Resveratrol and Blood Clots

Another exciting area of resveratrol study is its anti-platelet potential that it posses.  Scientists are finding that resveratrol almost acts as an all natural blood thinner to the body.

So what exactly are platelets anyway? When the inner lining of an artery is damaged, the body sends platelets to heal the damage.  Platelets plug leaks in the circulatory system by causing the blood to clot.  Blood’s ability to clot is an essential function that is necessary for human survival, however not all blood clots are good.  Blood clots or thrombi that form inside of a blood vessel can be deadly.  When a blood clot within a coronary artery cuts off blood flow to the heart, the result is a heart attack.  When a blood clot interrupts blood flow to the brain, the result is often a stroke.

In one study, published in the International Journal of Molecular Medicine, researchers gave healthy male subjects a blood-clotting factor along with high doses of trans-resveratrol. They found that trans-resveratrol prevented their blood platelets from sticking together also called platelet aggregation.  Not only does this help your heart – it also prevents strokes.