Does Resveratrol Slow Down The Diseases Of Aging?

Resveratrol, a natural antioxidant, is derived from grapes, peanuts and some berries. A great deal of research at Harvard University has identified resveratrol as an anti-aging compound. It prolongs lifespan and delays the onset of several age-related diseases, including diabetes and cancer. Nevertheless, you should not take resveratrol supplements without first consulting your doctor.

Eye Disease

Vision researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis demonstrated that treatment of mouse retinas with resveratrol can inhibit new blood-vessel growth and retard the rate of development of age-related eye disease. The formation of new blood vessels, or angiogenesis, exacerbates complications in many age-related eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration. This protective effect of resveratrol can be explained from a special biochemical pathway called eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase, according to Dr. Rajendra S. Apte, a senior investigator at Washington University.

Age-Related Diabetes

Investigators at Harvard Medical School and the National Institutes of Health showed that treating mice with resveratrol increases life span and inhibits the progression of diabetes through alternation of gene expression patterns. It has been found that resveratrol exerts its effects on lifespan by activating human Sir2 enzyme, which is the key determinant of life expectancy, according to David Sinclair, an HMS associate professor of pathology.

Cancer

The antioxidant resveratrol can also inhibit cancer, a disease of aging, according to David Sinclair. Scientists at the University of Virginia identified the molecular mechanism responsible for the antitumor activity of resveratrol. It has been found that resveratrol blocks the protein NF-kB, which protects cancer cells from apoptosis. Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, destroys cancer cells without harming normal cells.

Therapeutic Dosages

Resveratrol's optimal dose to achieve these positive health benefits is uncertain. Investigators at Stanford University have found that drinking an average of one to three glass of red wine daily may be enough to yield clinical benefits. The amount of resveratrol in any bottle of red wine bottle can vary widely, from 0.2 to 5.8 mg/L.