The Benefits of Resveratrol

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:35:39 +0100

There has been a lot of attention given to resveratrol and its promising health benefits in recent years and given some well watched television coverage, an increased demand for it but do we understand what the substance really is and why there is such a fuss?
Resveratrol is a protective enzyme made by some plants when they are threatened by infection from a fungus or bacteria. It is anti-microbial, a substance which helps to fight infection by acting as a defender against 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 present in the skins of red wine grapes and the wine made from them, it can also be found in peanuts, blueberries and a variety of other foods. Its presence in red wine varies greatly with the type of wine and where it comes from. Many folk believe it is an explanation for the ‘French Paradox ’, the seeming ability of some cultures to consume seemingly unhealthy diets without all the ill effects.
In animal trials, resveratrol has shown several health benefits. In a famous experiment, mice given a high fat diet and also resveratrol had a much reduced risk of death compared to those given the high fat diet without the resveratrol.
The mice in that experiment had fairly normal levels of blood sugars and insulin though their cholesterol levels were still elevated. 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 demonstration in such 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 while in-vitro experiments show resveratrol acts against other cancers such as colon and breast cancer.
A challenge for scientists will be in working out how to get the sufficient resveratrol into the bloodstream and fighting cancer effectively. This challenge arises because resveratrol needs to be preserved for long enough in the body to reach the bloodstream without being broken down. One possibility is that of taking resveratrol in such way as allows it to be absorbed from the mouth directly into the bloodstream. Various ways of taking resveratrol are being considered from mouthwashes to lozenges and even gum.
For more info on resveratrol and its health benefits, check out this article info on resveratrol supplements and if purchasing resveratrol be aware there are many products on the market not all of them equal. Get yours from a reputable supplier.

the-benefits-of-resveratrol

The Benefits of Resveratrol