What is resveratrol?
Resveratrol is most commonly known for being one of the healthy compounds in red wine.
It has been demonstrated through scientific studies that resveratrol has a number of beneficial effects on our health.
1. Antioxidant
2. Protects the heart and cardiovascular system
3. Is showing promise as an anti-aging compound
4. Anti-Diabetic effects
5. Prevents some types of cancer
6. Protects the skin
7. Anti-inflammatory
8. Neuroprotective or in other words it protects the brain
9. Trans-resveratrol increases testosterone levels
10. Has Antiviral effects
11. Reduces opioid tolerance
Resveratrol in Further Detail
Antioxidant – Body needs oxygen for metabolism but natural byproduct is free radicals that attack tissue and dna. Resveratrol acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing or stopping free radicals from causing our bodies damage.
Heart – Increases NO (nitric oxide) production which relaxes your arteries and blood vessels causing a drop in blood pressure and better blood flow throughout your body. This increases nutrient absorption, sexual function and overall health. It also prevents against platelet aggregation that causes blood clots. Clots can be dislodged resulting in heart attack (aka MI or myocardial infarction) or stroke (aka TIA or transient ischemic attack).
Anti-aging – Besides its antioxidant properties we discussed it also activates a group of proteins recently discovered, called the sirtuins, that have a profound effect on anti-aging. Resveratrol activates these anti-aging proteins.
Anti-diabetic – Resveratrol has been shown to decrease blood sugar levels after meals, increase insulin sensitivity and decrease common diabetic symptoms such as polyphagia (which is excessive hunger) and polydipsia (which is excessive thirst) and body weight loss (decrease in muscle, increase in gut).
Cancer – In lab studies involving mice, melanomas were prevented by topically treating the skin with resveratrol. Taking resveratrol by mouth did not afford the same protection. Perhaps the the stomach acid and digestive enzymes inactivates the anti-cancer ability of resveratrol or perhaps the concentration of resveratrol becomes to dilute. High concentrations directly to the affected area seem to be necessary. The same was shown with lung cancer. If taken orally resveratrol did not protect against cancer but if it was administered into the peritoneum or body cavity than it did afford this protection.
Skin – It protects the skin against harmful UVB exposure effects. It is starting to be used in beauty products. In a research study published in Experimental Dermatology the use of resveratrol and metformin protected against collagen degradation due to UV radiation.
Neuroprotective – Reduces beta-amyloid plaques or accumulations that result in Alzheimer’s disease.
Testosterone – Trans-resveratrol increases testosterone and has recently begun to be marketed in bodybuilding supplements.
Antiviral – Without any irritation or toxicity to the skin, resveratrol, when applied to the affected area, stops the virus from replicating. It has also been shown to enhance the effects of traditionally prescribed anti-HIV drugs. It has been shown to inhibit the growth of herpes, HIV, varicella-zoster, influenza and HCV (human cytomegalovirus).
Opioid reduction – When injected into the spinal column of opioid addicted lab animals the dependence on opioids such as heroin or morphine were alleviated.
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