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Resveratrol is a member of a group of plant compounds called polyphenols. These compounds are thought to have antioxidant properties, protecting the body against the kind of damage linked to increased risk for conditions such as cancer and heart disease. Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes, but in smaller amounts in other sources including peanuts and berries.
Because resveratrol is thought to have so many health benefits, it’s not surprising that a number of manufacturers have tried to capitalize by selling resveratrol supplements. Most resveratrol capsules sold in the U.S. contain extracts from the Japanese and Chinese knotweed plant Polygonum cuspidatum. Other resveratrol supplements are made from red wine or red grape extracts.
Recommended to help Heart Disease
When it comes to the heart’s health, there are some things you can’t control — like getting older, or having a parent with heart disease. But there are many more things you can do to lower the chances of sabotaging your ticker. Resveratrol has been shown in studies to prevent oxidative stress in people with high blood pressure, suggestive of cardiovascular protective effects.
“An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure in this instance,” says Gregg Fonarow, MD, an American Heart Association spokesman and associate chief of UCLA’s division of cardiology.
Benefits of Resveratrol
Resveratrol has gained a lot of attention for its reported antiaging and disease-combating benefits. Early research, mostly done in test tubes and in animals, suggests that resveratrol might help protect the body against a number of diseases, including:
- Heart disease. Resveratrol helps reduce inflammation, prevents the oxidation of LDL “bad” cholesterol, and makes it more difficult for platelets to stick together and form the clots that can lead to a heart attack.
- Cancer. Resveratrol is thought to limit the spread of cancer cells and trigger the process of cancer cell death (apoptosis). The strongest evidence of anticancer action of resveratrol exists for tumors it can contact directly, such as skin and gastrointestinal tract tumors.
- Alzheimer’s disease. Resveratrol may protect nerve cells from damage and the buildup of plaque that can lead to Alzheimer’s.
- Diabetes. Resveratrol helps prevent insulin resistance, a condition in which the body becomes less sensitive to the effects of the blood sugar-lowering hormone, insulin. Insulin resistance is a precursor to diabetes.
- Anti-aging. Rodent studies suggest that resveratrol might even help against some of the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle and lead to increased longevity. Resveratrol-treated mice fed a high-calorie diet lived longer than similarly fed mice not given resveratrol. Resveratrol protected mice fed a high-calorie diet from obesity-related health problems by mimicking the effects of caloric restriction.
- Antiviral effects. Studies show resveratrol inhibits herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2 replication by inhibition of an early step in the virus replication cycle.Resveratrol has also been linked to prevention of age-related problems such as heart disease and insulin resistance. Researchers believe that resveratrol activates the SIRT1 gene, a biological mechanism that seems to protect the body against the harmful effects of obesity and the diseases of aging.
Side Effects
So far, studies have not discovered any severe side effects, even when resveratrol is taken in large doses. However, resveratrol supplements might interact with blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin), and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen, increasing the risk for bleeding. As with any supplement on the market, check with your doctor or pharmacist first before taking as it may interact with certain medications, just as any herb might do as well.
Resveratrol is a natural supplier of estrogen, a female reproductive hormone that fuels the development of breast cancer. Therefore, women at high risk of breast cancer should not consume resveratrol.
Content in wines and grape juice
Beverage |
Total resveratrol (mg/l) |
Total resveratrol (mg/150ml) |
|---|---|---|
| Red wine (global) | 1.98 – 7.13 | 0.30 – 1.07 |
| Red wine (Spanish) | 1.92 – 12.59 | 0.29 – 1.89 |
| Red grape juice (Spanish) | 1.14 – 8.69 | 0.17 – 1.30 |
| Rose wine (Spanish) | 0.43 – 3.52 | 0.06 – 0.53 |
| Pinot noir | 0.40 – 2.0 | 0.06 – 0.30 |
| White wine (Spanish) | 0.05 – 1.80 | 0.01 – 0.27 |
The dosages in most resveratrol supplements are typically far lower than the amounts that have been shown beneficial in research studies. Most supplements contain 250 to 500 milligrams of resveratrol. To get the equivalent dose used in some animal studies, people would have to consume 2 grams of resveratrol (2,000 milligrams) or more a day. However, the recommended dosage of resveratrol which has been found to be effective for ailments described above, is 200-500 milligrams per day.
Like other supplements, resveratrol isn’t regulated by the FDA, so it’s difficult for consumers to know exactly what they’re getting when they buy a bottle, or whether the product is actually effective. There also isn’t any specific dosage recommendation, and dosages can vary from supplement to supplement. However, recent research has shown that there are benefits when not only drinking wine, but supplementing with Resveratrol.
What is most important, is finding the most purest form of Resveratrol from a reputable source.
We recommend Garden of Life Raw Resveratrol, as they are lab tested and are of the highest grade quality.
Garden of Life RAW Resveratrol
Garden of Life RAW Resveratrol is a powerful, whole food Resveratrol formula, combining raw fermented Resveratrol, 23 raw organically grown fruits and vegetables, including cabernet sauvignon grapes, plus live probiotics and digestive enzymes. A synergistic blend of bioactive phytonutrients with a wide array of beneficial cofactors, raw Resveratrol supports antioxidant activity, heart health and healthy aging.
Garden of Life is committed to bringing you the highest quality, whole food nutrition to empower you to experience extraordinary health. Raw Resveratrol is a product that exemplifies three of the most fundamental and foundational principles in Garden of Life’s philosophy on human health.
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