Scientists believe that in finding resveratrol they may have discovered one of the most powerful antioxidants known to man today. Resveratrol gets its antioxidant free radical fighting properties from red wine, grapes, peanuts and several other plants and foods.

There have been numerous studies done in the past 20 years that is giving more and more proof to the antioxidant abilities of the new wonder drug resveratrol.

• Researchers at the University of Illinois discovered during the 1990s how resveratrol was beneficial to cardiovascular health – an initial claim to its antioxidant and free radical fighting capabilities. Studies then conducted in 2000 indicated that the resveratrol contained in red wine lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attack – further evidence to its antioxidant and free radical fighting ability.
• More recently, Chinese researchers gave resveratrol to mice injected with genes that promote Alzheimer plaques, causing heightened mental response and performance from the rodents used in the antioxidant, free radical fighting experiment.
• In another antioxidant, free radical fighting experiment conducted by Harvard researchers, resveratrol was added to the diets of obese mice, causing them to live 31 percent longer than a control group not given the resveratrol antioxidant free radical fighting compound.
• In November 2006, French studies demonstrated that adding resveratrol to the diet of rodents increased the rodent’s endurance level by 100 percent.

Antibiotic therapy has proven to be effective at providing initial relief from H. pylori, however resistance can develop over time and relapse can occur.  For this reason science has turned to some natural plant extracts for their anti-H pylori abilities such as garlic, broccoli, cranberries, green tea and most recently resveratrol.

A recent in vitro study done by researchers at Clemson University put resveratrol’s anti-bacterial abilities against the H. pylori bacteria to test.  Following a 24 hour treatment results showed that resveratrol (particularly in the muscadine grape seed) had by far the highest anti-H. pylori effect.  The results of this study are very promising in the area of intestinal health however future studies are necessary to help clarify resveratrol’s role in preventing diseases associated with the H. pylori bacteria.

The Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology in Illkirch, France recently conducted an animal study to determine whether or not high doses of resveratrol in mice would impact their endurance during exercise.  The results of this fascinating study were published online in the journal Cell.

In the study, the mice were fed a high-fat diet and given up to 400mg of resveratrol per kilogram of body weight prior to an exercise test.  A typical lab mouse can run roughly one kilometer on a treadmill before collapsing from exhaustion. During the study, however, the mice that were given the resveratrol supplements were able to run twice the distance of the mice that were not given resveratrol.  The resveratrol-supplemented mice were also found to have energy-charged muscles and a much lower heart rate.

Dr. Johan Auwerx, who headed this study said, “Resveratrol made the mice perform like trained athletes, without the training.”

The study also determined that one of the reasons why resveratrol is highly effective in boosting muscle endurance is because more mitochondria were present in the muscles of the resveratrol-supplemented mice. Mitochondria are known as the “powerhouses of cells” – they are very small organelles that are responsible for transporting energy to the cells.  When more mitochondria are present in muscle tissue, more fat can be converted into energy. Consequently, less fat is stored. Dr. Auwerx posits that resveratrol might activate sirtuin genes in the body. The sirtuin genes then activate a substance known as PGC1-alpha, which in turn stimulates the muscles to produce more mitochondria.  As a result, the muscles of the resveratrol-supplemented mice in the study had characteristics similar to those of trained athletes, without any of the training typically required of such characteristics.

The study also showed, however, that when the mice were given low doses of resveratrol, the sirtuin gene was not activated. While the study concluded that humans would have to drink hundreds of glasses of wine each day to get the equivalent level of resveratrol that was administered to the lab mice in the study, the recent introduction of highly concentrated resveratrol daily supplements has many people excited about the possibilities.

“This compound (resveratrol) could have many applications, including the treatment of obesity and diabetes. It may also improve endurance and help the frail,” said Dr. Auwerx.

Dr. Auwerx is convinced that the results of his study may someday be replicated in humans. However, despite the extremely encouraging results, more research will need to be done to determine whether or not the results achieved in the mouse study can ever be achieved in humans.