Resveratrol Studies and Research Findings Overview

Resveratrol studies have been conducted since the mid 1990’s, primarily in the United States.

Found naturally in high concentration in the skins of grapes, resveratrol is often associated with red wine and it’s a leading cause of why drinking red wine (in moderation) may benefit your health.

In recent times, some companies have sold resveratrol in supplement form and have advertised its many health benefits, particularly with aging. Research shows that it can have positive life extension benefits and it has been able to increase average lifespan in experimental animals. But this research should not be overstated and there is continued need for large-scale human trials.

Resveratrol

Anti-Oxidant Supplement

Anti-Aging

Heart Health

Energy Metabolism

How It Works:

• Anti-oxidant used to fight signs of aging
• Improves mitochondrial health & energy metabolism
• Reduces inflammation & increases blood flow

Dosage:

Between 150 - 500 mg per day

Safety:

Rated Likely Safe

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What Do We Know From Resveratrol Studies?

Firstly, it is important to point out, the evidence for resveratrol is currently inconclusive.

At the time of writing, several studies are in progress and in development to answer some of the most important questions about resveratrol such as, how exactly it works and what can it do.

David Sinclair a biochemist working in Havard University made a ground-breaking discovery when he was studying the aging process in 2003. He proved that you could increase the life span of yeast by using resveratrol.

In his quest to find benefits for human beings, he discovered sirtuins. Sirtuins are cells that are present in almost all living organisms. Yeast and people both have them and it is with these cells that life could be extended.

Sirtuin cells are part of our defense system but they generally lie dormant in our body and don’t work. There is a connection between resveratrol and the activation of sirtuin cells in our body.

The sirtuin cells protect us against disease and free radicals thus promoting healthier aging. Exactly what the connection is, is where there is further research required.

Problems with Resveratrol Research

The most common problem doctors and nutritionists cite when referencing the scientific knowledge we currently have, is that there is an insufficient number of case studies conducted on humans.

While there are definite commonalities between humans and the animals that have been tested on, it is merely a case of predicting the effectiveness the supplement will have a user. There is currently no accurate way of stating what the effect would be on all users, if indeed there would be any effect at all.

Most of the studies that have been done have used monkeys, lab rats or mice, all of which have been kept in captivity. Results have been positive when testing for increased activity in the immune system, thus leading to an anti-aging process, as the body increases its defenses to fight against disease.

However, prior to 2010 there were no studies conducted on humans. Since then, trials have been carried out on humans but the majority of studies have been short-term (less that 12 months) which makes it hard to conclude on the effectiveness of its anti-aging properties.

A comprehensive study on resveratrol would require the user to take the supplement for an extended period of time in order to see the effects and side effects. This would be very expensive and time consuming. but Havard University is currently considering such a trial.

Another problem with resveratrol studies is how they are marketed to the general public. Often presented as being the elixir of life, some manufacturers of resveratrol that sell it in supplement form, make false claims about what exactly it can do. They claim it can add on 10 years to life and even reduce the risk of many types of cancers. These are claims, and have very little scientific basis at the moment.

Controversy

Like all types of drugs, or supplements, there is an element of controversy surrounding the facts of resveratrol.

One of the most famous cases involved Dr. Dipak Das who worked in the Department of Surgery and was the Director of the Cardiovascular Research Centre at the University of Connecticut. In 2012, it was discovered that many health articles written by Dr. Das and published by various medical journals across the United States had contained incorrect figures and conclusions and that the evidence has been tampered with and altered.

This event greatly damaged the credibility of resveratrol studies. The articles have since been retracted. However it is still possible to find articles and videos online, discussing the benefits of resveratrol using information found in these inaccurate scientific reports.

It is recommended that you always cross reference what you read on the internet to make sure you are getting the right information.

Conclusion

Studies conducted on monkeys over the last twenty years have made remarkable discoveries regarding the aging process and how we can decelerate it.

There is some evidence showing that resveratrol can have benefits on certain physiological processing and it may reduce the risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer due to anti-oxidant effects.

However, it will be some time before a comprehensive overview of resveratrol can really be examined for human use. This is because a long time is required in order to study the effects. But these studies are underway and it seems apparent that while we don’t have the evidence needed at the present moment, resveratrol research continues to attract more attention and more funding dollars.

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