Research On Resveratrol – What Does It Reveal?
By admin on Feb 28, 2010 with Comments 0
No doubt – resveratrol is one of the hottest micro ingredients nowadays. Being linked and believed as the answer to the French Paradox, many health experts, athletes, and even ordinary people pins their hopes to this flavonoid for longevity and health, thinking it is the next miracle food. HOWEVER, we have seen so many so called “miracle” foods back then blasted back into oblivion after researches and studies show that they are not as promising and beneficial as they were thought to be.
What do studies and research on resveratrol reveal? Is it really that beneficial for health? Can it really improve your health, help you fight cancer, and slow down aging just like the manufacturers of resveratrol supplements claim? Come with me as I take a closer look at different studies and researches on this flavonoid:
Research On Resveratrol –Nature 2006
In a research published in Nature back in 2006, it was seen that flavonoid resveratrol, which naturally exists in grapes, red wine, nuts, etc., can help improve health and negate the unpleasant effects of calorie rich diet on mice. The mice that were fed with resveratrol lived longer, showed fewer signs of suffering from diabetes, and were able to maintain good control on their motor skills despite old age. According to the experts behind this research, consumption of resveratrol lead to a healthier and longer life thanks to the flavonoids ability to activate sirtuin activity.
For those of you who don’t know it, sirtuins are enzymes that (according to hypothesis) play a crucial role in an organ’s response to high levels of stress. They have also been theorized to increase life span when you are on a calorie restricted diet. Here’s the question, however, will resveratrol have the same effects on humans as it did on mice? That’s the question that many human studies and research on resveratrol are hoping to answer. Be on the watch!
Research On Resveratrol –Increase Endurance, Reduce Exhaustion
According to a report by the New York Times concerning a research on resveratrol, it may have the potential to help us run faster for a longer period of time. If you are an athlete, aspires to be one, or if you are constantly engaging on physically stressful activities, listen up! In this study covered by The New York Times, the mice fed with resveratrol were able to run twice as far as those mice that were not fed with resveratrol before collapsing due to exhaustion.In another research on resveratrol that was conducted at the Institute Of Genetics And Molecular And Cellular Biology (located in France), it was suggested that resveratrol fed mice are powered with energy charged muscles as well as reduced heart rate. That’s something that only trained athletes have!
More Benefits Of Resveratrol!
Boosts up your cardiovascular system and protects your heart. This flavonoid could lower the risk of different cardiovascular diseases and disorders by lowering the levels of Low Density Lypopolites (or LDL for short) or bad cholesterol. This plant extract also wards off and prevents cholesterol plague from settling on the artery walls and helps keep your arteries and heart very healthy. Combined with the fact that it helps in blood circulation, taking resveratrol for a healthy cardiovascular system is a MUST!
Prevents cell damage – resveratrol is jam packed with antioxidants. For those of you who don’t know it, antioxidants specialize in eliminating free radicals that sucks the life out of your cells and causes damage to your important organs when left alone. With these free radicals wiped out by the antioxidants from resveratrol, you are assured that your cells are renewed on a regular basis.
Significantly reduces the risk of cancer –according to different studies, resveratrol reaches all the way down to the core energy source (that’s the mitochondria by the way) of the mutated cancer cells, ultimately destroying it. Preventing cancer cells from initiating, promoting, and progressing, resveratrol is one powerful anti cancer and anti leukemia agent!
French Paradox Resveratrol Connection – Is it For REAL?
Resveratrol – this powerful polyphenol and anti fungal chemical, which is known to be naturally produced and found as the bioactive compound found in grapes and red wine, is believed to be the answer to the mystery known as the French Paradox. For those of you who don’t know it, this term is coined way back in 1992 by Dr Renaud, who was working at the Bordeaux University, to describe the low occurrences of heart and cardiovascular disease and obesity in France (specifically Southern France) despite their diet which usually contains a lot of wine and 3 times more saturated fat than the average American diet.
“Beginning in the early 1990s the word resveratrol started beeping on people’s radar screens,” Bert Scwhitters, who is the presiding officer of INC (which is a supplier of OPC’s) said. Nobody can doubt that resveratrol is one of the most popular micro ingredients and plant extracts around. BUT the question is – does the French Paradox resveratrol connection really exist? Let’s take a look at the research and findings done by the experts:
French Paradox Resveratrol Connection – A Longer And Healthier Life
Back in 2003, Dr David Sinclair together with his team from Harvard University added extending one’s life and keeping you healthy as one of the possible benefits that resveratrol has and published it in the popular publication Nature. This is after finding out that the said plant extract increased the survival of yeast cells. After that, different studies using nematode worms, fruit flies, mice, etc. as test subjects have linked resveratrol to longer life spans. To make the whole affair sound more appealing, more studies involving pure resveratrol revealed anti cancer and anti inflammatory benefits. “One of the most promising molecules in the planet” – that’s how Bill Sardi, the co founder as well as president of Resveratrol Partners, described the molecule that offers a wide range of health benefits.
HOWEVER, there is one thing to keep in mind – linking the French Paradox ONLY to resveratrol is another issue. And there are questions concerning the dose – how much is enough to gain health benefits. With the answer to that question still in doubt, the whole French Paradox resveratrol connection is in doubt. You would find many suppliers of resveratrol and resveratrol powered supplements admitting that the French Paradox resveratrol connection is a little hazy – much is still in doubt and it’s NOT cut and dried. According to Sami Sassi, who is the produce manager for a Danish company known as Fluxome, the jury is still debating on the French Paradox resveratrol connection.
The Conclusion…
Is resveratrol really the ingredient behind the connection? Or is resveratrol just another hyped up ingredient that will fade back into obscurity after a year or so? Let us hear what the health experts and doctors have to say about it. Bill Sardi concluded that resveratrol is still a superlative molecule, BUT they are sure that the French Paradox is caused by different molecules and micro ingredients and that resveratrol is included in the list. Another doctor – Dipak Das of University Of Connecticut, on the other hand, disagrees with what Sardi says. According to Dr. Das, they are very certain that resveratrol is the answer to the French Paradox connection. It’s the dose question that makes it all unclear. Dr. Das added that the folks from Harvard University said that you need like 30 bottles of red wine to get significant benefit, BUT he believes you need very little.
In light of the debate, one thing is for sure – resveratrol is beneficial to us! That holds true whether the French Paradox resveratrol connection is clear or not. The anti cancer and anti inflammatory effects, the bolstering of the cardiovascular system, and other health benefits of resveratrol revealed through different studies are NOT to be ignored. It’s about time you take advantage of it.
Filed Under: Studies