Anti-Aging, Resveratrol and You
by Roberta Lee, MD (topic expert: health)

Each season a new supplement or chemical in a food stars as remedy that will keep at bay the affect that Father Time has on our bodies. We walk, run, take our medicine and our anti-wrinkle creams that are supposed to reverse or prevent aging. Today the wonder compound is resveratrol. What is it? Why does it interest so many scientists? And more importantly to us - is it worth considering as a supplement or additional food source in our diet?

Resveratrol first came to public attention when scientists noted that mortality from heart disease was lower in France as compared to other Westernized countries -- despite consumption of high fat foods and cigarette smoking. Further investigation of this puzzling observation -- led to the idea that regular consumption of red wine might provide additional protection from cardiovascular disease. This later became identified as "The French Paradox." Eventually, wine was analyzed and identified to have a very high content of antioxidants known as polyphenols and in particular rich in resveratrol.

Resveratrol is a compound known as a stilbene which is a particular type of antioxidant that many plants produce to protect them selves against environmental stress. This compound is very effective in reducing inflammation, preventing cells from becoming malignant or precancerous. In humans, it may actually suppress the cellular divisions that are responsible for aging.

Foods rich in resveratrol include: grapes, wine, grape juice, peanuts, and berries of Vaccinum species, including blueberries, bilberries, and cranberries Resveratrol is found only in the skins of grapes. The amount of resveratrol in grape skins varies with the grape cultivar, its geographic origin, and exposure to fungal infection.

The amount of fermentation time a wine spends in contact with grape skins is an important determinant of its resveratrol content. Thus, white wines contain less resveratrol than red wines. Red or purple grape juices may also be good sources of resveratrol. Red wine is a relatively rich source of resveratrol, but other polyphenols ( antioxidants ) are also found in red wine that may be beneficial to our health.

Many resveratrol supplements found in the U.S. contain extracts of the root of Polygonum cuspidatum, also known as Hu Zhang although red grape extracts containing resveratrol and other polyphenols are also available supplements.The effective doses for chronic disease prevention in humans are not known however, resveratrol supplements found in your health food store contain anywhere from 10-50 mg of resveratrol.

Resveratrol is not known to be toxic or cause adverse effects in humans. A trial evaluated the safety of oral resveratrol in ten subjects and found a single dose up to 5 grams resulted in no serious adverse effects In rats, daily oral administration of trans-resveratrol at doses up to 300 mg/kg of body weight for four weeks resulted in no apparent adverse effects.

The bottom line: Drink and enjoy in modest amounts a glass of red wine or purple grape juice. Consume other foods with resveratrol ( peanut butter and red grapes) and keep walking !

The approximate resveratrol content of some beverages and foods are listed in the tables below. Note that the resveratrol content of foods and beverages can vary considerably.

Source: Linus Pauling Institute web site: http/www.lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/phytochemicals/resveratrol/