subject: Are Resveratrol Supplements Premature or Ahead of the Curve? [print this page]
The French have lower rates of cardiovascular disease than their neighbors, in spite of consuming a high fat diet. This is called the French Paradox and scientists have been trying to understand the underlying biological mechanisms for decades. Recently, epidemiological studies revealed that the French cultural tradition of drinking red wine with their meals was responsible for some of the protective effect. Further research suggested a naturally-occurring component of red wine, the polyphenol resveratrol, conferred some important benefits to laboratory mice, including protection from cancer, obesity, diabetes, "bad" cholesterol, blood clotting, and inflammation.
Resveratrol has other beneficial effects, including antifungal and antioxidant activity. Resveratrol has also been shown to lengthen the life spans of many organisms, from yeast to mice, but with one caveat: it only had this effect if the mice were fed a high fat diet.
Resveratrol is found in many foods, including grape skins, some berries, peanuts, Japanese knotweed (used in traditional Japanese and Chinese medicine), and some pine trees. Although fruits and vegetables in general contain several other polyphenols that have activity similar to resveratrol, resveratrol produced the greatest benefit in laboratory yeast.
Most over-the-counter supplements marketed in the United States are derived from Polygonium cuspidatum, which contains both the cis- and trans-resveratrol isomers. The vast majority of research efforts have focused on trans-resveratrol and it's beneficial effects, but recent research suggests the cis-form may be just as important. The ratio of cis- to trans-resveratrol varies widely between different types of wines, so it may be easier to simply buy resveratrol supplements than to research the chemical compositions of red wines.
Before you buy resveratrol supplements it should be mentioned that definitive studies showing protection against cardiovascular disease in humans have yet to be published. Given the encouraging results from laboratory studies though, the question may not be whether to buy resveratrol , but when.
Are Resveratrol Supplements Premature or Ahead of the Curve?
