subject: Should You Use Resveratrol? [print this page] One of the most popular new products in the last six months has been a product called Resveratrol. It has been called a fountain of youth by some and has been championed by Barbara Walters, whom most would say does not look eighty.
The recent interest in Resveratrol may be due more to Ms. Walters' support than anything else. Yet, the effects of red wine, its major source, were first talked about on 60 Minutes in 1991.
Red Wine is important because of what has been called the French Paradox. This is relatively low incidence of coronary trouble in France, where a nightly glass of red wine with dinner is commonplace. The belief has been that red wine counters the negative effect of fat, which has been associated with heart disease.This is particularly dramatic in a country which has a high degree of fat in its daily diet.
Yet, recent research has differentiated between saturated fats and trans fats. The former are ones which the body can easily metabolize; the latter are not so and are therefore stored instead of used for energy. Because the French diet has been associated with daily red wine consumption, it had been assumed that the red wine was in fact causing the positive effects on the incidence of heart disease. Conceivably this may be true, but may not be as important as the nature of the fat which the French consume.
Nevertheless Barbara Walters looks far younger than what most of us would expect when thinking about eighty year olds. Granted, she may well have had plastic surgery to maintain her good looks, but her attitudes and basic personality are still much more youthful than her years. Most certainly this has contributed to the beliefs in Resveratrol's longevity potential. Yet other claims abound, namely its antioxidant properties, its ability to boost energy, dramatically effect age pots and positively effect overall skin elasticity.
There is also some talk of Resveratrol having a positive effect on what has been called the longevity gene.While it is unclear what this gene really is, it may be possible that the ingredients in this supplement do in fact have some positive effect on our genetic structure, if MsWalters' appearance can be taken as proof. But reputable scientists are still quick to to say that there is nothing conclusive to date.
Should a person take a chance? The consistent opinion of this writer in situations like this is that they should, in spite of the fact that no long term research has been done as yet. That assertion by researchers is enough to daunt the ambitions of most. Nevertheless, the French have been drinking red wine for presumed centuries and even the ancient Egyptians supposedly used red wine for its medicinal properties. Perhaps that is enough for most to say that it may not be dangerous. Possibly too, if Ms Walters has been using this product for the last fifteen years, it may in fact be responsible for her looking the way that she does.
