Resveratrol

What if you could have a longer, healthier life?

Science is now uncovering nature's longevity secrets, locked away inside plant molecules. Over 750 scientific studies have demonstrated the health-promoting properties of a special plant compound called resveratrol. A recent landmark study (2003) demonstrated that resveratrol was able to extend the life span of yeast cells by an incredible 60-80%. These life extending results are believed to be applicable to humans since both yeast and humans have the same type of longevity gene.

Pub Med Research from the National Library of Medicine reported studies on Resveratrol by the Department of Pharmaceutical Studies, St. John's University, New York. These studies show resveratrol induces antioxidants, which significantly builds resistance to oxidative cell injury from free radicals. Further scientific studies quoted in the 2004 Life Extension Foundation's Collector's Edition, show that resveratrol has powerful effects against cardiovascular disease, cancer, inflammatory disorders, and other age-related illnesses.

Reversing DNA Mistakes

Other scientific research demonstrates that resveratrol is able to deeply affect the center of a living cell's nucleus to provide significant antioxidant protection as well as increasing cellular longevity.

Resveratrol activates an enzyme that prolongs the life of a cell, allowing more time for the cell to repair its DNA. A primary cause of aging, and ultimately death, is the gradual loss of the ability of older cells to precisely replicate their own DNA in every new cell. As little pieces of unusable DNA fragments accumulate, this garbled DNA debris eventually halts the cell's proper functioning. This clogging of the cell with DNA “trash” finally leads to the cell's deterioration and death. However, resveratrol is able to reduce the amount of DNA debris by an unprecedented 60% through its ability to stimulate the longevity gene. This is why resveratrol represents a giant step forward in slowing the aging process.

Cardiovascular Protection

Over the past decade interest in resveratrol research has exploded because of its great potential for reversing so many diseases, including the prevention of cardiovascular disease and because it has shown an almost non-existent toxicity at any dose. This is the perfect winning combination to battle chronic illness: remarkable effectiveness and high safety.

Reversing Arterial Damage

Years of free radical damage can lead to thickening and hardening of the arteries. In a study published in Free Radical Research (2000) resveratrol was tested against vitamin E and a synthetic antioxidant. Resveratrol provided the best antioxidant defense for the arteries. In fact, resveratrol was able to halt free radical damage and open abnormally narrowed arterial passageways.

Increasing Nitric Oxide - The “Viagra Effect”

Nitric oxide production is a vital component of healthy heart and arterial function. Nitric oxide naturally dilates blood vessels to improve blood flow. In a 2003 study, published in the International Journal of Molecular Medicine, a high cholesterol diet was shown to decrease nitric oxide by about 33%. Adding resveratrol significantly reversed the decrease of nitric oxide, acting similar to the drug, Viagra. However, Viagra's action affects only small blood vessels while resveratrol is able to affect both the small as well as the main arteries. Resveratrol can also inhibit red blood cell platelet adhesion and blood vessel constriction to produce an even more profound circulatory effect!

Protecting the Brain

New research shows that literally all chronic brain concerns, such as Alzheimer's, are driven by an ever increasing attack by free radicals. Free radicals steadily escalate their attack, feeding on one another until they kill the cell. Unchecked, this process can lead to rapid neurodegeneration. Studies show that resveratrol may be a key compound that can halt this process.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects

Recent cover stories in Time and other national news publications have quoted studies that list inflammation as one of the leading causes of major diseases. Recent Chinese research has shown that resveratrol is able to reverse the inflammatory response.

Anti-Stroke Effects

Resveratrol has been shown to inhibit specific enzymes that change the way cells respond to injury. Therefore, taking resveratrol could mean a protective effect against stroke. Another study demonstrated that rodents which were pretreated for 21 days with resveratrol had significantly less brain damage after a stroke was initiated.

Anti-Cancer Effects

Scientific research shows resveratrol not only prevents cancer, but it has been proposed as an additional treatment for cancer. This is because resveratrol has been shown to slow or halt certain stages of cancer.

Resveratrol can inhibit cancer in a number of ways: it can block estrogen and androgen uptake (whether the cancer cells are estrogen receptor positive or negative); it can modulate gene expression; and it can cause cancer cell death by deacetylation. In Austria, elaborate studies have shown that resveratrol also blocks the ability of cancer to metastasize.

Halting Cancer Without Harm

Resveratrol has been shown effective against a wide range of cancers, both during the preventative and treatment stages. This is connected to resveratrol's ability to distinguish a cancer cell from a normal cell. Chemo-therapeutic drugs are not specific in their action, and they harm healthy cells in the body as well as cancer cells. In contrast, resveratrol does not damage healthy cells, but protects them while deactivating the cancer cells.

Studies have demonstrated that resveratrol produces a striking effect on cancer-related genes. Among other effects, resveratrol activates tumor suppressor genes and genes that detoxify chemicals. It also suppresses genes that enable cancer cells to communicate with each other. Resveratrol activates the same anti-cancer gene that is activated by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), but without the toxic side effects. In one study, resveratrol emerged as the most powerful anti-cancer agent from 22 compounds that were subjected to a battery of tests, including resveratrol's ability to scavenge free radicals and counteract carcinogens.

Prostate Cancer

Resveratrol has been shown to decrease an elevated PSA (prostate-specific antigen) in cancer cells. In one study, only four days of treatment with resveratrol reduced PSA levels by 80%.

Resveratrol's significant nutritional values also include being able to quench free radicals, activate critical enzymes, activate genes and hormones, and protect the cell's DNA.

Resveratrol is best taken orally as a liquid. Taking resveratrol as a liquid vastly improves cellular bio-availability (absorption). It is best to sip the liquid over a few minutes rather than drinking it down quickly. Slow sipping is important because it maximizes the absorption directly into the blood circulation which predominantly bypasses the liver.