Why Pharmacist’s Take Resveratrol

Exotic Fruit, Marché copyResveratol is a naturally occurring substance found in some foods like peanuts, blueberries, red grapes, and a very small amount in red wine.   Because of its effects on longevity, many pharmacists and doctors are taking it themselves.

It all started back in 2003 when a group of researchers reported that resveratrol significantly extended the lifespan of yeast.1  The medical community and the media became extremely interested for the obvious reason that it might have the same effect in humans.  Later in the year, these same researchers demonstrated that resveratrol could also extended the lifespan of a type of worm and a type of fruit fly.2  Another scientific group showed that resveratrol increased the lifespan of a group of fish by 56%, improved their cognitive abilities and made them more active.3  Since then resveratrol has become a very popular supplement.

It will obviously take quite some time and effort to scientifically prove that resveratrol can extend human life, but we have had many of our patients try it and report back that resveratrol has made them feel more youthful. However, there are some things you should know about it, for all forms of resveratrol are not as effective.

Other Benefits of Resveratrol

Resveratrol’s benefits are not restricted to longevity. It has also been shown to lower cholesterol,4 reduce the risk of heart disease,5 and protect the heart.6 Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant, that has been shown to lower blood sugar, protect the brain and liver, and it may even prevent and reverse certain types of cancer.7,8,9,10

Resveratrol and Weight Loss

Certain French scientists were familiar with the study that showed resveratrol protected mice on a high-fat diet from obesity by improving their insulin sensitivity and increasing their metabolism. They wanted to document this same effect in primates. So they gave resveratrol to six lemurs and closely monitored them by measuring their metabolic functions. They concluded after 4 weeks that resveratrol reduced weight gain by making the lemurs feel full and increasing their metabolic rate.11  Resveratrol was even burning calories when they were not active.

Any nutrient that can make you feel full and burn calories, even when you are not exercising, would make a great weight-loss product. Resveratrol can do this and more.

Resveratrol Side Effects and Limitations

Side effects of resveratrol are rarely if ever experienced at low doses. If the dose is really high, mild stomach ache, diarrhea, insomnia, and painful joints have been reported.

A rather large limitation of resveratrol is that oral doses are not very useful to the body. When resveratrol is taken by mouth, most of it is readily metabolized or changed by the liver so the body can more easily get rid of it.12  This is called the first pass effect and it is responsible for making resveratrol capsules ineffective. Fortunately oral capsules are not the only available option.

What we sell and have seen the most benefits from is an orally-disintegrating tablet.×

It dissolves on or under the tongue in a few seconds. After a few minutes the active ingredient completely absorbs into the blood vessels within the oral mucosa. This route allows the body to deliver the nutrients to the rest of the body, before the liver has a chance to alter it.

References

  1. Howitz K, Bitterman K, Cohen H, Lamming D, Lavu S, Wood J, et al. (2003). “Small molecule activators of sirtuins extend Saccharomyces cerevisiae lifespan”. Nature 425 (6954): 191–6.
  2. Wood J, Rogina B, Lavu S, Howitz K, Sinclair D, et. al. (2004). “Sirtuin activators mimic caloric restriction and delay ageing in metazoans”. Nature 430 (7000): 686–9.
  3. Valenzano R, Terzibasi E, Genade T, Cattaneo A, Domenici L, Cellerino A. (2006). “Resveratrol Prolongs Lifespan and Retards the Onset of Age-Related Markers in a Short-Lived Vertebrate”. Current Biology 16, 296–300.
  4. Frémont L. (2000). “Biological effects of resveratrol”. Life Sciences 66(8): 663-673.
  5. Kopp P. (1998). “Resveratrol, a phytoestrogen found in red wine. A possible explanation for the conundrum of the ‘French paradox’?”. European Journal of Endocrinology 138(6): 619–20.
  6. Das DK, Maulik N (2006). “Resveratrol in cardioprotection: a therapeutic promise of alternative medicine”. Molecular Interventions 6(1): 36–47.
  7. Jang M, et al. (1997). “Cancer chemopreventative activity of resveratrol, a natural product derived from grapes.” Science 275(5297): 218-20.
  8. Baur JA, Sinclair DA. (2006). “Therapeutic potential of resveratrol: the in vivo evidence”. Nat Rev Drug Discov 5(6): 493–506.
  9. Athar M, Back JH, Tang X, et al. (2007). “Resveratrol: a review of preclinical studies for human cancer prevention”. Toxicology & Applied Pharmacology 224(3): 274–83.
  10. Li Z, Hong T, Shimada Y, Komoto I, Kawabe A, Ding Y, Kaganoi J, Hashimoto Y, Imamura M. (2002). “Suppression of N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA)-induced esophageal tumorigenesis in F344 rats by resveratrol”. Carcinogenesis 23(9): 1531–6.
  11. Dal-Pan A, Blanc S, Aujar F. (2010). “Resveratrol suppresses body mass gain in a seasonal non-human primate model of obesity”. BMC Physiology 10:11
  12. Walle T, Hsich F, DeLegge M, Oatis, J, Walle U. (2004). “High absorption but very low bioavailablity of oral resveratrol in hum

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