Resveratrol

About Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a stilbene polyphenol produced by plants such as grapevines and peanuts as a phytoalexin in response to injury, ultraviolet light and fungal infection. It drew attention as a possible explanation of the French paradox, the observation that French people had relatively low rates of heart disease despite a diet rich in saturated fat, which some attributed to red wine. Laboratory work suggested it activates sirtuin 1, an NAD dependent deacetylase linked to stress resistance, and mimics some effects of calorie restriction, though direct sirtuin activation has been disputed. A 2006 study in Nature reported improved survival in mice fed a high calorie diet, but the NIA Interventions Testing Program later found no lifespan extension in normal mice. Human trials of blood pressure, glucose control and inflammation show modest and inconsistent results. Bioavailability is very low because resveratrol is rapidly metabolized, and red wine contains little of it. Pterostilbene is a related compound under study, and long term safety of high dose supplements is not established.