A pilot study confirmed the benefits of resveratrol
Resveratrol, a polyphenol that is part of the peel of red grapes and, accordingly, red wine, is known not only for its antifungal action. It is believed that this compound is the basis of the so-called "French paradox", described in 1992 by Dr. Serge Renaud from the University of Bordeaux. The paradox lies in the fact that the population of France, eating a relatively fat-rich diet and consuming a large amount of wine, is characterized by an unexpectedly low incidence of obesity and cardiovascular diseases.
The results of a number of studies attribute to resveratrol antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as the ability to improve the state of the cardiovascular system, alleviate the symptoms of diabetes, increase the efficiency of energy consumption and protect against Alzheimer's disease.
Resveratrol aroused great interest in the scientific community, which, however, was overshadowed by doubts about a number of miraculous effects of this compound, which arose recently due to the revealed falsification of results published by the director of the Center for Cardiovascular Research at the University of Connecticut for seven years. However, the study of the beneficial properties of resveratrol continues and the results of new work are likely to be checked more scrupulously than ever.
Another (so far – estimated) clinical study of a food additive containing resveratrol produced by Biotivia was conducted by scientists from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York) under the leadership of the same Neil Barzilai (Nir Barzilai), who two years ago said (if the TV people did not misinterpret his words with skillful editing) that in three years "the pill from old age" will appear on the shelves of pharmacies.
The study involved 10 patients aged 73 ± 3 years, suffering from age-related glucose intolerance. For 4 weeks, they took 1, 1.5 or 2 grams of resveratrol daily.
Processing of the obtained results showed that resveratrol significantly and significantly reduced blood glucose levels after meals compared to the baseline values. An increase in the sensitivity of patients' tissues to insulin was also demonstrated. However, at the same time, no changes in body weight, blood pressure and lipid concentration in the blood were observed in patients. (Specific figures can be seen in the summary of the article by Crandall et al. Pilot Study of Resveratrol in Older Adults With Impaired Glucose Tolerance, published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series A.)
The researchers also failed to find differences between the severity of the effects exerted by different concentrations of resveratrol. They believe that this is due to the narrow range of tested dosages. It should also be noted that taking the drug was well tolerated by all patients.
In general, the results obtained indicate that resveratrol is a potential therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of common age-related metabolic pathology. However, the researchers warn that the interpretation of the results should be carried out with caution, since the study was conducted with the participation of a very limited number of patients, without a control group and the so-called "double-blind method" necessary in such cases. They plan to conduct more extensive and long-term clinical trials according to all the rules of evidence-based medicine, which will not only more accurately assess the effectiveness of the supplement, but also properly check its safety.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on NutraIngredients: Resveratrol: Pilot study supports cardio-metabolic benefits.
26.01.2012