Resveratrol Prevent Aging Disorders

Resveratrol is a part of the polyphenols (a component of the plant is believed to contain antioxidants). This component serves to protect the body from damage associated with an increased risk of various diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. Resveratrol can be found on the skin of red grapes, nuts and berries.

To help you meet your intake of resveratrol, a drug manufacturer has provided one is in the form of antioxidant supplements. These supplements are claimed to help cope with excess weight to prolong life expectancy. Is this claim true or just a mere business promotion?

To help you decide, here are some scientific facts about resveratrol health.

Benefits of resveratrol

Early studies, mostly conducted in animals suggest that resveratrol can help protect the body against various diseases, including:

Heart disease. Resveratrol helps reduce inflammation, prevent oxidation of bad LDL cholesterol. In addition, these antioxidants also prevent the coagulation of blood (one of the factors that trigger heart attack).

Senility. Resveratrol declared effective to prevent damage to nerve cells and inhibit the accumulation of plaque that can lead to dementia.

Diabetes. Resveratrol help prevent insulin resistance, the body becomes less sensitive to insulin (the hormone that functions to reduce levels of blood sugar). Insulin resistance is a sign of diabetes.

Studies conducted in rodents showed that resveratrol could even against some of the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle and increasing life expectancy. The rats given high-calorie diet along with resveratrol lived longer than other mice with the same diet but without resveratrol.

Resveratrol also was able to prevent aging-related disorders, such as heart disease and insulin resistance. Researchers believe that resveratrol works by activating the SIRT1 gene, the biological mechanisms that protect the body from the negative effects of obesity and diseases of aging.

Dosage and side effects

Studies on the effects of resveratrol in humans is still limited. Therefore, health experts also could not confirm benefits and long-term side effects that can be caused by this supplement. So far, based on information from the WebMD site, studies have not found the dangerous side effects, even if used in large doses of resveratrol. However, resveratrol supplements can interact with blood thinning medications like warfarin (Coumadin) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen, because it can increase the risk of bleeding.

Just like any other supplement, resveratrol is not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Therefore, you as a consumer will have difficulty knowing the level of product safety. In addition, there is no specific recommended dose, and dose may be different from other supplements.

Dose resveratrol supplements tend to be less than the amount used in the study. Most supplements contain 250-500 milligrams of resveratrol. To get a dose equivalent to the doses used in mice in the study, you should consume two grams of resveratrol (2,000 milligrams) or more a day.

Does using these supplements safe? Experts say that if they do not advocate the use of resveratrol supplements to prevent aging or disease, prior to further studies with higher quality.