
The
Versatility of Resveratrol
Resveratrol research is one of the most exciting and active areas of
Anti-Aging and Longevity Research. Resveratrol is a natural compound
which comes from grapes, cocoa, and various other natural food
products. The more that we learn about this amazing compound, the
more medical opportunities reveal themselves. In this article, we
will discuss a number of exciting potential benefits that scientists
have been studying in recent years.
Resveratrol
Acts as an Anti-Oxidant
There is
evidence that suggests that Resveratrol may offer some benefits to
the body as an Anti-Oxidant. Anti-Oxidants are molecules which have
the capability to safeguard the body from free radicals. Free
radicals are rogue electrons that result either from chemical
reactions within the body, or from outside sources like sunlight. It
is inevitable that the body will create these free radicals, as they
are the result of the complex chemical reactions which keep us alive.
In comes
Anti-Oxidants: Anti-Oxidants act as a protective shield, preventing
these free radicals from causing more damage than the body can
repair. Although other Anti-Oxidants such as Vitamin E and Vitamin C
offer more Anti-Oxidant protection, Resveratrol has the potential to
offer some assistance to the body in this capacity. Although it may
be beneficial, don't skip out on your on your daily Vitamin C,
because the Anti-Oxidant power of this and other vitamins and
nutrients outweigh that of Resveratrol.
Resveratrol
Both Stimulates and Slows Down Estrogen Production
Estrogen
is one of a relatively large group of hormones known as Steroids.
Estrogen is primarily considered a female hormone, although it is
produced by males as well. Resveratrol seems to have the capacity to
both inhibit and encourage the production of Estrogen in the human
body, dependent upon the type of tissue in question. Further research
is required to see exactly how Resveratrol may be used in order to
treat estrogen-related issues such as Menopause and Breast Cancer.
Resveratrol
is molecularly similar to a common Estrogen booster known as
diethylstilbestrol. This similarity is what causes the hormone to
encourage Estrogen Reception in certain parts of the body. The
differences between the two structures is what makes Resveratrol
function as an Estrogen Antagonist in certain circumstances. 
Resveratrol
as an Anti-Cancer Supplement
Resveratrol
may be able to safeguard the body against cancer in a number of
different ways. One way that seems particularly beneficial, is that
there is strong evidence that Resveratrol has the ability to increase
the rate at which the body expels carcinogens which increase the risk
of cancer when they remain in the body for too long.
Also,
Resveratrol seems to prevent certain types of carcinogenic cells
within the body from ever activating. Many cancer-causing agents have
to be exposed to certain forms of stimuli before they become active.
Resveratrol may be able to prevent this activation from occurring in
some types of cancer-causing agents. These two anti-carcinogenic
functions are interconnected, because these unactivated
cancer-causing agents are evacuated from the body faster those that
are activated.
Resveratrol
May Limit the Ability of Certain Cancers to Propagate
Research
has shown that Resveratrol has the ability to limit the activity of
many types of cancerous tissue. After a DNA molecule has been
pathologically altered, it is possible for the cell to freeze the
process of cell reproduction in order to fix the broken DNA molecule,
or to choose to self-destruct in order to preserve the integrity of
the entire organism, if it is not possible to effectively restore the
health of the DNA.
If cells
with malfunctioning DNA are able to reproduce, this can lead to
mutations which can eventually lead to cancer. There is evidence that
Resveratrol has the ability to increase the capacity for
self-regulation at the cellular level, encouraging malfunctioning
cells to break down. Some research has shown that Resveratrol is able
to convince certain types of cancer cells to shut down and die off.
Cancer
cells function much differently than normal healthy cells. Cancer
cells are normal cells that begin replicating out of control, and no
longer have a functional means to suspend cell reproduction.
Resveratrol seems to be able to enter these cancerous cells,
recognize that there is a severe issue which threatens the host, and
induce apoptosis, killing the cancer cell as it should have died when
it first became abnormal.
In
addition to preventing cancer and the cell division of mutated cells,
Resveratrol may be able to prevent certain types of cancer from
spreading. In initial studies, Resveratrol has the capacity to
prevent the dispersal of certain enzymes which allow cancers to
spread. In addition to this, there is some laboratory evidence that
Resveratrol can also prevent the synthesis of abnormal blood vessel
development which feeds blood to the cancer site.
More
Information about Resveratrol and Cancer
There are
many types of cancer that Resveratrol may be able to treat. Among the
types of cancer which have shown promising results in regard to
Resveratrol Cancer Treatment are cancers of the thyroid, pancreas,
colon, stomach, prostate, and breast. In all of these forms of
cancer, Resveratrol has been able to stop or slow the development of
cancerous tissue in vitro.
In animal
research, Resveratrol has been shown to slow down or stop the
development of breast cancer, intestinal cancer, and cancer of the
esophagus. In these cases, cancers were caused by the ingestion of
carcinogens. Although Resveratrol has shown levels of promise in
these forms of cancer, research has shown that Resveratrol does not
alter the advancement of lung cancer caused by smoking when taken
orally.
Resveratrol
and Colon Cancer
In the
case of colon cancer, oral administration of Resveratrol in mice with
a predisposition toward colon cancer has produced varied results. In
other studies using rats, however, Resveratrol seems to reduce the
risk of developing colon cancer in the presence of known carcinogens
which cause the disease. There is no clear evidence that Resveratrol
can protect the body against cancer in human patients, but the body
of research seems somewhat promising that the supplement has at least
some protective capacity.
Currently,
medical trials are being performed in order to discover if
Resveratrol has the capacity to reduce cancer risk in human patients,
or may provide some benefits to those currently fighting against
cancer. Research regarding Resveratrol Metabolism in Humans shows
that increasing the amount of Resveratrol consumed in the diet may
not produce a high enough level of Resveratrol in the body to
preserve the body against cancer, but this does not mean that
Resveratrol may not be useful in regard to cancer treatment.
In the
future, it is very likely that medical forms of Resveratrol, or
medications derived from Resveratrol, may be highly beneficial in
treating certain forms of cancer.
Anti-Inflammatory
Resveratrol Benefits
At it's
core, inflammation is an attempt by the body to heal itself, although
inflammation often causes more problems than it resolves.
Inflammation increases the rate at which cells in the inflamed area
divide, and this process also slows down the rate at which cells die
off. There is evidence that Resveratrol may have the capability to
limit certain enzymes which encourage the process of inflammation.
Many
hypothesize that Resveratrol may be an effective means to limit
inflammation and reduce pain and discomfort related to inflammation.
There is no downside to increasing Resveratrol intake in order to
attempt to alleviate inflammation. It may even prevent the need for
unhealthy acetaminophen products in some patients!
Anti-Aging
Benefits of Resveratrol
There is
significant evidence that the dietary act of Caloric Restriction can
produce health benefits in at least some types of animals.
Caloric-Restriction is a form of diet in which an organism only
consumes around 70% of their normal recommended daily value of
calories, while maintaining proper nutrition in every other aspect of
diet.
Caloric
restriction has been particularly successful in mammalian studies, a
class to which we as humans belong. In a study performed with yeast,
it was proven that restriction of calories increases the
physiological response of an enzyme by the name of SIR-2. Resveratrol
also has the ability to increase the response of SIR-2 in yeast, in a
manner which mimics that of Caloric Restriction. It was also
discovered that Resveratrol has the capacity to increase the
lifespans of fruit flies and worms as well.
Resveratrol
Increases the Lifespan of Various Members of the Animal Kingdom
In the
case of yeast, Resveratrol was able to extend the period during which
yeast could actively replicate by seventy percent. Among more complex
organisms, Resveratrol was able to extend the life of one species of
fish known as the Turquoise Killfish. Resveratrol has also been shown
to extend the lifespans of mice as well. In one piece of research,
the benefits of Resveratrol equaled those of Caloric Restriction in
mice.
Scientists
added Resveratrol to the diet of mice which were on a high-caloric
regimen, and the extension in lifespan that resulted was very near
that of mice that were fed under the guidelines of Caloric
Restriction.
Resveratrol
Boosts SIRT-1 Stimulation
There is
strong evidence that the same benefits of Resveratrol in rats and
other species may apply to humans as well. The human equivalent of
SIR-2 is SIRT-1, and in vitro, Resveratrol has the capacity to vastly
increase the stimulative response of SIRT-1. It is unclear whether
ingested Resveratrol will have this exact same effect in humans, but
other treatment options will likely arise as a result of this
research, even if the benefits in regard to SIRT-1 activity are not
achieved through dietary consumption alone.
Although
dietary use of Resveratrol may not directly stimulate SIRT-1
activity, there is evidence that lower dosage of Resveratrol
consumption has the ability to improve the function of the brain,
heart, and skeletal system in rodent subjects, similarly to a diet of
calorie-restriction. Resveratrol promoted Anti-Aging activity in
these subjects, slowing down the rate of natural cardiovascular
decline as a natural product of aging. Scientists of in the process
of studying the effects of Resveratrol on human cardiovascular
health.
The
Future of Resveratrol
Although there is still a lot of research to be done in regard to the
health impact of Resveratrol in human patients, it is clear that
Resveratrol produces many benefits without any particular negative
risk associated with its consumption. We encourage patients to seek
out sources of Resveratrol in order to supplement their diet with
this natural and potent health-booster.
In our next article we will discuss the potential benefits of
Resveratrol in regard to the Heart and Cardiovascular System.
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