The health benefits of resveratrol

When it comes to maintaining good health, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the endless advice and endless products on the market. But if you want to make sure you’re getting the most out of your health, one supplement you should consider is resveratrol. Resveratrol is an antioxidant found in grapes, red wine, and other plants, and has been attributed with a long list of health benefits. From reducing inflammation and improving your cardiovascular health to protecting your cells from damage and even slowing down the aging process, resveratrol is a powerful supplement that can make a significant impact on your overall health. With its wide range of benefits and easy accessibility, resveratrol is a great choice for anyone looking for a natural way to improve their health.

Health benefits of resveratrol

As we discussed above, resveratrol is attributed to many health benefits. Let’s take a closer look at each one.

Reducing inflammation - The Journal of Neuroscience reported that resveratrol could reduce inflammation, even in those who suffer from chronic inflammation. It can also be used as a treatment after an injury to prevent inflammation and aid healing. Ideal dosing for joints seems to be around 100mg. [1]

Improving cardiovascular health - Studies have found that resveratrol can reduce blood cholesterol and blood pressure, making it helpful for those at risk for heart disease. For cardiovascular health resveratrol doses seem to be around 250mg. [2]

Protecting cells from damage - Resveratrol has been found to fight against oxidative stress, which can damage cells and lead to disease. Even doses as low as 5-10mg have been shown to have impact. [3]

Slowing down the aging process - Studies have found that resveratrol can increase the length of telomeres, the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes. Telomeres naturally shorten as we age, and shorter telomeres can lead to a higher risk of disease and a shorter lifespan. There's a lot of debate for what's ideal here, but anything between 50-200mg seems to be commonly recommended. [4]

Improving brain health - Resveratrol's antioxidant properties have been shown to be effective at protecting brain function and it is even being tested as a potential combatant for alzheimer's disease along with several other chronic conditions. 50mg and up seems to be ideal. [5]

Blood Glucose - Resveratrol consumption has been shown to reduce insulin sensitivity and result in more consistent blood sugar levels in humans. Animal studies also suggest it could be a potential auxiliary treatment for diabetes although more research is needed. 2 grams daily has been shown to be effective, this should be notied that 5grams daily has resulted in resveratrol side effects, so don't overdo it. [6]

Which Supplement Should I Buy To Get The Most Benefits From Resveratrol?

Depending on what part of your health you're looking to improve via supplementation with resveratrol, certain manufacturers and brands are better options. We based our recommendations on which supplements combine other effective ingredients with resveratrol to maximise it's benefit:

Resveratrol for the brain

For those who choose resveratrol supplementation to experience brain-protective effects, NooCube is the best choice in terms of resveratrol content and price-performance ratio. While other brain boosters like our all-time #1 Hunter Focus, unfortunately, do not contain resveratrol so we can't recommend it as the best brain supplement including a resveratrol supplement.

Resveratrol for joint pain

FlexAgain is hands down our number one supplement for joint pain, it's blend of ingredients does of course contain resveratrol. Along with a host of other natural anti-inflammatory ingredients that have been proven to help reduce joint pain and stiffness. FlexAgain is also rich in other antioxidants, vitamins and herbal extracts which help protect the joints from damage caused by free radicals.

Resveratrol by itself

Resveratrol Ultra is a premium supplement that contains the highest amount of resveratrol available on the market. They claim it's designed specifically to improve cardiovascular health and reduce cholesterol levels. Although in reality it's just a good quality resveratrol supplement.

Why should I use resveratrol supplements?

Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant found in grapes, red wine, and other plants, making it a great supplement for promoting good health. From reducing inflammation to improving cardiovascular health, resveratrol has a wide array of benefits. It is important to remember that every person has a different reaction to supplements, so it is important to start with a low dosage to see if your body reacts well to the supplement. If you see benefits and no side effects, you can increase your dosage as desired. Additionally, it is important to eat a healthy diet and stay hydrated to help your body get the most out of your supplement.

Sources and availability of resveratrol

As mentioned above, resveratrol is found in grapes, red wine, and other plants. It is also present in peanuts and peanut skins, blueberries, cranberries, peanuts, and cocoa. Resveratrol is also available as a supplement, where it is often derived from Japanese knotweed or Chinese herbs such as Polygonum cuspidatum or Polygonum fermentescens. Resveratrol is also naturally produced by the human body as a by product of metabolism. The amount obtained from natural sources varies and is dependent on a variety of factors, such as the soil and climate in which the grapes were grown, as well as how long the grapes spent on the vine. Similarly, the amount of resveratrol in peanut skins depends on the type of peanut being grown, as well as the amount of sunlight and time they spent on the ground.

Alternative sources of resveratrol

As we already learned by now, grapes are a great source of resveratrol, as are peanuts, blueberries, cranberries, and cocoa. Additionally, there are resveratrol supplements available in health food stores and online, most supplements generally use knotweed as the source.

Potential side effects and interactions with other medication

The potential side effects of resveratrol supplements (as stated above already) are generally mild and can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and general stomach discomfort. Pregnant women should avoid high doses of resveratrol as there is limited research on its effects on unborn babies. People with liver or kidney disease should consult a doctor before taking resveratrol supplements or increasing the dosage. You should also speak with your doctor before taking resveratrol if you are on any medications, as it may interfere with certain drugs - Resveratrol is known to interact with certain medications, including diabetes medications, anticoagulants, and blood pressure medications. Less common negative side effects have been documented in combination with blood thinners, cancer treatments, and party drugs. It can also increase the effects of alcohol and other drugs that depress the central nervous system which some less adult party animals might even abuse to get a "cheaper sh*tfaced" on the next pub brawl.

However, allergic reactions to Resveratrol are more common than I expected before researching the latest academic papers on resveratrol. Some people may have an allergic reaction to resveratrol if they are sensitive to it or have a pollen allergy. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include rash, hives, itching, swelling of the face or throat, difficulty breathing, and chest tightness. A lot of the unwanted effects can be controlled by carefully measuring dosages as well.

Awesome, so I finally have a reason to drink liters of wine?

Not a good idea! This already suggests that the basic assumption "More red wine for more positive effects on health“ alone can not be valid because more red wine indeed means more resveratrol – but more damaging alcohol as well. From a certain quantity, the positive effect of Resveratrol turns for instance on the breaking of intestine cancer cells and the health disadvantages of the increased alcohol supply outweigh it.

The same applies to the deceleration of cell aging at the human optic nerve. It is therefore obvious that the resveratrol content in red wine is not an argument to drink more alcohol. And fortunately, we don't have to, because the market offers countless supplements that contain resveratrol and do not contain any alcohol.

It is therefore obvious that supplementation of resveratrol via increased red wine consumption will in all likelihood have no effect at all due to the alcohol content. However, it is much more likely that the positive effect is reversed above a certain amount of red wine and is detrimental to health. The good news right from the start: supplements that supply resveratrol in sufficiently high quantities without containing alcohol can ensure positive effects on the heart, circulation, skin, etc., without having to drink gallons of wine. For example, just a few weeks after taking resveratrol daily, users demonstrably benefit from lowered blood pressure, thinner blood and thus better blood circulation in the vessels, and regulated cholesterol levels.

Can't I just drink grape juice instead of red wine to avoid alcohol intake?

Well... theoretically, unlike red wine, non-alcoholic grape juice can be drunk by the liter without bringing the negative effects of alcohol in wine; however, the resveratrol content in grape juice is even lower than that in red wine. This is due to the differences in the production process because in juice pressing the skin of the grapes, which is rich in resveratrol, is removed from the juice immediately after pressing, whereas in wine production it continues to float in the juice for at least a month, thus making the resveratrol content much higher. However, if you want to get at least part of your daily resveratrol requirement naturally, we recommend making a grape smoothie using whole grapes instead of grape juice.

Who discovered resveratrol?

Resveratrol is a compound that was first discovered in 1943 by Japanese researcher, Shiraki. It is a natural compound found in plants and is produced in response to infection or injury. While resveratrol is most commonly associated with red wine due to its high levels found in the grape skins used in winemaking, it is also found in the roots of Japanese knotweed and the Chinese herb, Pu-erh tea. It is naturally produced by plants as a way of protecting themselves against pathogens, environmental stresses, and disease. Resveratrol is also found in peanuts and peanut skins, blueberries, cranberries, peanuts, and cocoa. The amount found in these varies, however, and can be affected by a variety of factors, such as the soil and climate in which they’re grown, as well as the amount of sunlight and time they spent on the vine.

The evolutionary reason we find resveratrol in wine grapes?

Resveratrol belongs to the group of substances called "polyphenols" which are natural defenses of plants, have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and are released in response to stress from outside, such as when the plant is attacked by animals or other pests, or exposed to too much sunlight. The antioxidant effect is that resveratrol fights so-called "free radicals" in human skin, preventing damage to skin cells. In addition, resveratrol has a protective effect against UV rays of the sun & can be used as an additional precaution to sunscreen.

The highest concentration of resveratrol in nature is found in grape skin, which contains up to 10 milligrams of the supposed miracle substance per 100 grams. This also explains why different types of wine contain more or less resveratrol - depending on how long the juice is in contact with parts of the grapes in the fermentation process, the final content turns out to be higher or lower. For the production of resveratrol supplements, Japanese knotweed is used in 90% of cases, which is one of the plants with the highest content of resveratrol, and which is also inexpensive to grow and process.

Health Tip #1: Want more resveratrol per grape? Go for biological ones!

Plants that contain resveratrol use the substance to defend themselves against pests such as parasites or fungal infections, the incidence of which increases dramatically with humidity. Too aggressive UV radiation or abrupt temperature differences also lead to the increased formation of resveratrol in the leaves of the vines. At this point, you can already guess why organic plants contain a higher concentration of resveratrol - after all, they must be able to effectively defend themselves against pests without external pesticides, which is ultimately ensured by the additional resveratrol.

Health Tip #2: Get the most benefits out of resveratrol

As discussed above, it is important to remember that every person has a different reaction to supplements, so it is important to start with a low dosage to see if your body reacts well to the supplement. If you see benefits and no side effects, you can increase your dosage as desired. One way to get the most out of your resveratrol supplement is to take it with a source of vitamin C, such as a glass of orange juice, as vitamin C can increase the absorption of resveratrol. Additionally, it is important to eat a healthy diet and stay hydrated to help your body get the most out of your supplement.

Health Tip #3: Avoiding stomach issues

These effects can often be avoided by taking resveratrol early in the morning on an empty stomach. Resveratrol is therefore safe and free of side effects compared to artificial alternatives. However, anyone taking medications with blood-thinning properties or those that adversely affect liver enzymes should be sure to consult their primary care physician before supplementing with resveratrol. To increase the bioavailability of resveratrol - that is, the proportion that can be absorbed by the organism - it is recommended to additionally take piperine, which is obtained from pepper and also improves the resorption of curcumin.

Resveratrol, trans-resveratrol and OPC - what is the difference?

While conventional resveratrol is mainly produced from the skins of grapes, as already explained, the synthetically produced trans-resveratrol has also been approved since 2016 in dosages of up to 150mg per day. This is obtained mainly from the Japanese herbaceous knapweed and must be externally labeled as synthetic. The so-called OPC, short for "oligomeric proanthocyanidins", belongs like resveratrol to the group of polyphenols and thus promises more or less the same positive properties on human health. OPC is primarily extracted from grape seeds, but also peanuts and blueberries, and is generally considered to be a cheaper alternative to resveratrol.

The recommended dosage(s) of resveratrol

When taking resveratrol supplements, it is important to remember that every person has a different reaction to supplements. Some people do not see any effects at all while others may experience unwanted side effects. It is important to start with a low dosage, like 100 mg once per day, to see if your body reacts well to the supplement. If you see benefits and no side effects, you can increase your dosage as desired and continue to monitor any side effects.

Before increasing your resveratrol dosage in case of any pre-conditions or existing health issues please remember the majority of published studies have been conducted with healthy patients and the respective dosages have been set within the normal range. Dosages above 5g are associated with worsened liver enzymes and a variety of different stress responses in the human body, with potentially negative effects of lower dosages consisting of mild nausea and gastrointestinal upset, primarily soft stools or diarrhea and cramping, at worst.

References

1 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7796143/

2 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8289612/

3 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6657254/

4 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7169938/

5 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6657254/

6 - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30873501/