed. The SIRT1 gene is also activated by a calorie reduced diet, and this can also help to protect cells from dying under stress. Such diets are useful in some situations, but will not necessarily prolong life for those that adopt it.
The SIRT1 enzyme is also thought by some to increase the activity of the mitochondria, the power packs inside cells that provide them with energy by processing fats. Mice fed with resveratrol extract appeared full of energy that was consistent with a surge in the number and efficiency of the mitochondria within their body cells. This is supported by an increase in muscle tissue. If this is true, and studies on this are continuing, then resveratrol extract fed to humans could also increase their energy as they age, since the aging process coincides with a reduction in the number and efficiency of the mitochondria within the cells.
This could also tie up in a way with the calorie controlled diet, since an increase in the metabolism that comes with increased mitochondria activity results in a higher calorie uptake, and so a reduction in the free calories available in the body. However, one of the mysteries of the human body is that what makes logical sense does not necessarily work in fact, and so the jury will remain out until the results of the large number of studies underway have been published.
For example, more evidence is required to prove the mitochondria activity theory unequivocally although all of the evidence so far tends to support it. At the moment resveratrol has restricted known uses, though the evidence is being collected and accumulated to provide support for the theories that exist on its ability to help us live longer and with more energy.
As more studies are carried out over the next few years, it seems highly likely that many more beneficial effects will be discovered, and those we are aware of confirmed by scientific proof. Resveratrol extract has many medicinal properties in addition to its beneficial effect on aging, such as its antioxidant properties, and ability to destroy free radicals, its anti-inflammatory properties where it is of benefit in the treatment of conditions such as arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, and also its effect as an antiseptic agent.
It is already known to increase the longevity of fruit flies, yeasts and worms and results on mice are just as encouraging. The theory behind its effect on human longevity is valid science, and it is known that if cells have a longer time to repair broken DNA, then they are able to do so. The enzyme sirtuin does this, and that is activated by the SIRT1 gene that is turn is activated by resveratrol. So the theory works, and so far laboratory tests are supporting this theory.
Whether or not resveratrol helps us to live longer or look younger as we age is not yet known, but studies are under way. Since the material is natural and not a prescription drug, there is nothing to prevent you from using it, but you are advised to consult your doctor before trying out medication that you have not taken before.
By: Darrell Miller
About the Author:
More information on resveratrol supplements can be found at VitaNet, LLC Health Food Store. http://vitanetonline.com/
Antioxidants are the Rave- Get a Free Trial of Vital Rez-V International Now!
Get the Scoop on Resveratrol and Anti-aging
Fittness-and-health-guru asked:
What I want to talk about is anti-aging. There is a reason anti-aging and weight loss are billion dollar industries. I know I want to stay young inside and out. I am terrified of aging to tell you the truth. Because of this I stay on top of the latest research available. I also stay on top of the best products available on the market that address anti-aging and weightloss issues. I have found some substantial research on the following product and am currently using it myself. I am very pleased.
It is clearly out that resveratrol is the new miracle ingredient for anti-aging, anti-cancer, and prevention of Obesity. Why? Well Resveratrol comes from the skin of grapes. It is found in red wine but in red wine very little is prevelent. Not near enough to produce major results. But in large quantities resveratrol has been linked to weight loss, health, and anti-aging. This according to Harvard research. Follow this link to read the research results for yourself. Official Harvard Study Results on Resveratrol and Anti-aging.
In fact, Dr.Sinclair has found resveratrol to be the only known natural ingredient to effect the gene related to aging. No other ingredient before has been able to show changes in the aging gene.
Now, Barbara Walters, Oprah, Dr.Oz and more are talking about this wonder ingredient found in the skin of grapes. But there is more, anti-oxidents from all super foods are crucial to health and wellness, anti-aging, and the fighting of disease. NFI consumer products has been ahead of its time on the research of resveratrol and other anti-oxidents. They have just released a product called Vital Fruits which contains the miracle ingredient in a liquid form. Along with 20 other anti-oxidents found in the worlds greatest super fruits.
What I like about this product is its tested ORAC value in 4000. There is no product on the market that even comes close to matching that. ORAC is an actual measurment used to determine how much of the ingredient is actually contained in the product.
One bottle of this stuff lasts a month. I take a one ounce shot in the morning and at night. You have to keep replentishing your bodies supply of anti-oxidents because the body can not produce them itself. You can not buy Vital Fruits in stores. This product is starting to emerge as a weight loss leader as well. So how can you live without an anti-aging, weight loss, oxident fighting supplament? You can, but not near as well as someone on this daily regiment. Those that are on it are experiencing more energy and more stabilized moods. This is what it does for me so I am sure it can do the same for you. I am young now but would like to stay that way as long as possible. Anything I can do to stall my bodies aging process I will try!
One 1 Ounce Shot of Vital Fruits™ Offers, Multiple sources of antioxidants that remove free radicals in your body. The most powerful ORAC blend available. Cardiovascular support. Immune system boosting Anti-aging properties.
What exactly is “Resveratrol”. According the the defenition on Wikepedia “Resveratrol is a phytoalexin produced naturally by several plants when under attack by pathogens such as bacteria or fungi. Resveratrol has also been produced by chemical synthesis[1] and is sold as a nutritional supplement derived primarily from Japanese knotweed. Resveratrol has been shown at times to extend the life span of yeast and mice.[2] In mouse and rat experiments, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, blood-sugar-lowering, chelating and other beneficial cardiovascular effects of resveratrol have been reported. Most of these results have yet to be replicated in humans. In the only positive human trial, extremely high doses (3–5 g) of resveratrol in a special proprietary formulation have been necessary to significantly lower blood sugar.[3] Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes and is a constituent of red wine, but apparently not in sufficient amounts to explain the “French paradox” that the incidence of coronary heart disease is relatively low in southern France despite high dietary intake of saturated fats.”
Vital Fruits™ is the first super antioxidant blend of its kind ,Vital Fruits™ is the first liquid available that will combine the extracts of over 20 antioxidant rich extracts from berries and fruit from around the world,Vital Fruits™ launches 1 November 2008 ,Vital Fruits™ is to be available through the Emugenix© network. Vital Fruits™ main benefit to consumers is the antioxidant capacity to neutralize free radicals. Resveratrol found in grapes and peanuts is thought to be the explanation of the French Paradox which is French people have lower incidences of heart disease despite consuming a diet rich in saturated fats. Vital Fruits™ is formulated with 100 mg of resveratrol in every one ounce shot. Vitamin C from Indian Gooseberry, bilberry, Acai, Mangosteen, Goji Berry, Barbados Cherry, Tart Cherry, chokeberry, and strawberry extract. Quercetin from red grapes. Proanthocyanidins from Chokeberry and Acai. Ellagic acid from red raspberries. Zeaxanthin from Wolfberries (Goji) which is absorbed by the retina. Epicatechin from tart cherry, Barbados cherry, bilberry, and blueberry extracts.
Vital Fruits™ is the antioxidant booster to help reach optimal daily ORAC values. Oxygen Radical Absorbing Capacity or ORAC is a scientific measure of the antioxidant capacity of foods.
Vie Restveratrol
What I want to talk about is anti-aging. There is a reason anti-aging and weight loss are billion dollar industries. I know I want to stay young inside and out. I am terrified of aging to tell you the truth. Because of this I stay on top of the latest research available. I also stay on top of the best products available on the market that address anti-aging and weightloss issues. I have found some substantial research on the following product and am currently using it myself. I am very pleased.
It is clearly out that resveratrol is the new miracle ingredient for anti-aging, anti-cancer, and prevention of Obesity. Why? Well Resveratrol comes from the skin of grapes. It is found in red wine but in red wine very little is prevelent. Not near enough to produce major results. But in large quantities resveratrol has been linked to weight loss, health, and anti-aging. This according to Harvard research. Follow this link to read the research results for yourself. Official Harvard Study Results on Resveratrol and Anti-aging.
In fact, Dr.Sinclair has found resveratrol to be the only known natural ingredient to effect the gene related to aging. No other ingredient before has been able to show changes in the aging gene.
Now, Barbara Walters, Oprah, Dr.Oz and more are talking about this wonder ingredient found in the skin of grapes. But there is more, anti-oxidents from all super foods are crucial to health and wellness, anti-aging, and the fighting of disease. NFI consumer products has been ahead of its time on the research of resveratrol and other anti-oxidents. They have just released a product called Vital Fruits which contains the miracle ingredient in a liquid form. Along with 20 other anti-oxidents found in the worlds greatest super fruits.
What I like about this product is its tested ORAC value in 4000. There is no product on the market that even comes close to matching that. ORAC is an actual measurment used to determine how much of the ingredient is actually contained in the product.
One bottle of this stuff lasts a month. I take a one ounce shot in the morning and at night. You have to keep replentishing your bodies supply of anti-oxidents because the body can not produce them itself. You can not buy Vital Fruits in stores. This product is starting to emerge as a weight loss leader as well. So how can you live without an anti-aging, weight loss, oxident fighting supplament? You can, but not near as well as someone on this daily regiment. Those that are on it are experiencing more energy and more stabilized moods. This is what it does for me so I am sure it can do the same for you. I am young now but would like to stay that way as long as possible. Anything I can do to stall my bodies aging process I will try!
One 1 Ounce Shot of Vital Fruits™ Offers, Multiple sources of antioxidants that remove free radicals in your body. The most powerful ORAC blend available. Cardiovascular support. Immune system boosting Anti-aging properties.
What exactly is “Resveratrol”. According the the defenition on Wikepedia “Resveratrol is a phytoalexin produced naturally by several plants when under attack by pathogens such as bacteria or fungi. Resveratrol has also been produced by chemical synthesis[1] and is sold as a nutritional supplement derived primarily from Japanese knotweed. Resveratrol has been shown at times to extend the life span of yeast and mice.[2] In mouse and rat experiments, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, blood-sugar-lowering, chelating and other beneficial cardiovascular effects of resveratrol have been reported. Most of these results have yet to be replicated in humans. In the only positive human trial, extremely high doses (3–5 g) of resveratrol in a special proprietary formulation have been necessary to significantly lower blood sugar.[3] Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes and is a constituent of red wine, but apparently not in sufficient amounts to explain the “French paradox” that the incidence of coronary heart disease is relatively low in southern France despite high dietary intake of saturated fats.”
Vital Fruits™ is the first super antioxidant blend of its kind ,Vital Fruits™ is the first liquid available that will combine the extracts of over 20 antioxidant rich extracts from berries and fruit from around the world,Vital Fruits™ launches 1 November 2008 ,Vital Fruits™ is to be available through the Emugenix© network. Vital Fruits™ main benefit to consumers is the antioxidant capacity to neutralize free radicals. Resveratrol found in grapes and peanuts is thought to be the explanation of the French Paradox which is French people have lower incidences of heart disease despite consuming a diet rich in saturated fats. Vital Fruits™ is formulated with 100 mg of resveratrol in every one ounce shot. Vitamin C from Indian Gooseberry, bilberry, Acai, Mangosteen, Goji Berry, Barbados Cherry, Tart Cherry, chokeberry, and strawberry extract. Quercetin from red grapes. Proanthocyanidins from Chokeberry and Acai. Ellagic acid from red raspberries. Zeaxanthin from Wolfberries (Goji) which is absorbed by the retina. Epicatechin from tart cherry, Barbados cherry, bilberry, and blueberry extracts.
Vital Fruits™ is the antioxidant booster to help reach optimal daily ORAC values. Oxygen Radical Absorbing Capacity or ORAC is a scientific measure of the antioxidant capacity of foods.
Vie Restveratrol
Resveratrol And Weight Loss- Is There Any Truth To It?
You may have read about this recently, how resveratrol and weight loss are connected, and many companies are now touting it as the next big weight loss supplement, but is it true?
From my research I would have to say no, especially as no tests have been done on humans, only mice. However, even if it is not the next big thing, resveratrol and weight loss are connected it seems.
It appears that it can be an appetite suppresser, due to its high antioxidant content, and help to speed up your metabolism, burning off more calories. So it will go a little way to helping as part of a good dieting regime.
How much resveratrol do you need to lose weight is what I see many people on the internet asking, and why there are many unscrupulous companies telling them they need 300mg or 500mg a day, just to sell them something.
It would be a shame if this amazing nutrient was given the wrong image, as it is currently being thought of as the most promising anti-aging compound ever found. Although relatively new on the scene, high hopes for cancer prevention, diabetes and even Alzheimer\’s are seen as its potential. So don\’t just think of resveratrol and weight loss, think instead of a longer healthier life.
So when people ask how much resveratrol do you need to lose weight, I say instead ask what else can this nutrient do for you!
The most beneficial way to take it is in the form of a multi supplement, combining it with other synergetic ingredients, as so greatly enhancing its powers.
For example resveratrol combines well with green tea extract, which is also known and proven to aid weight loss and also a powerful antioxidant itself. Taking these together with other nutrients would give you better results.
As I said earlier to the question how much resveratrol do you need to lose weight, it is not possible to answer and there really are no quick fixes. Changing your eating habits for the long term and regular exercise is the way most people are successful, resveratrol and weight loss are only a small part of the puzzle.
For example, more than 80% of people who go on a diet, after initially losing weight, end up putting back on more than they originally lost.
In conclusion then it seems that resveratrol and weight loss are connected, but only to a small extent, but that taking it as a multi-supplement can bring you many health benefits, and hopefully help you live a longer and healthier life than you otherwise would have.
If you would like to learn more about the synergistic products which I personally take, including resveratrol, why not visit my website.
By: Ric Hawkins
About the Author:
From my research I would have to say no, especially as no tests have been done on humans, only mice. However, even if it is not the next big thing, resveratrol and weight loss are connected it seems.
It appears that it can be an appetite suppresser, due to its high antioxidant content, and help to speed up your metabolism, burning off more calories. So it will go a little way to helping as part of a good dieting regime.
How much resveratrol do you need to lose weight is what I see many people on the internet asking, and why there are many unscrupulous companies telling them they need 300mg or 500mg a day, just to sell them something.
It would be a shame if this amazing nutrient was given the wrong image, as it is currently being thought of as the most promising anti-aging compound ever found. Although relatively new on the scene, high hopes for cancer prevention, diabetes and even Alzheimer\’s are seen as its potential. So don\’t just think of resveratrol and weight loss, think instead of a longer healthier life.
So when people ask how much resveratrol do you need to lose weight, I say instead ask what else can this nutrient do for you!
The most beneficial way to take it is in the form of a multi supplement, combining it with other synergetic ingredients, as so greatly enhancing its powers.
For example resveratrol combines well with green tea extract, which is also known and proven to aid weight loss and also a powerful antioxidant itself. Taking these together with other nutrients would give you better results.
As I said earlier to the question how much resveratrol do you need to lose weight, it is not possible to answer and there really are no quick fixes. Changing your eating habits for the long term and regular exercise is the way most people are successful, resveratrol and weight loss are only a small part of the puzzle.
For example, more than 80% of people who go on a diet, after initially losing weight, end up putting back on more than they originally lost.
In conclusion then it seems that resveratrol and weight loss are connected, but only to a small extent, but that taking it as a multi-supplement can bring you many health benefits, and hopefully help you live a longer and healthier life than you otherwise would have.
If you would like to learn more about the synergistic products which I personally take, including resveratrol, why not visit my website.
By: Ric Hawkins
About the Author:
Ric Hawkins is a dedicated researcher of nutrition, diet and healthy living. Take a moment to visit his site now at http://www.natural-supplements-site.info/ and discover the very latest and effective nutritional supplements Ric recommends after extensive research.
