Health Hotline Magazine | July 2022

With Resveratrol, the Brain Benefits Are Bountiful It may come as no surprise to learn that resveratrol is top-notch for brain health, so why not make it the top-of-mind nutrient the next time you’re searching for a brain-boosting supplement? Resveratrol is one of those unique antioxidants that crosses the blood-brain barrier, where it protects the brain and nerve cells. It has the ability to increase blood flow to the brain and positively benefit brain function. Results from one double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study had 22 healthy adults aged 18 to 29 years take either a placebo, a single dose of 250 mg of trans-resveratrol (a more bioavailable form), or 500 mg of trans- resveratrol over three separate o ce visits. The results showed that both doses, but not the placebo, increased cerebral blood flow, which was sustained throughout task performance. The study concluded, “The results showed that single doses of orally administered resveratrol can modulate cerebral blood flow variables.” Resveratrol also impacts learning, mood, and memory in the elderly. In one study, resveratrol was shown to stimulate neurogenesis (the process of forming new neurons in the brain) and blood vessel formation in the hippocampus of healthy, aged rats. These structural changes were associated with “significant improvements in spatial learning, memory formation, and mood function.” With Resveratrol, Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers Improve Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating disorder that a ects 1 in 10 Americans over the age of 65, and almost half of all Americans over 85 years old. Moreover, the odds of developing AD double every five years after the age of 65. There is emerging evidence that resveratrol combats Alzheimer’s disease in several ways— both as a preventative and treatment of the disease—by crossing the blood-brain barrier, preventing and reducing amyloid plaque formation, and directly acting on neuroinflammation. One of the hallmark features of AD is the deposition and accumulation of amyloid-beta peptides (Aß) into amyloid plaques in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Amyloid plaques are toxic to brain cells, resulting in neuronal dysfunction and death. In AD patients, abnormal levels of this naturally occurring protein bind together to form harmful plaques that collect between neurons and disrupt cell function. Evidence shows that resveratrol enhances and facilitates the clearance of amyloid-beta peptides, promotes cell survival in neurons, and reduces amyloid plaque formation and amyloid plaque counts in various brain regions. In one study, mice were fed resveratrol for 45 days, and results showed that resveratrol reduced amyloid plaque formation in the brain, with the largest reductions in amyloid plaques in the medial cortex, which plays a role in attention, inhibitory control, and long-term memory (-48%); the striatum, a critical part of motor function and reward (-89%); and the hypothalamus, a region of the brain that controls body temperature thirst, hunger, sleep, and emotions (-90%).

With Resveratrol, Pause the Effects of Menopause… Naturally Menopause is a natural and normal part of the aging process of healthy women ages 40–55, when periods stop and the ovaries stop producing estrogen, but oftentimes, the symptoms of this natural change can be debilitating. With resveratrol, there’s hope. Before menopause, normal estrogen levels can very between 30-400 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL), but after menopause, it falls below 30 pg/mL. This drop in estrogen causes symptoms such as dry skin, tender breasts, weak or brittle bones, trouble concentrating, moodiness and irritability, vaginal dryness, hot flashes and night sweats, and irregular periods or no periods. For many, hot flashes are one of the hallmark symptoms. According to a randomized, controlled, double-blind crossover study of 50 patients, those taking resveratrol saw a 78.6 percent improvement in the intensity of hot flash symptoms and quality of life, compared to just 18 percent in the placebo group. Furthermore, the reduction in the number of hot flash episodes was 57 percent in the resveratrol group and just 9 percent in the placebo group. The study concluded, “Resveratrol is e ective in reducing the number of episodes and intensity of hot flashes … and has the characteristics to be an alternative therapy in the treatment of hot flashes in menopause.” References For references, email customerservice@naturalgrocers.com

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