In the News: Resveratrol Associated with Improved Endothelial Function in Diabetes Patients

Resveratrol Associated with Improved Endothelial Function in Diabetes Patients

A randomized, double-blind, crossover study revealed improvement in endothelial function (health of the inner arterial lining) in people with chronic kidney disease and diabetes who received resveratrol compared to those given a placebo.*

The study included 28 diabetics with stage 3 chronic kidney disease. Participants received 400 mg resveratrol per day or a placebo for six weeks. Endothelial function was measured by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation at the beginning and end of the study. Other factors, including estimated glomerular filtration rate, hemoglobin A1c, blood pressure, and nitroglycerin-mediated dilation, were also measured at these time points.

At the end of the study, participants who received resveratrol had significantly greater flow-mediated dilation compared with the placebo group. Other measured factors remained unchanged in both the resveratrol and placebo groups, which suggests that the improvement in flow-mediated dilation occurred independently of changes in traditional cardiovascular risk factors.

Editor's Note: Compounds known as polyphenols, which include resveratrol, may help combat atherosclerosis because of their ability to limit oxidative stress and support a healthy inflammatory response in endothelial cells.

* Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2023 Oct 16.9900:10.2215/CJN.0000000000000337.

Melatonin May Improve Athletic Recovery in Male Soccer Players

A systematic review found a decrease in oxidative stress, muscle damage, and inflammatory markers in association with melatonin use among professional male soccer players.*

Researchers reviewed eight interventional studies that compared the effects of melatonin to a placebo or no melatonin among 152 male soccer players. The studies evaluated the hormone's effect on physical performance, blood markers, and other factors. Melatonin dosages ranged from 5 to 8 mg.

Five of the studies found a reduction in oxidative stress after sports practice in association with melatonin. Exercise can cause an increase in oxidative stress.

Three studies found improvement in inflammation, which can also be generated by exercise.

Muscle damage as assessed by creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenate levels, was reduced in three of the studies.

Editor's Note: None of the studies included women in their samples.

* Nutrients. 2023;15(20):4467.

Hair Loss Linked to Vitamin D Insufficiency

The results of a systematic review and meta-analysis of 23 case-control studies showed an association between non-scarring alopecia (hair loss) and low serum levels of vitamin D.*

Non-scarring alopecia includes androgenetic alopecia, female pattern hair loss, alopecia areata, and other types of hair loss.

The research team found an association between having non-scarring alopecia and decreased serum 25(OH)D concentrations.

Vitamin D deficiency, defined as a 25(OH)D level of less than 20 ng/mL, was associated with more than three times the risk of androgenic alopecia, four times the risk of female pattern hair loss and a 60% greater risk of diffuse hair loss compared with healthy controls.

Editor's Note: The studies included 3,374 individuals with non-scarring alopecia and 7,296 controls.

* J Cosmet Dermatol. 2023 Nov 27.

Exercise Enhances Memory and Cognitive Function in Older Adults

Both healthy older adults and those with mild cognitive decline benefit from improved cognitive function after exercising, according to a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports.*

Researchers divided 33 older adults who had previously been sedentary into two groups. One group did brisk walking for 30 minutes, four times per week for 12 weeks. The other group did not exercise.

After 12 weeks, individuals in the exercise group performed better on the cognitive tests, regardless of whether they were healthy or had mild cognitive impairment.

Editor's Note: Brain scans also revealed that the exercise group had enhanced within-network and between-network connectivity of core brain networks. The researchers suggested that the increase in neural connections could explain the improvements in memory performance, both in healthy adults and in those with impaired cognitive function.

*Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports, vol 7, no. 1, pp. 399-413, 2023.