Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Resveratrol has been linked with heart health since the 1970′s. Now a study has been released suggesting that resveratrol may also improve cognitive function in more mature adults.

The study included adults with no known cognitive dysfunction. For a period of 90 days, they took either 300 mg of resveratrol, 1000 mg of resveratrol or a placebo daily.

The researchers found that the 1000 mg dose increased the participant’s processing speed and also increased blood flow to the brain. They posited that these effects could lead to better long-term memory.

The researchers were based at The University of Florida and presented their results at The Gerontological Society of America, which took place from November 14 to 18, 2012.

Previous studies have shown resveratrol to be a powerful antioxidant with health benefits that include increasing energy levels, lowering cholesterol, improving brain health, reducing the appearance of aging, lowering the risk of lung cancer, improving metabolism, regulating blood glucose levels in diabetics and improving liver function.

This antioxidant can be found in red wine, grapes, grape seed extract, and peanuts. A glass of red wine a day can provide a good amount of resveratrol, but excess drinking will reverse the positive health benefits. Another good way to get resveratrol is through a high quality supplement.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

A newly released study suggests that taking a resveratrol supplement may increase flow mediated dilation (FMD) by 23%. FMD measures the ability of an artery to contract as blood flows through it – the higher your FMD, the better.

Resveratrol is the powerful antioxidant found in red wine and is the force behind the “French paradox,” which describes the low incidence of heart disease and obesity among the French, despite their relatively high-fat diet and levels of wine consumption.

The study included 28 individuals who were obese and had mild hypertension. They received either 75mg of resveratrol or a placebo daily for six weeks. Following that, the groups switched interventions for another six weeks.

The participants were assessed by BMI, blood pressure and FMD throughout the study. While the effects on FMD were very positive, the researchers noted no effects on blood pressure or BMI, which are other factors that can potentially affect heart disease.

The study was conducted at the University of South Australia and presented at the 24th Scientific Meeting of the International Society of Hypertension the week of September 30th, 2012.

Resveratrol has been the subject of a number of studies recently that have shown it to be a powerful antioxidant with health benefits that include increasing energy levels, lowering cholesterol, improving brain health, reducing the appearance of aging, lowering the risk of lung cancer, improving metabolism, regulating blood glucose levels in diabetics and improving liver function.

This antioxidant can be found in red wine, grapes, grape seed extract, and peanuts. A glass of red wine a day can provide a good amount of resveratrol, but excess drinking will reverse the positive health benefits. Another good way to get resveratrol is through a high quality supplement.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Three months of oral supplementation with resveratrol helped diabetics in a recent study regulate their blood sugar and lower their blood pressure.

Participants in the study included 62 adults with diagnoses of type-2 diabetes mellitus. Over the course of three months, half of the group took 250 mg per day of resveratrol along with their normal hypoglycemic agents. The other half of the group took only their normal hypoglycemic agents.

At the conclusion of the study, the resveratrol group had average hemoglobin A1c levels of 9.65, while the control group had levels of 9.99. The higher the hemoglobin A1c level, the higher the risk of developing complications from diabetes.

The resveratrol group also recorded systolic blood pressure levels of 127.92 mmHg, significantly lower than the 139.71 mmHg recorded in the control group. Additionally, significant improvements were seen in total cholesterol and total protein levels in the resveratrol group, but not in the control group.

The study was conducted by researchers at the JSS College of Pharmacy in Tamilnadu, India. Their results were published online ahead of print on July 30, 2012, in the journal Nutrition Research.

Resveratrol has been the subject of a number of studies recently that have shown it to be a powerful antioxidant with health benefits that include increasing energy levels, lowering cholesterol, improving brain health, reducing the appearance of aging, lowering the risk of lung cancer, improving metabolism, regulating blood glucose levels in diabetics and improving liver function.

This powerful antioxidant can be found in red wine, grapes, grape seed extract, and peanuts. A glass of red wine a day can provide a good amount of resveratrol, but excess drinking will reverse the positive health benefits. Another good way to get resveratrol is through a high quality supplement.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

For the first time ever, a study has found that the polyphenols found in red wine may have prebiotic benefits and promote positive gut bacteria.

The researchers were based at the University of Barcelona and their results will be published in the June 2012 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Participants in the trial included 10 healthy adult males. For the first 15 days of the trial, the men were not allowed to drink any alcoholic beverage. Following that washout period, the men were assigned to consume either 9 oz. of de-alcoholized red wine, 9 oz. of red wine or 3.5 oz. of gin per day for 20 days.

Each of the men participated in all three interventions and the researchers took fecal samples to determine the effects of the beverages on gut microbial populations. All three of the beverages resulted in increased gut microbes, but the red wine interventions resulted in the greatest variety of bacteria.

Additionally higher concentrations of bifidobacteria were noted in the red wine groups. Bifidobacteria has been previously associated with lower levels of cholesterol and C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP is a marker of inflammation and a predictor of cardiovascular disease.

Red wine polyphenols have powerful antioxidant properties and have been associated with numerous health benefits. These include improving heart health, reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s, reducing cholesterol and inflammation and destroying free radicals.

It’s important to drink moderately, as high consumption of alcohol can reverse any health benefits received. A high quality supplement is a good alternative is you do not wish to consume red wine.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

Do you have a glass of wine with dinner because of the heart health benefits of resveratrol? If so, you may be on the right track. A study has been released that suggests resveratrol in combination with statins could reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

The researchers for this study were based at the Research Group on Quality, Safety, and Bioactivity of Plant Foods in Spain. Their results were published online ahead of print on April 19, 2012, in The American Journal of Cardiology.

75 participants were recruited for the triple-blinded, randomized, parallel, dose-response, placebo-controlled, follow-up study. All of the participants were at high risk of CVD and taking statins.

They were placed into one of three intervention groups: a placebo, a grape supplement enriched with 8 mg of resveratrol, and a grape supplement without resveratrol enrichment. The initial intervention lasted for 6 months and then the participants took double the initial dosage for another 6 months.

At the end of the study, only the resveratrol enriched supplement group showed reduced levels of C-reactive protein (26%), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (19.8%), and lasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (16.8%), all markers of inflammation. The enriched group also showed a 20% increase of the anti-inflammatory interleukin-10.

Resveratrol has been the subject of a number of studies recently that have shown it to be a powerful antioxidant with health benefits that include increasing energy levels, lowering cholesterol, better brain health, reducing the appearance of aging, lower risk of lung cancer, improving metabolism, regulating blood glucose levels in diabetics and improved liver function.

This powerful antioxidant can be found in red wine, grapes, grape seed extract, and peanuts. A glass of red wine a day can provide a good amount of resveratrol, but excess drinking will reverse the positive health benefits. Another good way to get resveratrol is through a high quality supplement

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Studies have shown that resveratrol offers many health benefits, including lowering cholesterol, improved liver function and better brain health. A study published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series A on January 4, 2012 suggests that this powerful antioxidant may also help reduce blood sugar spikes after eating and improve insulin sensitivity.

The Albert Einstein School of Medicine based researchers recruited 10 adults with an average age of 72. All of the participants had age-related glucose intolerance. A decline in glucose tolerance is most prominent after the age of 60, as people tend to gain more weight and become less fit and more sedentary as they age.

The participants were split into three groups and assigned to take different amounts of resveratrol daily for four weeks:

• One group consumed 1 gram daily

• The second group consumed 1.5 grams daily

• The third group consumed 2 grams daily

At the conclusion of the study, the researchers noted that sugar spikes were much lower after eating for all three groups when compared to the baseline data. Insulin sensitivity was also noticeably improved across the board. Improved insulin sensitivity means the body is better able to process glucose.

The researchers were careful to note that this was a pilot study and that larger, double-blind studies need to be conducted to conclusively determine the effect of resveratrol on metabolism and vascular function.

Resveratrol has been linked to numerous health benefits. These include increasing energy levels, better brain health, lower risk of lung cancer, improving metabolism, and improved liver function.

Resveratrol can be found in red wine, grapes, grape seed extract, and peanuts. A glass of red wine a day can provide a good amount of resveratrol, but excess drinking will reverse the positive health benefits. Another good way to get resveratrol is through a high quality supplement.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Having a glass of wine with dinner may help protect you from breast cancer, according to a new study from researchers at the Cedars-Sinai Research Institute, USA. The findings were published in the Journal of Women’s Health online ahead of print on December 7, 2011.

Previous studies have shown that red wine acts as an aromatase inhibitor (AI) in postmenopausal women, meaning it interferes with the conversion of testosterone to estrogen, providing a protective benefit. The researchers wanted to see if red wine would act as an AI in premenopausal women as well.

Participants in the study included 36 premenopausal women with a mean age of 36. For one month, half of the women consumed 8 ounces of red wine daily and the other half consumed 8 ounces of white wine daily. They were then assigned the opposite for the following month.

Blood samples were taken twice during the month, at the beginning and the end of the participants’ menstrual cycle. The researchers tested the levels of various hormones in the blood to evaluate changes in estrogen levels.

The hormone levels in the blood—particularly higher free testosterone levels and lower sex hormone binding globulin—suggested to the researchers that the chemicals found in red wine may inhibit the production of estrogen and possibly help prevent the development of breast cancer.

White wine was found to have similar effects, however on a much smaller scale.

This is not the first study suggesting that red wine may be beneficial to your health. Red wine has also been linked with weight loss and possible extension of life expectancy. Be careful not to drink more than 10 oz a day, as the negative effects of drinking will outweigh the benefits.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

Resveratrol – the antioxidant found in red wine – may be as effective for improving energy metabolism as reducing caloric intake, according to a new study from researchers at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. The study was published in Cell Metabolism on October 27, 2011.

The study included 11 obese men who consumed either 150 ml of resveratrol or a placebo daily for 30 days. At the end of those thirty days, the researchers performed no interventions for four weeks and then repeated the test with the original placebo group taking the supplement and the supplement taking the placebo.

The researchers measured metabolic rate, fat storage, fat burning, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure throughout the study. At the conclusion they found that resveratrol resulted in lowered total calorie expenditure and better measures of metabolism and overall health.

Specifically, they noted lower insulin levels, lower blood glucose, less fat in the liver, enhanced mitochondrial function, and lower markers of inflammation. They also observed that the supplement group showed less energy expenditure during sleep, which means their bodies were working more efficiently. This is also seen when a person is on a calorie restricted diet.

Resveratrol has been the subject of a number of studies recently that have shown it to be a powerful antioxidant with many health benefits. These include increasing energy levels, regulating blood glucose levels in diabetics, better brain health, lower risk of lung cancer, improving metabolism, and improved liver function.

This powerful antioxidant can be found in red wine, grapes, grape seed extract, and peanuts. A glass of red wine a day can provide a good amount of resveratrol, but excess drinking will reverse the positive health benefits. Another good way to get resveratol is through a high quality supplement.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

A study published July 27, 2011 in Food Research International suggests that consuming omega-3′s and red wine together could increase the heart health benefits of omega-3′s.

Researchers at the University of Milan tested the effect of red wine polyphenols on the oxidation of omega-3 fatty acids. Specifically, they examined archidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docohexaenoic acids (DHA); fatty acids that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects.

They found that the red wine polyphenols protected the fatty acids in human plasma from breaking down in the body. A greater effect was observed on the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA than on the omega-6 fatty acid AA.

The researchers believe that the protective effect of red wine polyphenols on omega-3 fatty acids explains the link between red wine consumption and lower fatalities from cardiovascular disease. They concluded that drinking red wine in moderation (up to 10 oz daily) while taking omega-3 fatty acids may help protect against cardiovascular disease.

Red wine has also been linked with weight loss and possible extension of life expectancy. Red wine polyphenols can also be found in grapes and other fruits. Be careful not to drink more than 10 oz a day, as the negative effects of drinking will outweigh the benefits.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to have numerous health benefits, including warding off age-related cognitive decline, reducing the risk of age-related vision loss, and preventing heart failure. These essential nutrients can be found in darker fish (such as salmon or tuna), or can be obtained from a high quality supplement.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

While the numerous negative effects of excessive alcohol consumption have been extensively documented, a comprehensive review of recent research shows that a glass or two of wine may actually ease the effects of aging.

Researchers at the University of Florida published their findings on June 20, 2011 in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.

The active compound in red wine believed to create positive health effects is called resveratrol. Resveratrol is a polyphenol, which is a naturally occurring plant antibiotic. Animal studies have shown that resveratrol may prevent the growth of some cancers in mice, ease inflammation, and reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases.

One of the major ways resveratrol is believed to improve health is through its function as an antioxidant. Oxidation in your body creates free radicals which can cause instability to cells in your body, accelerating the aging process. As an antioxidant, resveratrol helps suppress free radicals.

This review looked at research conducted in laboratories on enzymes, cultured cells, and animals. The review of the research suggests that similar positive effects will probably be found in humans. The researchers hope that their review will guide future human studies.

The best dietary source of resveratrol is red wine, but it can also be found in grapes and other fruits. Resveratrol supplements are abundant but be sure to make sure your resveratrol is at least 99% pure resveratrol.