The Benefits of Resveratrol

Posted on March 11, 2010
Filed Under Uncategorized |

There has been a lot of attention given to resveratrol and its apparent health benefits in recent years and given some well watched television coverage, a huge increase in demand for the product but lets take a look at what resveratrol really is and why there is such interest.
Resveratrol is a substance produced by some plants when they are threatened by infection from a fungus or bacteria. It is anti-microbial, helping to fight infection by acting as a toxin to the attacking bacterial or fungal cells. It has two forms, the cis type and the trans type, the trans type being the one which shows great promise as a health supplement.
Our natural resveratrol sources are varied, it is found in the red wine grapes and the wine made from them, it can also be found in peanuts, blueberries and a variety of other foods. Its concentration in wine varies a lot with the grape variety and where it was grown. It is thought by some to be the reason for the ‘French Paradox ’, the apparent ability of some cultures to consume diets high in fat without suffering the ill effects.
Experiments on laboratory animals have shown several health benefits. In some well documented experiments mice given a high fat diet and resveratrol supplements had a much reduced risk of death compared to those given the high fat diet without supplementation.
The mice in that experiment had fairly normal levels of blood sugars and insulin though their cholesterol levels were high. Interestingly the anti-aging effects seen in mice appear to have been mainly in older mice rather than in mice given resveratrol supplements from an earlier age.
Life extending properties were also shown when an Italian team of scientists conducting experiments on fish found that resveratrol could extend their lifespan considerably. This was the first such demonstration in a vertebrate, other tests to that point having been on fruit flies and worms.
Resveratrol shows great promise in the fight against some cancers. Experiments with mice and other animals show success with skin cancers and test tube experiments show resveratrol fights other cancers like oesophageal and breast cancer.
One challenge scientists face is that of figuring out how to get the sufficient resveratrol into the bloodstream and working to combat cancer. This challenge arises because resveratrol tends to break down easily so must be delivered carefully to reach the bloodstream in sufficient quantity.  One promising looking delivery method is taking resveratrol in such way as allows it to be absorbed from the mouth directly into the bloodstream. Various methods of delivery are now under investigation from mouthwashes to lozenges and even gum.
For more info on resveratrol and its health benefits, check out this article resveratrol info and remember if trying resveratrol be aware there are many different formulations available and they are certainly not all the same strength or quality. Get yours from a reputable supplier.

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