The History of Resveratrol Supplements

In 1991 the CBS program 60 minutes revealed a startling anomaly in the French population.  Despite eating a diet high in saturated fat and calories, the French suffer incredibly low instances of heart disease.  This would later be called the French paradox.  This went against everything modern science believed to be true.  Ever since this revelation scientists have been working around the clock to determine the causes of this paradox.

Doctors have long been aware of the health benefits of red wine, and many believed that the secret to the French paradox would be found in this traditional drink.  What they found was a compound known as resveratrol.  Resveratrol is naturally produced by grapes to help protect themselves from bacteria, fungi, and extreme weather conditions.  The highest concentration was found in the skins of the grapes, which is why red wine is one of the highest natural resveratrol sources, and why white wine is not.

Scientists wasted no time trying to figure out the benefits of Resveratrol, and how it worked.  Dr. David Sinclair and Dr. Joseph Baur from the Harvard medical school are some of the leading researchers into this anti-aging substance.  In their studies they tested the effects of resveratrol on mice being fed an incredibly high fat diet. Their diet had 60% of their calories coming from fat (the average human gets 30-35% of their calories from fat).  The mice who were not given the substance began having severe liver problems, developing diabetes, and had a greatly reduced life span.  Those mice who were fed a high fat diet, as well as resveratrol, did not show any signs of diabetes and lived 25% -40% longer than the other group.  In fact, they lived just as long as the mice being fed a completely healthy diet.

It would seem that this study shows that mice who were given high doses of resveratrol were able to combat a life of poor diet and little exercise with just this one natural supplement. Other later studies showed that resveratrol extended the life of yeast, worms, and fish. This has also been shown to help fight cancer, prevent Alzheimer's, and improve athletic performance as well as endurance. These results are incredibly promising, but more human studies need to be done before any solid conclusions can be made.

Before you go out and buy resveratrol supplements at your health food store, you need to know how it actually works. There is little dispute in the science community that it does work, but there is some controversy on exactly how these benefits are obtained.

You may have heard about a longevity seeking diet known as calorie restriction. This is one of the few methods that has been scientifically proven to extend the average lifespan in humans. Research says that a diet consisting of 35% to 40% less calories than needed to maintain current weight can be used to extend the life span by up to 25%. When using the style you still need to get 100% of the recommended daily intake of all vitamins and minerals, you just need to do that while getting less calories.

So, why am I telling you about the calorie restriction diet here? Well, it seems the reason that this substance works is because it mimics the effects of this diet, without actually needing to consume such low levels of calories. This comes as a great relief to those who want all the benefits promised by calorie restriction, but still want to eat the foods they love. While resveratrol will not stop you from becoming fat, it seems to help fight all some of the other ill effects of obesity.

One of the biggest controversies regarding this supplement is the correct resveratrol dosage that one should take in order to receive its benefits. The amount used in the Harvard study on mice would be nearly impossible for humans to get naturally. In fact, you would have to drink 1000 bottles of wine per day to match the levels used in that study. Many skeptics, and those selling competing anti-aging supplements, have used this fact against resveratrol supplements. Some will make you believe that you need to take 1000 mg for more per day to see any results.

However, there have been many recent studies that have shown that is not necessary to take such a large quantities to receive the benefit of a calorie restricted diet. The studies have also shown that it can actually be detrimental if you take excess amounts of this supplement (more than 2g per day). The correct dosage most likely lies between 180mg and 500 mg per day. This is equal to three to five bottles of high quality red wine per day. Obviously, it is not safe to consume this much alcohol in one day, especially on a daily basis.