Resveratrol: A 60-second introduction to

Grapes, shoelaces and extended middle-age.

Grapes.  In 1992, scientists at Bordeaux University were looking for reasons to explain the 'French Paradox'. That paradox is, "how come the French have a diet high in saturated fats, but a low incidence of heart disease?" The answer seemed to be a naturally occurring enzyme in grapes (and wine) called Resveratrol. Independent tests showed Resveratrol has a range of health-promoting and anti-aging qualities. And as the French drink a lot of wine, they were getting a good dose of Resveratrol!

Shoelaces.  One of the reasons we age is that oxidative stress affects our DNA. As you know, DNA is strands of molecules that contain our genetic code ... and at the end of each strand there's a 'cap' called a Telomere. If the Telomere gets damaged, the DNA becomes faulty. For Telomeres, think about the plastic bit at the end of a shoelace: they stop the shoelace from unravelling, just like Teleomeres do for our DNA. Because Resveratrol is a powerful anti-oxidant, it helps protect our Telomeres. So we can stay healthier, longer. Three US doctors won the Nobel Prize in medicine for their work on telemeres this year.

Extended middle age.  Because Resveratrol is a new discovery, scientists can't definitively say that "Reveratrol makes you live longer". Humans have simply not been taking it long enough. In animal studies however life span increases from 31% to 59% were observed.  What researchers agree on is that, as part of a healthy lifestyle, Resveratrol can extend the high quality of your life, what is called your Health Span. In your parents' day, people seemed to be old at 60. Now you could aim to be 75 before displaying the same signs of aging. That's why we say that Resveratrol can help extend the vital quality years of your life.  

Find out more.  That's the 60-second introduction to Resveratrol. But if you'd like to find out more about Resveratrol, please look at the 10-minute overview that Dr Saurabh Shah, Biotivia's Director of Research, has created.

 

Bookmark and Share