Maximize the Effects of Resveratrol

The potential of resveratrol to beneficially impact our health and longevity has been studied for many years.

Research in animals and cells has shown it can delay certain aging processes.^1-5

Human studies of resveratrol over the past decade have shown its beneficial effects.^6,7

Resveratrol, however, has poor bioavailability.

Scientists developed a formula that allows 10 times as much resveratrol to make it to cells, where it can exert an array of benefits.⁸

With this innovation, it is thought that resveratrol can better combat the effects of aging.

Activating Anti-Aging Processes

Resveratrol is a polyphenol compound found in red grapes, some berries, and several other plants.

Preclinical studies have shown that resveratrol activates multiple anti-aging processes.^1-3,5

Some of the protective mechanisms demonstrated by resveratrol include:

• Anti-inflammatory support,
• Increased activity of sirtuins, cellular protector proteins linked to longer life,
• Improvements in insulin sensitivity and other areas of metabolic health,
• Preventing harmful changes to DNA associated with cellular dysfunction,
• Improved function of energy-generating mitochondria,
• Activating autophagy, cellular "housekeeping," and
• Promoting a healthy mix of microorganisms to improve gut health.

Resveratrol has demonstrated beneficial effects on all the above anti-aging factors.^1-3,5

Extending Life

Resveratrol can exert body-wide protection to help protect the heart, muscles, bones, kidneys.

It has also been shown to prolong overall life. In numerous studies of organisms from yeast to mice, resveratrol extends lifespan.^2,3,9

For example, giving resveratrol to short-lived flies resulted in mean lifespan extension of up to 29%.^9,10 In honeybees, it increased the maximum lifespan by 38%.¹¹

Because of the long lifespan of humans, it is difficult to evaluate a nutrient's ability to extend life in clinical trials. However, human studies do indicate that resveratrol can reduce major contributors to premature aging.

Fighting Metabolic Disease

Low insulin sensitivity and poor glucose control are major contributors to the aging process. They can lead to type II diabetes and increased risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and dementia.

Human trials show that resveratrol intake benefits metabolic health in adults with diabetes or other signs of metabolic disease. Doses from 150 to 1,500 mg daily led to improvements in markers of healthy aging, including: ¹²

• Increased insulin sensitivity and improvements in a marker of insulin function,^12-18
• Better blood glucose control,19 including lower levels of fasting glucose, post-meal glucose,^14,18,20 and glycated hemoglobin HbA1c (a marker of long-term blood sugar control),^12,15-19,21
• Reduction in markers of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease,^17,20
• Improved cholesterol levels,^16,21
• Reduction in signs of oxidative stress^13,22 and markers of inflammation,^17,23,24
• Increased sirtuin activity,¹²
• Lower blood pressure,^12,16,21 and
• Reduction in body weight, waist circumference, and body mass index.¹⁵

Being overweight or obese is associated with metabolic disease and contributes to rapid aging and risk for disease.

In a clinical trial of diabetics (type II) participants on oral blood sugar medications were recruited. One group received 200 mg of resveratrol daily for 24 weeks and another received a placebo. At the end of the trial, the resveratrol recipients had reductions in glucose and insulin, as well as reduced insulin resistance, compared to the beginning, and to the placebo group.²⁴

In a double-blinded crossover trial of healthy obese men, with a four-week washout period, taking 150 mg of resveratrol daily for 30 days resulted in beneficial changes to fat tissue, including decreasing the size of fat cells.^17,25

One human placebo-controlled study found that 1 gram of resveratrol per day for 45 days, compared to a placebo, provided antidiabetic effects in patients with type I diabetes, a lifelong condition with no cure.²²

Not only did resveratrol improve metabolic health, but it also helped guard against complications of metabolic disease in a clinical trial of diabetics with foot ulcers.

For example, nonhealing foot ulcers are a frequent problem in those with type II diabetes. Resveratrol increased the healing rate and reduced ulcer size. In a clinical trial of diabetics with foot ulcers 50 mg of resveratrol two times per day for 60 days promoted reduction in foot ulcer size in the treatment group as compared to placebo.²⁶

In another trial, diabetics suffering from chronic gum and tooth disease who took 480 mg resveratrol per day for four weeks had a significant improvement in periodontal status along with improved insulin sensitivity as compared to the placebo.²⁷

What You Need to Know

Protect Against Accelerated Aging

• Resveratrol is a polyphenol found in red grapes and other plants. It helps defend cells against accelerated aging and risk for disease.
• In animal models and cell experiments, resveratrol was capable of significantly extending lifespan.
• In human trials, resveratrol countered many factors associated with rapid aging, including reducing oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, improving insulin sensitivity and glucose control, and enhancing heart function.
• Encasing resveratrol in a hydrogel of plant-derived fiber boosts its bioavailability by more than 10 times.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Preliminary studies have shown that resveratrol can support metabolic health associated with cardiovascular disease risk. And it may protect against the development of atherosclerosis (buildup of plaque in arteries) and other heart disease.⁷ Now, clinical studies are confirming these findings.

One clinical trial published in 2023 included 80 patients with high blood pressure who were randomized to receive either 400 mg resveratrol or placebo for six months. Results showed that resveratrol protected the heart against remodeling (harmful changes in size and shape that affect cardiac functioning), while also protecting against left ventricular function fibrosis (scarring).²⁸

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 40 heart attack patients were randomized to receive a 10 mg resveratrol capsule daily for three months or a placebo. After three months the resveratrol group showed improved heart function, blood vessel function, and LDL cholesterol levels as compared to placebo.²⁹ Platelet aggregation, which can lead to abnormal blood clotting, was also reduced.

Better Bioavailability

Many researchers have long believed that resveratrol's effectiveness is limited by its poor bioavailability. The body's metabolism of unformulated resveratrol causes it to be rapidly cleared from the bloodstream and eliminated.

Scientists have discovered that encasing resveratrol in a hydrogel made of indigestible plant-derived fiber called galactomannans shields it from this process and makes it more bioavailable.

In a human trial, this hydrogel boosted the bioavailability of resveratrol by more than 10 times compared to that of standard resveratrol.⁸ That means 10 times more resveratrol stayed in the bloodstream to get delivered to cells.

It also stayed in the bloodstream longer, with a four-fold greater half-life than standard resveratrol.

That may help resveratrol to fully achieve its many benefits throughout the body.

Summary

Resveratrol counters many of the factors that contribute to accelerated aging and risk for disease.

Animal models have shown that it extends life and reduces risk of disease.

Human trials have found that resveratrol improves insulin sensitivity, reduces chronic inflammation, helps protect the heart, and more.

Encasing resveratrol in a hydrogel of plant-derived fiber improves the bioavailability of this nutrient.

If you have any questions on the scientific content of this article, please call a Life Extension Health Advisor at 1-866-864-3027.

References

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