Health Hotline Magazine | July 2022

With Resveratrol, it’s Like Fasting… Without the Frustration Fasting, calorie restriction, and exercise are all known to activate SIRT1. Research highlights resveratrol’s ability to mimic the benefits of fasting and calorie restriction—and thus, activation of SIRTI—without (the frustration of) actual fasting or calorie restriction. A double-blind, crossover study of 11 obese men taking 150 mg of resveratrol daily for 30 days showed an increase in SIRT1, improved mitochondrial function, and an increase in AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an enzyme known as the “master regulator of energy metabolism” which activates the uptake of glucose and fatty acids into cells for energy production. There was also a decrease in circulating blood glucose, triglyceride levels, and inflammation markers compared to the control group. Systolic blood pressure also dropped, while insulin resistance improved. The researchers concluded that just 30 days of resveratrol supplementation “induces metabolic changes in obese humans, mimicking the e ects of calorie restriction.” Additional research in middle-aged, obese mice fed a high-calorie diet showed that the addition of resveratrol significantly improved their health including increased insulin sensitivity, improved motor function, and increased AMPK. This study revealed that resveratrol “opposed the e ects of the high-calorie diet in 144 out of 153

significantly altered pathways.” It concluded that improving health in mammals using phytonutrients like resveratrol points to “new approaches for treating obesity-related disorders and diseases of aging.” I’d be remiss to say that this doesn’t give us the green light to become, or stay, overweight, ignoring exercise and eating right, but resveratrol does give us yet another powerful tool to combat the cellular e ects and diseases associated with obesity and aging.

With Resveratrol, Blood Sugar, Type-2 Diabetes, and CHD Markers Improve Resveratrol also has a direct e ect on blood sugar in those with type-2 diabetes accompanied by coronary heart disease (CHD). In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of patients with type-2 diabetes and heart disease, those taking 500 mg of resveratrol a day for four weeks had reduced fasting glucose and insulin resistance and significantly increased insulin sensitivity compared with the placebo group. Those in the resveratrol group also saw a significant increase in HDL-cholesterol levels, a significant decrease in the total LDL/HDL-cholesterol ratio, and an increase in total antioxidant capacity, the body’s ability to scavenge free radicals. Furthermore, resveratrol upregulated SIRT1 in type-2 diabetes patients with coronary heart disease. In another randomized, controlled study of 62 type-2 diabetics, those taking 250 mg of resveratrol per day for three months had significantly improved long-term fasting blood sugar, systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol compared to the control group.

With Resveratrol, the Cardiovascular Benefits Abound Taking a deeper dive into the cardiovascular e ects of resveratrol, there are a lot of benefits to get excited about. For starters, it’s widely known that antioxidants are good for overall health, and resveratrol, found in foods like grapes and red wine, is one such antioxidant with “hearty” cardio-protective properties. It neutralizes free radicals, protects against hypertension, atherosclerosis, stroke, ischemic heart disease, arrhythmia, chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity, diabetic cardiomyopathy, and heart failure. Once again, resveratrol supports the activation of the longevity gene SIRT1, AMPK, and endogenous antioxidant enzymes. In addition, the anti-inflammatory, insulin-sensitizing, endothelial-function improving (through the formation of nitric oxide), and lipid-lowering properties of resveratrol are also part of its unique cardiovascular benefits.

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