What is Resveratrol?

If you're interested in anti aging, then you would have heard of resveratrol. But what is resveratrol and how is it anti aging? We're about to find out in this discussion of one of the most popular anti aging supplements available today. Since its review on 60 Minutes, Oprah, ABC News and the New York TImes, this compound has recieved a lot of attention from the media and physicians alike.

What is resveratrol?

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring chemical found in plants. For the plant, it is a natural antibiotic that wards off bacteria and fungus. It occurs in high concentration in red grapes, red wine and even peanuts. This compound acts like a protective antioxidant and it sproduction is increased in these plants at times of stress. The naturally occuring resveratrol has been used traditionally by the Japanese and Chinese for its healing effects.

What are resveratrol supplements made from?

Some resveratrol supplements are created from the Japanese Knotweed, the most abundant source of resveratrol, while others come from red wine known as 'red wine pills.' Resveratrol has become a popular search item on the internet and a frequently discussed supplement in the medical community as more and more studies show that it has positive health benefits.

How is resveratrol related to the French Paradox?

This compound was discovered by researchers looking into the "French Paradox." French people tend to consume unhealthy, fatty foods and consume quite a bit of wine yet they live longer, healthier lives. The researchers began analysing their diet and stumbled up rersveratrol and its effects on specific genes common to all animals. Resveratrol’s mechanism in this case is to turn on the "survival gene" as would a calorie restrictive diet.

Resveratrol research

In scientific tests on animals, resveratrol has been proven to extend the life of the tested animals. In other tests, resveratrol has been shown to prevent death due to high-fat diets, effective as a cancer preventer and enhanced athletic performance. In mice studies by David Sinclair of Harvard, longevity was increased and the risk of death was reduced by 31%. Furthermore, there is research showing that Alzheimer like symptoms in rats are lowered with a resveratrol regiment and there is some evidence that resveratrol can offer protection from radiation exposure.

Human research studies

Currently, there are a number of human trials going on to try to prove that some of these benefits found in animals transfer over to humans. So far, the research is quite positive. However, the research is showing that for cancer prevention, large oral doses of resveratrol are needed to achieve a high enough blood concentration to be effective. Buccal delivery, or not swallowing and allowing the interior of the mouth absorb the supplement works better at achieving the blood concentrations needed. Furthermore, Sitris, a company headed by Dr David Sinclair, is researching the effects of resveratrol on diabetes and so far has shown success in reducing glucose levels.

Resveratrol and longevity

There have been a number of recent news reports on resveratrol. Both 60-minutes and Oprah have featured articles about this ground breaking supplement. Both articles tout that overall, Resveratrol could legitimately become the elusive fountain of youth. In Oprah’s interview with Dr. Oz, he claims that living to 125 will be doable for people alive now by combining some diet and exercise with concentrated Resveratrol capsules.

Resveratrol supplements on the market

Resveratrol is available in pill form from a number of companies such as RevGenetics, Longevinex and ResV Pro. The concentration per pill ranges from fifty to one thousand milligram capsules. It is also available in a liquid or powder form. Prices range from six dollars a bottle to over a hundred dollars, depending on brand, purity, source of resveratrol and other factors. Japanese Knotweed can be purchased as a raw herb as well and is 14% Reservatrol by weight. With the increasing popularity of this substance and advancing technology of cultivating and harvesting sources of resveratrol, it is expected that supplements will become more prevalent and price for such will decrease.

So as you can see, resveratrol has promise when it comes to longevity and healthy aging. Resveratrol is of great promise when it comes to antiaging, anti cancer, cardioprotective and anti aging effects on humans. So if you're interested in looking and feeling younger, then resveratrol may be the most important discovery in the past decade that you can know about.

Want to find out more about resveratrol and its anti aging benefits? Then see Matt Anderson's review site which reviews the resveratrol supplements including how to get a trial offer to see the results for yourself. See this review and see the results for yourself right away.