Resveratrol Has Potent Anti-Aging Properties, According to These Studies
It's found in nuts, berries, red wine, and dark chocolate ... and it just might help you live a longer life.
Can resveratrol help you live a longer, healthier life? Does it have anti-aging properties? And for that matter, what is resveratrol and where does it even come from?
Like turmeric before it, resveratrol is having a moment. We've long known about the health benefits associated with this potent polyphenol. But the hype has grown louder in recent months.
(This can be attributed in part to Harvard Professor David Sinclair, who publicly praises resveratrol for its supposed anti-aging properties.)
As it turns out, there might be something to it. A number of studies have shown that resveratrol has anti-aging benefits, anti-inflammatory properties, and other health benefits.
What Is Resveratrol and What Does It Do?
Resveratrol is a naturally occurring compound found in many different kinds of plants. But the highest concentrations can be found in the skins of grapes, berries, and peanuts.
And yes, it's also found in red wine. So cheers.
Resveratrol is part of a group of compounds known as polyphenols. These plant chemicals have antioxidant properties, which means they help our bodies fight off damage from free radicals. Polyphenols have been shown to reduce the risk of everything from heart disease to Alzheimer's.
Resveratrol has been widely studied over the past 20 years or so, for a range of potential health benefits. A PubMed search for the word "resveratrol" yielded more than 18,000 results. Many of those studies relate to longevity and anti-aging benefits.
Exhibit A: "Resveratrol Promoted Longevity"
In 2021, the journal Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity published a review of previous studies that focused on the anti-aging and longevity-enhancing properties of resveratrol.
The authors believe that this potent polyphenol might improve longevity in various organisms, by inducing a process known as autophagy. Here's a relevant quote:
"A study demonstrated that resveratrol could induce autophagy in human cells in vitro ... while this effect was prevented under the condition of knockdown or knockout of sirtuin (Sirt). The results suggested that resveratrol promoted longevity through the Sirt1-dependent induction of autophagy."
Autophagy is like a recycling system for our cells. It helps our cells shed old, damaged parts in order to stay healthy. This report suggests that resveratrol can help promote longevity by ramping up the self-maintenance process that occurs within our cells.
The referenced study was conducted in vitro (in a lab dish) and did not involve living human test subjects. But it does provide further evidence that resveratrol could deliver anti-aging health benefits in humans.
Exhibit B: "Found to Have Anti-Aging Properties"
A report published in the journal Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy stressed the need for additional research into resveratrol and its health benefits.
Once again, the authors pointed to resveratrol's ability to trigger the activity of sirtuins. Scientists believe that these special proteins can regulate cellular activity, slowing the aging process and promoting overall health.
Resveratrol might also protect against age-related diseases by affecting the expression of certain genes that are linked to aging, such as the Klotho gene.
Resveratrol is believed to have many other potential health benefits as well, including the ability to protect us from diabetes, high blood pressure, and even certain types of cancer.
According to the authors, it might also deliver anti-aging benefits due to its ability to inhibit "mitochondrial ATP synthase," a process that affects our cells.
The authors concluded that resveratrol has a "wide range of promising therapeutic effects, including anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, antioxidative, cardioprotective, viscoelastic, phytoestrogenic, antiaging, and immunomodulatory."
Exhibit C: "Slowing Down the Aging Process in Humans"
A clinical review published in the journal Molecules found that resveratrol "increases the lifespan of several model organisms by regulating oxidative stress, energy metabolism, nutrient sensing, and epigenetics..."
According to the authors, it does this mainly by activating those sirtuin proteins mentioned earlier. It also activates something known as AMP-activated kinase (AMPK), which is directly linked to the aging process and longevity in humans and other organisms.
So let's talk about that next.
AMPK Might Explain Resveratrol's Benefits
Like all plant chemicals, resveratrol is highly complex, so there's still a lot we don't know about. But the studies above (and others like them) often attribute the polyphenol's anti-aging properties to something known as AMPK.
Here's the short version: Resveratrol activates AMPK, which in turn supports the recycling and repair process that occurs within our cells.
AMPK is short for AMP-activated protein kinase. According to the medial journal Experimental & Molecular Medicine, this unique enzyme has been studied for its role in "controlling human diseases including metabolic syndrome and cancer."
AMPK plays a role in everything from energy metabolism to the aging process.
In our bodies, AMPK works like a sensor that monitors energy from the cellular level on up. When energy runs low, it triggers a cascade of reactions to help restore balance. It can tell our cells to burn stored fat for energy and also supports the energy-generating structures within our cells.
All of these processes help our bodies cope with the effects of aging, including oxidative stress and inflammation. And resveratrol seems to be really good at driving them.
Food Sources of Resveratrol
As with other well-studied polyphenols, resveratrol is widely available in supplement form. An Amazon search will turn up dozens of products, some of which have thousands of reviews.
But you can also get it through your diet.
Dietary sources of resveratrol include grapes (especially the skins of red grapes), red wine, peanuts, pistachios, dark chocolate, and berries (particularly blueberries, cranberries, and mulberries).
Itadori tea, also known as Japanese knotweed tea, delivers a high amount of resveratrol. This tea is commonly used as an herbal remedy in some parts of Asia.