7 Health Benefits of Resveratrol Supplements (Pocket Guide)
If you’ve heard that red wine can help lower cholesterol, chances are you’ve heard of resveratrol — the much-hyped plant compound found in red wine.
But beyond being a healthful part of red wine and other foods, resveratrol has health-boosting potential in its own right.
In fact, resveratrol supplements have been linked to many exciting health benefits, including protecting brain function and lowering blood pressure.
What Is Resveratrol?
Resveratrol is a plant compound that acts like an antioxidant. The top food sources include red wine, grapes, some berries and peanuts.
Of the limited research in humans, most has focused on supplemental forms of the compound, in concentrations higher than those you could get through food.
1. Resveratrol Supplements May Help Lower Blood Pressure
The systolic blood pressure (upper number in blood pressure readings) typically goes up with age which lead to high risks of heart disease.
Because of its antioxidant properties, resveratrol could be a promising supplement for lowering blood pressure (exerted on artery walls when the heart beats) by helping to produce more nitric oxide, which causes blood vessels to relax.
2. It Has a Positive Effect on Blood Fats
Several studies in animals have suggested that resveratrol supplements may change blood fats in a healthy way.
Resveratrol seems to influence cholesterol levels by reducing the effect of an enzyme that controls cholesterol production.
As an antioxidant, it also may decrease the oxidation of “bad” LDL cholesterol. LDL oxidation contributes to plaque buildup in artery walls.
3. It Lengthens Lifespan in Certain Animals
The compound’s ability to extend lifespan in different organisms has become a major area of research.
There’s evidence that resveratrol activates certain genes that ward off the diseases of aging.
It works to achieve this in the same way as calorie restriction, which has shown promise in lengthening lifespans by changing how genes express themselves.
4. It Protects the Brain
Several studies have suggested that drinking red wine can help slow down age-related cognitive decline.
This may partly be due to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of resveratrol.
The compound may set off a chain of events that protects brain cells from damage and interfere with the plaques that leads to the Alzheimer’s disease.
5. It May Increase Insulin Sensitivity
Resveratrol has been shown to have several benefits for diabetes like increasing insulin sensitivity and preventing complications by stopping a certain enzyme from turning glucose into sorbitol, a sugar alcohol.
When too much sorbitol builds up in people with diabetes, it can create cell-damaging oxidative stress.
Here are a few more benefits resveratrol may have for people with diabetes:
- May protect against oxidative stress which causes some of the complications of diabetes.
- Helps decrease inflammation, a key contributor to chronic diseases, including diabetes.
- Activates AMPK: This is a protein that helps the body metabolize glucose. Activated AMPK helps keep blood sugar levels low.
Researchers say the compound could be used to treat diabetes and its complications in the future, but more research is needed.
6. It May Ease Joint Pain
Arthritis is a common affliction that leads to joint pain and loss of mobility.
When taken as a supplement, resveratrol may help protect cartilage from deteriorating which can cause joint pain and is one of the main symptoms of arthritis.
Studies has also suggested that the resveratrol has potential to reduce inflammation and prevent damage to joints.
7. Resveratrol May Suppress Cancer Cells
In animal and test-tube studies, resveratrol has been shown to fight several kinds of cancer cells, including gastric, colon, skin, breast and prostate.
Here’s how resveratrol may combat cancer cells:
- It may inhibit cancer cell growth by preventing them from replicating and spreading.
- Resveratrol may change gene expression in cancer cells to inhibit their growth.
Counterindications Regarding Resveratrol Supplements
No risks have been revealed in studies that have used resveratrol supplements.
However, since high doses have been shown to stop blood from clotting in test tubes, it’s possible it could increase bleeding or bruising when taken with anti-clotting drugs, such as heparin or warfarin.
Also include certain blood pressure medications, anxiety meds and immunosuppressants.
Jeunesse’s Reserve natural blend of 5 super fruit, green tea extract, aloe vera and resveratrol:
