Resveratrol is an natural antioxidant emerging as the modern-day fountain of youth, and is found in certain foods Resveratrol can be found in the skin of red grapes. Plants naturally produce Resveratrol when they are under attack by pathogens such as bacteria or fungi. Muscadine grapes contain the highest concentration of Resveratrol, because of their thick skins and numerous seeds where it is concentrated.

Takaoka was the first to isolate Resveratrol from the white hellebore roots in 1940. Later in 1963, he extracted the chemical from the Japanese knotweed roots. However, it had still not gained enough attention until in 1992, when scientists began to suggest that the presence of Resveratrol in wine was the reason for its cardio protective effects.

It has been associated with grapes and wine and because it was believed to be the reason behind the “French Paradox” – the tendency for French people to have great cardiovascular health despite a poor diet and a love of wine. Several studies support the theory that wine consumption cuts death rates by up to 40 per cent a year.

What sets Resveratrol apart from other antioxidants, is the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. In doing this it can help protect your brain and nervous system, as well as protect your cells from free radical damage.

Free radical damage is a major cause of Alzheimer’s. Free radicals and oxidised fats which kill brain cells result in the decline of mental function commonly associated with Alzheimer’s.

Increasing your intake of Resveratrol may also be an effective way to lower inflammation in your body. A combination of free radicals and inflammation can be factors in causing a stroke, making Resveratrol an ideal solution. It has even been found to increase the lifespan of human cells.

Resveratrol has been to shown to fight many forms cancer in cell cultures and rodents. Its ability to turn genes on and off at the core, and manipulate cell growth is the key to its potential to fight cancer. Animals given Resveratrol were shown to have significantly reduced brain plaque, which contributes to Alzheimer’s and other related diseases.

Another test on rodents showed mice who were regularly dosed with Resveratrol, suffered less brain and motor damage after a stroke, than those who were not treated. Overweight mice ran further and lived 20 per cent longer when on Resveratrol.

No evidence of any side effects of taking Resveratrol have been documented, with the exception of the injection of huge doses of the drug into pubescent mice, in which case it seemed to promote the growth of tumours. The lack of documentation in terms of side effects should not be taken to indicate that it is completely safe, but limited testing and the relative newness of the drug mean that long term effects have yet to be observed.

Those wishing to increase the levels of Resveratrol can either drink more red wine, or take manufactured supplements which contain a higher dosage of Resveratrol.

Author Bio: James Betz – MD of Biotivia. Biotivia established 1992 in Vienna it is the first company to dramatically improve the bioavailability of its products, especially its resveratrol products. Contacts: James Betz Email: info@biotivia.com

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: resveratrol, health products, wellness products