The Science Behind Resveratrol
Resveratrol
What it is: A polyphenol produced by plants as a defence mechanism against environmental stress. Resveratrol is a well-researched compound shown to provide numerous health benefits to humans.
What it does:As a powerful antioxidant, resveratrol acts at the cellular level to boost NAD+ by increasing the activity of a key NAD+ synthesising enzyme. It also activates so-called involved in DNA protection and repair.
What is Resveratrol?
Resveratrol is a polyphenol produced by plants to act as a natural defence mechanism against environmental stressors. In humans, resveratrol has raised attention for being an effective antioxidant and for positively affecting the cells in the body, leading to a number of health benefits. Since its discovery, researchers have published more than 12,000 scientific papers about resveratrol, and over 200 human clinical trials involving this polyphenol have been conducted to date.
Where can it be found in nature?
Resveratrol can be found in Japanese knotweed and in a variety of foods, including peanuts, blueberries, and raspberries. It is also (somewhat famously) present in red wine as it gets concentrated from the skin of red grapes. It is produced in large quantities through microbial fermentation or extraction from Japanese knotweed for supplement use.
What are its primary functions and benefits?
In plants, resveratrol acts as a barrier against harsh environments. Scientific evidence suggests that it does the same for humans by working to protect the body’s cells and support healthy ageing. Published research and clinical data indicate that resveratrol supports bone health, cardiovascular health, blood glucose levels, healthy cognitive function, skin youthfulness, and oral health.
Resveratrol has also been shown to penetrate cells and help rejuvenate the mitochondria, again, helping to support healthy ageing. Mitochondria are the powerhouses that create energy inside every cell in our bodies. However, as we age, the mitochondrial function slowly impairs. This leads to the decline of many systems in our body as we get older, including cardiovascular, cognitive, skin, and bone systems. Resveratrol helps reverse or slow this process.
Part of the healthy ageing benefits of resveratrol can be explained by the activation of sirtuins, a family of enzymes that play a critical role in DNA repair. Resveratrol activates a specific sirtuin-coding gene called SIRT1 which results in gene expression and metabolic pathway activation, both of which are excellent for your energy levels and overall health.
Why do we use resveratrol in our supplements?
We have included resveratrol in our Booster for its ability to activate SIRT1. Ideally, this is taken in combination with our NMN product. NMN and resveratrol work synergistically to improve metabolic health and slow down the ageing process. NMN increases NAD+ levels and provides NAD+ to all seven sirtuins, while resveratrol provides additional SIRT1 activation to further mediate DNA repair. In addition, the activation of sirtuins by NAD+ regulates essential physiological processes, such as the circadian rhythm, glucose and fat metabolism, and normal ageing.
Another reason we’ve chosen resveratrol is that it is an apigenin bioenhancer, which is also present in our Booster. This lets the ingredients complement one another. Co-administration of apigenin and resveratrol allows more apigenin to survive liver metabolism, which results in more than twice the plasma apigenin levels (compared to using apigenin alone).
As an enzyme that breaks down our NAD+ levels, CD38 can accelerate ageing. Thankfully, apigenin can help prevent this NAD+ breakdown, so getting more apigenin into the body is invaluable in reducing the effects of CD38.
Sources
- Ramírez-Garza, S. L., Laveriano-Santos, E. P., Marhuenda-Muñoz, M., Storniolo, C. E., Tresserra-Rimbau, A., Vallverdú-Queralt, A., & Lamuela-Raventós, R. M. (2018). Health Effects of Resveratrol: Results from Human Intervention Trials. Nutrients, 10(12), 1892. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10121892
- Thaung Zaw, J. J., Howe, P. R., & Wong, R. H. (2021). Long-term effects of resveratrol on cognition, cerebrovascular function and cardio-metabolic markers in postmenopausal women: A 24-month randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland), 40(3), 820–829. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2020.08.025
- Moraes, D. S., Moreira, D. C., Andrade, J., & Santos, S. (2020). Sirtuins, brain and cognition: A review of resveratrol effects. IBRO reports, 9, 46–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibror.2020.06.004
- Lee, J. A., Ha, S. K., Cho, E., & Choi, I. (2015). Resveratrol as a Bioenhancer to Improve Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Apigenin. Nutrients, 7(11), 9650–9661. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu7115485