Friday, November 17, 2006

Resveratrol, The Best Supplement?

Ok the last entry was a bit flip. So let me make the case that of all supplements, resveratrol seems to have the most promise for longevity and health. And if you find some of your resveratrol in a tipple... cheers.

A Prescription That May Extend Life NYTimes10/31/06

Red Wine Ingredient May Delay Aging WebMD 02/6/06

Red Wine's Resveratrol May Protect Against Unhealthy Diet and Prolong Life WebMD 11/01/06

Compound in Red Wine May Fight Alzheimer's WebMD 11/4/05

Red Wine Ingredient Increases Endurance, Study Shows NYTimes 11/17/06

Red Wine vs. Colon Cancer WebMD 10/24/06

Resveratrol in red wine could cut colorectal cancer risk NutraIngredientsUSA 10/23/06

Resveratrol could prevent ‘flu epidemics NutraIngredientsUSA 5/24/05

Resveratrol, may benefit heart tissue ScienceDaily 12/10/04

Resveratrol Shows Potential Effects Against COPD, Asthma, Arthritis ScienceDialy 11/1/04

A Glass of Red Wine a Day May Cut Prostate Cancer Risk in Half WebMD 9/23/04

Grapes May Minimize Brain Damage In Stroke Victims ScienceDaily 11/27/03

Resveratrol and skin cancer ScienceDaily 10/30/03

Now are all these studies of equal quality? Certainly not. And will some of them prove untrue? Maybe. But what I think can be said is that there is a growing body of research showing that resveratrol has great potential for human health and longevity. I'd argue that no other single supplement has as much potential. The money invested in David Sinclair's company Sirtris is testimony to the fact that large investors feel that resveratrol, or at least a synthetic analog, has great potential.

Maybe we'll hear more about the other antifungal compound found in grapes called pterostilbene once it can be better stabilized in supplement form. Resveratrol and pterostilbene are both phytoalexins.

1 comment:

Ju said...

Awesome post! Have you had a chance to watch 60 Minutes, Fox News, Oprah or Barbra Walters segments last weekend about it?

Basically, it shows promise in mice. For mice, has shown major health improvements including blood sugar control. Keep in mind that 6 out of 10 major drug successes in mice - fail in humans. But the limited human trials showed promise and there are some patients that claim it helps. However, this could be the 'placebo effect,' and only empirical data under controlled experiments can tell for sure. It will take a few years for these clinical trials to conclude.

You can get supplements of the extract right now. While it is safe, it is not guaranteed to work. Before making a decision, you should watch all the videos. Here's the a recap from all the trustworthy shows:

http://resveratrolcertifiedsupplements.com/?page_id=4

I did some research and learned the following: You can only get 1-2mgs of it in a single bottle of wine. So, white, it's a good excuse to drink wine, but you really won't get much benefit. There are resveratrol supplements on the market - but many do not have the required strength and they don't work for everyone. The only way to know for sure is to try the supplements. Hope you find this interesting... its a future hope for the fountain of youth and treatments (not cures) for countless diseases.

-Linda, the Good Nurse.