Resveratrol Explained Simply

1. What Is Resveratrol?

Resveratrol is a natural plant compound. It belongs to the group of polyphenols. In research, resveratrol is studied mainly as a capsule or powder. The human studies revolve around the heart, circulation, metabolism and questions of aging.

2. Where Is It Found, and What Is It Made From?

Naturally, resveratrol is found in the skins of grapes and berries. It is also contained in peanuts. It is also present in red wine and grape juice. For studies and preparations, it is extracted from plant parts. It can come, for example, from grape skins or from the rootstock of Japanese knotweed.

3. What Does Resveratrol Do? What Research Shows

Cardiovascular System and Vascular Function

In adults with overweight, metabolic problems or type 2 diabetes, several studies provided evidence of lower cholesterol levels 1247. Other studies found no difference here 1013. Blood pressure also showed advantages in several studies, especially in type 2 diabetes 13411. Vascular function improved in several studies compared with a sham treatment 17193637. However, the results are not uniform, and many studies were small.

Inflammation and Oxidative Stress

For inflammatory markers in the blood, several studies showed lower levels under resveratrol 1468920. Another inflammatory marker, IL-6, remained unchanged in several studies 6820. In type 2 diabetes, there were sometimes better levels for certain protective substances in the blood 8. However, the preparations, amounts and population groups were very different.

Cognition and Brain

In postmenopausal women, general cognitive performance improved compared with a sham treatment in two studies 302324. Memory for words was also better in one study 30. An analysis of several studies found better delayed recognition 15, a review found better working memory 16. Other studies found no difference in cognitive performance and memory 514373839. In people with Alzheimer's disease, the brain even shrank more under resveratrol than with sham treatment in two studies 2735. The studies were mostly small and used different forms and amounts.

Ageing and General Health Status

In two studies, postmenopausal women reported better general well-being than with sham treatment 2531. In another study, quality of life improved in both groups, according to the researchers more so with resveratrol 29. A protein in the blood, sirtuin-1, was higher than with sham treatment in one study 22, while in two others it rose only compared with the starting value 2834. For weight and body composition, several studies found no differences 11041. For many questions, there are only individual or contradictory results.

Other Investigations

In sugar and insulin metabolism, several studies showed improvements 1347, while others found no difference 1011. In fatty liver, liver values and liver fat decreased more than with sham treatment in two studies 323340. Two analyses of several studies found no difference in liver fat 112. Investigated were predominantly capsules with trans-resveratrol, sometimes together with diet or training. The results are inconsistent.

4. How Was Resveratrol Taken in the Studies?

In the studies, resveratrol was almost always swallowed, that is, as a capsule or powder. It often contained the form trans-resveratrol. Sometimes it was finely ground or packed in a coating so that the body can absorb it better. Some investigations tested mixtures with other plant compounds or vitamins. Then it cannot be said which share comes from resveratrol.

5. Is Resveratrol Safe? Side Effects in the Studies

The studies mostly report good tolerability. In individual investigations, mild gastrointestinal complaints occurred, such as nausea or diarrhea 27. In a study with very much resveratrol together with the preparation TA-65, LDL cholesterol rose so much that this part was discontinued 26. Serious adverse events were not linked to resveratrol 21.

All details with tables and sources: full expert page on Resveratrol