Q: Will resveratrol extend my lifespan?
A: There is not enough data to drawn any conclusions from at this time.
Q: Is resveratrol useful in the prevention or treatment of cancer?
A: This is not yet known although there are several clinical research trials that are trying to determine this.. In mice resveratrol can suppress (prevent) tumor formation, but further studies are needed to know if this is also true in humans and whether resveratrol can treat cancers that have already occurred.
Q: Will resveratrol delay cardiovascular disease?
A: Possibly. There is ample evidence to support that theory.
Q: Can resveratrol reduce the damage of strokes or slow down Alzheimer’s disease?
A: Resveratrol has shown promise in reducing the damage due to experimental stroke in mice and has shown positive effects in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. As before, it is not yet known how relevant these mouse studies are to human diseases.
Q: How much did the mice need to be healthy?
A. Doses in the mice ranged from 24 – 400 mg/kg/day. A 24 mg dose in a mouse is roughly equivalent to a 250 mg dose in humans. Resveratrol is fat soluble (like vitamin E), so taking resveratrol with fatty food may increase its blood levels.
Q: What are the known side effects?
A. Resveratrol has been given to humans at 5 grams per day for three months with no serious adverse side-effects. The long term effects of these doses are not yet known. In mice, no negative consequences have been seen at lower doses over a year (half of a mouse’s normal, two-year lifespan) but more studies are needed before resveratrol can be declared safe.
Q: What does resveratrol, the chemical look and taste like?
A: Resveratrol is classified by chemists as a stilbene. It is a small molecule, structurally related to quercetin, another polyphenol. To the eye, pure resveratrol is a white powder that dissolves poorly in water and has no taste. Most resveratrol sold as a dietary supplement is not a pure substance but rather an extract of the plant materials in which it is abundant, such as Japanese knotweed roots and grape skins (see Chapter 2 of e-book).
Q: How long does resveratrol stay in the body before it is excreted?
A: There is no consensus between scientists but the latest data indicates that it stays in the body for many hours.
Q: Can resveratrol go bad?
A: If it turns brown, it is likely to be inactive. Light is a major accelerator of this process, which can occur within days. Resveratrol as a pure dry powder is stable for months, possibly years if protected from light.
Q At what age should I start taking resveratrol?
A: Though we do not endorse taking resveratrol, the benefits from restricting calories are most apparent the longer an animal has been taking resveratrol. Effects on growth and reproduction are possible and, as always, you should seek your doctor’s advice before taking any dietary supplement.
Q: At what age can benefits be seen?
A: One year old mice (equivalent to 40 year-old humans) on a Western-type diet experienced benefits. Calorie restriction works to extend lifespan even at 19 months, which is the equivalent of a 60 year-old human but it’s effects on lifespan are greater the earlier the mice are put on the diet post maturity.
Q: Does Resveratrol cause the same negative side effects as calorie restriction?
A: It’s not clear but animals treated with resveratrol do not show signs of increased osteoporosis, cancer or decreased fertility. Effects on immune function are not known.
Q: What wines have the most resveratrol?
A: Pinot Noir and wines from stressed grapes grown in dry or very wet regions.
Q: Can I trust celebrities’ or scientists’ endorsements of resveratrol?
A: No. At this stage no celebrities or scientists endorse resveratrol products.
Q: Where can I obtain resveratrol that is relatively pure and proven safe?
A: No products have been proven completely safe. Some products claim to contain nearly pure resveratrol. A non-profit organization, the Healthy Lifespan Institute, is making pure resveratrol available.