Resveratrol...what's all the hoopla about?

Do you search for a fountain of youth? Seemingly ever elusive, the so-called fountain may be closer than you think. Green tea, blueberries, pomegranate, acai berry and mangosteen are just a few antioxidant powerhouses.

But a recent discovery and stabilization of a fascinating molecule has people in the science and research world doing a double take.

It's called resveratrol. Information was first introduced in the earlier part of the decade when a group of Harvard researchers led by Dr. David Sinclair accidentally stumbled upon the molecule.

They were shocked at what the tests on mice revealed. The resveratrol actually mimicked the life- extending benefits of calorie restriction. You know, the thing where you limit your caloric intake to around 1,000 calories a day and stop eating entirely after early afternoon each day because it actually extends life? (Um, yay??) I'm not sure I'd want my life extended if that's what it entails!

The scientists also compared mice fed a high-fat diet with no resveratrol to mice fed the same high-fat diet with resveratrol. The researchers reported that while running, the mice fed the resveratrol looked like mini-olympians compared to the others.

And it causes cells to behave well. Excellent, actually. It has potential cancer-fighting and preventing qualities, as well as the potential ability to fight and prevent heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and the list goes on.

So what foods contain it? There are trace amounts found in blueberries, bilberries, mulberries and peanuts, with higher amounts found in red and muscadine grape skins. That could possibly lend an explanation to the mysterious French paradox...Why do French people have such low instances of heart disease when their diet is so high in fat? Red wine is a staple of their diet.

But some research suggests that this couldn't possibly be an explanation for the paradox, because to receive the necessary life-extending benefits of resveratrol, one would have to consume around 1,000 glasses of red wine a day.

Sinclair and his team found a way to stabilize the molecule and now it's offered as a supplement. The marketing world is already jumping all over this, but of course, not all resveratrol is the same.

There are capsules, individual drinks and the liquid version where you measure a teaspoon for the daily dose. The latter is the one I've been taking for awhile now. One teaspoon contains the same amount of resveratrol as 1,000 glasses of red wine.

When I opened it for the first time, I was shocked because it looked like extremely thick blood with a deeper cranberry hue! It tastes like a sweet, almost condensed merlot.

Studies show that higher levels of the molecule are detected in human plasma hours later through buccal delivery of the liquid, whereas only trace amounts are detected with most capsule forms.

It's also available in a few select skincare lines. And back in the '90's a discovery was made showing resveratrol applied topically could actually inhibit skin cancer.

The negative side effects? So far none have been found except upset stomach and occasional joint pain associated with large doses.

Sinclair has partnered with a major pharmaceutical company and they have invested millions in the promise of resveratrol. They are currently working on a stronger dose of the product which should be available in five years. It is currently being tested on cancer patients in a trial setting.

I'm not a physician, nutritionist or salesperson for the product, but I guess I can say I do have more energy since I started taking it. Maybe it's working, maybe it's not, but it does give me a little more peace of mind!

This article was written by Amanda Dalla Riva for The News Journal

Source: TheNewsJournal.com