Look Younger and Feel Better with Resveratrol

The Health Benefits of Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a phytoalexin produced naturally by several plants when attacked by bacteria or fungi. Phytoalexins are natural antibiotics produced to protect the plants from parasites and sun damage.

Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes and is a constituent of red wine. A number of beneficial health effects, such as anti-cancer, antiviral, neuroprotective, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory effects have been linked with resveratrol.

Research has revealed the substance has anti-aging effects in some organisms, extending the lifespan of yeast by 60%, worms and flies by 30% and fish by about 60%.

Interest in Resveratrol sparked due to the "French Paradox" which reveals that the incidence of coronary heart disease is relatively low in southern France despite high dietary intake of saturated fats.

Researchers at the University of Rochester studied resveratrol's effect on pancreatic cancer. The study revealed that this natural antioxidant can help destroy pancreatic cancer cells by reaching to the cell's core energy sources called mitochondria, and then disabling its function. The study also concludeded that when the pancreatic cancer cells were doubly assaulted and pre-treated with the antioxidant, resveratrol, and irradiated, the combination induced a type of cell death called apoptosis, an important goal of cancer therapy.

In another independent survey research led by David Sinclair and Jos Baur of the Harvard medical school and Raphael de Cabo, showed Resveratrol has benefits in protecting against diabetes. The discovery of this supplements benefits is in its infancy, more benefits are being found every day. It has always been known that red wine and red grapes have numerous health benefits. Now those benefits are been extrapolated and applied further to advanced diseases and ailments. Antioxidants may be the only viable option there is left to combat cancer, diabetes, anti aging, sun and pollution damage.

Denise Richards is a health professional very interested in natural health products, especially anti-aging products. You can find more information about Resveratrol on her website. It contains information about Crohns supplement Ablene and the natural supplement Resveratrol.

Is Resveratrol the Secret to Anti-Aging?

Robert Herrick, in his classic poem To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time says:

GATHER ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow will be dying.

The question is, was Robert right? Or will mankind soon live to be 150 as Barbara Walters recently hypothesized in her news show. Among the most promising studies into anti-aging is the use of the chemical compound "resveratrol". Known as the secret ingredient in the "French Paradox" resveratrol is said to do some pretty amazing things. Among these are:

• promote healthy brain and memory function
• promote healthy blood
• support sore, stiff joints
• add quality of life
• combat free radicals
• make you look and feel younger
• combat the aging process
• promote a healthy heart
• support your immune system

To be an effective tool in the anti-aging battle one most enlist the use of an effective anti-oxidant. One of the best ways to assess the power of an anti-oxidant is to determine its ORAC score. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, which is directly related to how well a compound destroys free radicals. Notwithstanding, resveratrol is an excellent source of anti-oxidants.

Purchasing resveratrol can be somewhat complicated. Some of the most well known supplements fail to disclose to the buyer that their product was not developed using grapes, rather, some actually use weeds. Be sure that when you purchase resveratrol you find a whole food made from grape seed extracts and not made from weeds or synthetically produced.

Rich O'Brien is a credentialed California teacher. He teaches High School health and nutrition. He has partnered with Sportron International to bring health and wellness to the world Read Rich's blog: http://sportron.wordpress.com