Many experts have debated over the issue of wine drinking – whether moderate drinking will benefit the drinker’s health. When discussing the benefits of drinking wine, it is the amount of Resveratrol that is in question, not the amount of alcohol.

Resveratrol can be found in many plants like mulberries and cocoa, but is most highly concentrated in the skins of red grapes. This is because, in cooler climates, grapes face a higher risk of infections, therefore releasing more Resveratrol which acts as an antibiotic against disease.

The reason wine has a significant amount of Resveratrol is because of the duration the grape skins are kept in the product while fermenting. Red wine has higher levels of Resveratrol compared to white wine, because in white wine, the grape skins are removed. Grape juice also contains low levels of Resveratrol because it is not fermented.

A study conducted by Dr. Paliyath at the University of Guelph in Ontario, showed that the development of cancerous tumors in immune-impaired mice were reduced by the consumption of grapes and red wine. When fed an antioxidant derived from Merlot grapes and then shot with breast cancer cells, the mice did not show any signs of tumor growth at all.

Further studies are underway to study the long-term effects of red wine consumption, and although the results are still not concrete, there doesn’t seem to be a health risk associated with Resveratrol in red wine. However, drinkers are cautioned not to exceed the recommended maximum amount of alcohol – one or two glasses daily. Too much would have negative effects that outweigh the positive ones.

If you are feeling a bit sluggish perhaps you should be taking Resveratrol. A team of researchers from the Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology discovered that it had a huge effect on the energy and endurance levels of the mice they tested.

Dr. Auwerx and his colleagues observed that the mice that they administered doses of Resveratrol to managed to run for two kilometers on the treadmill before collapsing from exhaustion, as opposed to the normal mice who could only run one. They also noted that the mice who were on Resveratrol had a lower resting heart rate, and more energy-charged muscles, as well as more muscle control, rather like the states of top athletes!

They then discovered that it was because of the increased levels of mitochondria they noticed in the mice’s muscle cells. Mitochondria create energy, and with more mitochondria, the mice were capable of burning more fat. The Resveratrol also managed to restructure the rodents’ muscles into something not unlike trained human athletes.

After the amazing results the team got with mice, they then moved on to humans. The volunteers were given supplements that contained Resveratrol. The initial studies have been concluded, and the humans show results that are very similar to the ones that the rodents had.

This gives hope for the future that even ordinary human beings like us would be able to experience the excellent muscle tone and health benefits of top athletes, without having to huff and puff on a treadmill for hours at a time!

Studies have touted Resveratrol as a miracle anti-aging drug, but in reality, it’s much more than that. Not only is it potentially anti-aging, it also may increase the user’s longevity. In addition, it may help to reduce the symptoms and complications stemming from aging.

As people grow older, their cells lose the ability to repair themselves efficiently, leaving them vulnerable to attacks and diseases. Genetic mutations can develop inside the cells when the RNA becomes damaged. Resveratrol can prolong the time window in which cells can repair their RNA, enabling them to fight off age-related illnesses like arthritis pains and symptoms of menopause. Isn’t that better than just looking young?

And that’s not all! Resveratrol has also shown promise to improve blood circulation and repair damage to blood vessels which allows the heart to function at a more optimal level. It may improve the functioning of estrogen, making this ideal for women whose estrogen levels have dwindled greatly since menopause.

Since Resveratrol can be found in the skin of red grapes, it has given birth to the “French Paradox”, which is a logical solution to the reason why French people can consume a diet consisting almost entirely of saturated fat and yet stay healthier than people of other nationalities, with less incidents of artherosclerotic heart diseases. The reason, those who support the French Paradox believe, lies in the huge quantities of red wine the French drink. However, to get the optimal amount of Resveratrol, one would have to drink 100's og glasses of wine a day, which is impractical and hazardous to one’s health. Instead, take supplements that have concentrated amounts of Resveratrol!

The new kid is called Resveratrol – found in the skins of red grapes, and containing large quantities of anti-oxidants, it has been found to prevent the growth of cancer cells. The University of Alabama conducted a study on male rats and found that the mice’s risk of developing prostate cancer decreased by about 87% when they were fed Resveratrol. The best thing is, the mice didn’t show any adverse signs after ingesting it.

There were two groups, one fed with Resveratrol and one left alone. The control group showed a 23% rate of prostate cancer, whereas the group fed with the drug showed a mere 3% rate. This result shows a 87% drop in cancer incidences. If this result can be shown in humans, then Resveratrol will be an excellent anti-cancer treatment.

It has also shown the ability to repress the formation of the abnormal cell formation that leads to several types of breast cancer. According to Eleanor G. Rogan, Ph.D a professor at the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical, Resveratrol can potentially prevent the first step to cancer, by blocking the estrogen DNA adducts from forming, which then stops the whole process, thereby preventing cancer from happening.

Rogan said that the Resveratrol works because it induces an enzyme (quinone reductase), which reduces the estrogen metabolite to an inactive form, which then reduces the risk. However, more tests would have to be done in larger human trials to confirm the findings.

A few studies have shown links between Resveratrol and weight-loss. Harvard Medical School conducted a scientific study where they fed two groups of laboratory mice a high-calorie, high-fat diet. One group, however, was given large doses of Resveratrol. Both the groups became obese, but the group that was given Resveratrol did not develop fatty livers or show any signs of insulin resistance. They also lived longer, and healthier than the other group of mice. It was then concluded that Resveratrol could protect the body against the health problems commonly associated with weight gain.

It can also function as an appetite suppressant, because of its high antioxidant content, and also speed up your metabolism rate, which burns off more calories, therefore contributing to weight loss. In addition to that, it combines well with green tea which is also proven to aid weight loss and is in itself a powerful antioxidant. Taking the two together, will enhance the effects of Resveratrol, and can potentially speed up weight loss.

In another experiment, Johan Auwerx from the Institute Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology in France found that the mice who were fed a high-fat diet but were also given large quantities of Resveratrol did not gain weight as there was an increase in the mitochondria levels in the muscle cells of the mice. Mitochondria are part of the energy-creating cells, and therefore, higher levels means higher calorie-burning capabilities.

In conclusion, Resveratrol definitely shows potential to be a slimming product. The beauty of it is that, it’s so much more than just one product!