WHY ALL THE HYPE AROUND RESVERATROL? By Kanishk Rawat

French Paradox and its Relation with Resveratrol Specifically, it was postulated that resveratrol intake via moderate red wine consumption might help explain the fact that French people have a relatively low incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in spite of consuming foods high in saturated fat, a phenomenon dubbed the “French Paradox”

What is Resveratrol?  Resveratrol (3,4',5-trihydroxystilbene) belongs to a class of polyphenolic compounds called stilbenes  Certain plants produce resveratrol in response to stress, injury, fungal infection, or ultraviolet (UV) radiation  cis- ((Z)-resveratrol, left) and trans-resveratrol ((E)-resveratrol, right)

Sources?  Skin of grapes, blueberries, raspberries and mulberries  Red wine  Sprouted peanuts  Small amounts in Cocoa powder, baking chocolate and dark chocolate  Resveratrol supplements.

So, What’s the Hype all about? The Hype is related to all the health benefits that might occur after its consumption: 1.Disease Prevention  Heart disease: Resveratrol helps reduce inflammation, prevents the oxidation of LDL "bad" cholesterol, and makes it more difficult for platelets to stick together and form the clots that can lead to a heart attack.  Cancer: Resveratrol is thought to limit the spread of cancer cells and trigger the process of cancer cell death (apoptosis).  Alzheimer's disease: Resveratrol may protect nerve cells from damage and the build-up of plaque that can lead to Alzheimer's.

So, What’s the Hype all about?  Diabetes: Resveratrol helps prevent insulin resistance, a condition in which the body becomes less sensitive to the effects of the blood sugar-lowering hormone, insulin. Insulin resistance is a precursor to diabetes.  Longevity: Caloric restriction is known to extend the lifespan of a number of species, including yeast, worms, flies, fish, rats, and mice. Caloric restriction stimulates the activity of an enzyme known as Silent information regulator 2 protein (Sir2) or sirtuin and thus increasing their lifespan. Note: All these studies were carried on some cell cultures and animal models. There have been limited human trials and for the verification, more trials need to be done.

Side Effects  The research on resveratrol has focused on its short-term effects and has been dominated by in vitro (laboratory) studies on non-human models.  Not enough is known about the absorption and clearance of resveratrol, the identities of its metabolic products, or its effects on the liver.  Resveratrol's role as a potentiator of breast carcinomas may significantly limit its use.  Its main dietary source is red wine. Not only is its concentration in wine extremely variable, but recommending increased consumption of red wine to boost resveratrol intake could certainly do more harm than good. In spite of any beneficial aspects, red wine and other alcoholic beverages pose health risks that include liver damage and physical addiction.

Side Effects  Drug interactions: Resveratrol has been found to inhibit human platelet aggregation in vitro. Theoretically, high intakes of resveratrol (i.e., from supplements) could increase the risk of bruising and bleeding when taken with anticoagulant drugs, such as warfarin (Coumadin) and heparin; antiplatelet drugs, such as clopidogrel (Plavix) and dipyridamole (Persantine); and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin, ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen, and others.  Like other supplements, resveratrol isn't regulated by the FDA, so it's difficult for consumers to know exactly what they're getting when they buy a bottle, or whether the product is actually effective. There also isn't any specific dosage recommendation, and dosages can vary from supplement to supplement.

Conclusions Only human clinical trials can determine whether supplementation is useful for humans. Most clinical trials of other antioxidants have failed to demonstrate the benefits suggested by preliminary studies. Prior to 2010, resveratrol had not been tested in clinical trials. Since that time there have been some, most of which were small, short-term (a year of less), and designed to evaluate possible therapeutic effects rather than disease-preventive effects. A trial to evaluate preventive effects would need to be large and lengthy and would therefore be extremely expensive. My advice is to ignore the hype surrounding resveratrol and eat a balanced diet that contains adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables.