Resveratrol - the secret benefits of red wine |
|
The often mentioned French paradox implies that the French have an rich and fatty diet, but also a significantly lower incidence of heart and blood vessel diseases compared to other countries, especially the US.
It all started in 1990 when American journalist Edward Dolnick first publicly presented the ideas of late Jacques Richard regarding the protective properties of the Mediterranean diet and the important role of red wine in the Mediterranean countries, particularly in France, where it is traditionally consumed with a meal.
After that, many scientists began to explore the Mediterranean diet and food ingredients that could explain this phenomenon.
And then they discovered resveratrol, a substance in red wine that protects the grapes from mildew.
It is produced in large quantities if the year is wet and more mildew attacks the grapes, and if the year is dry and free of mold, less resveratrol is created.
Analyses of red wine for resveratrol are expensive, which is why there are still no declarations mentioning this substance on the label.
The effect of resveratrol
Resveratrol is one of the most powerful antioxidants and has a number of beneficial effects on health: it prevents heart muscle paralysis, slows blood clotting, and inhibits the formation of aggregates (plaques) in the brain and blood vessels; it is also beneficial in cases of inflammatory bowel disease and diabetes.
The mechanism of resveratrol’s effect has not been fully explained. Some research link the use resveratrol with prolonged life expectancy in animals.
It is assumed that one of its functions could be that resveratrol has an effect on the function of mitochondria, thus protecting cell membranes and cellular structures from oxidation.
Protection of the heart and blood vessels
The most important application of resveratrol is related to the protection of the blood vessels and the heart.
Specifically, resveratrol prevents or limits cardiac fibrosis - a fairly common cause of death. It is a condition caused by an increased blood pressure and consists of a rapid activation of cells that secrete collagen and eventually causes thickening of the heart muscle.
In such circumstances, the heart has trouble pumping the blood and the resulting problems can lead to death. These key researches were performed at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine under the direction of Gary Meszaros and the results were published in the American Journal of Physiology Heart and Circulatory Physiology.
Alzheimer's disease
Resveratrol has a beneficial effect on the brain. In November 2008 an article was published on the conclusion of the research on experimental animals at Cornell University.
Researchers have noted that a daily intake of a supplement containing resveratrol has led to a significant reduction in plaque in the brain of animals (from 48% to 90%). Plaque is a formation that normally contributes to neurological disorders.
Inflammatory bowel disease
Resveratrol reduces the signs and manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease), including diarrhea and rectal bleeding, according to a new study.
Scientists gave 20 mg of resveratrol for 1 kg of food to one group of mice, while the other group was given a placebo.
The group that was given resveratrol had fewer and milder manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease than mice in the control group – they easily maintained their weight, had reduced incidence of diarrhea and rectal bleeding.
In the meantime, while the group without resveratrol had a 40% death rate among the mice, no deaths were reported in the group treated with resveratrol.
Protects the lungs of smokers
In December 2007, a paper by Rahman at the University of Rochester showed that resveratrol on the cellular level increases the levels of glutathione in the cells of the lungs, offering protection to all smokers and to those who already have lung damage or cancer (Kode, Rajendrasozhan, Cait, Yang, Megson, Rahman, American Journal of Physiology. Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology 294).
Resveratrol significantly increases levels of natural testosterone, which makes it attractive to many men.
In its structure it is similar to phytoestrogens and, given the pro-estrogenic effect, some researchers do not recommend it to women who use oral contraceptive pills, women who want to become pregnant, pregnant women and children up to 18 years.
Liked the article?
Share it with your friends!
