Resveratrol

Dr. David Sinclair and resveratrol will forever be linked. Dr. Sinclair is a biochemist at the Harvard Medical School who focuses on studying the genetic components of aging. His research led him to study a normally inactive set of genes called Sirtuins. Previous studies on the life extension diet called Calorie Restriction (CR) showed that when these genes are activated they trigger a survival mechanism that can help fight off age related diseases, and possibly extend life. Dr. David Sinclair was convinced that some naturally produced compound would be able to activate these genes in humans. After testing over a thousand different compounds he finally found one that worked; resveratrol.

Resveratrol is naturally produced by grapes, and is found in the highest concentration in certain varieties of red wine. Ever since the French Paradox was discovered a daily glass of red wine has been recommended for its heart friendly benefits. For those who are not aware, the French Paradox is simply an observation that the French people suffer from significantly lower rates of heart disease than Americans, even though they eat a diet that is much higher in fat. Before Dr. Sinclair’s resveratrol discovery it was not known exactly why red wine would cause this paradox.

Dr. Sinclair believed he was very close to the anti-aging breakthrough he had been searching for most of his life, and almost immediately began studying the effects resveratrol had on lower life forms. Studies he conducted in 2003 showed that resveratrol could significantly increase the lifespan of yeast and worms.

In the most famous resveratrol study to date he fed two groups of mice a high fat diet (60% of calories from fat) and fed a third group a standard healthy diet. One of the groups being fed the high fat diet was also given 22 mg/kg of resveratrol. The mice given the high fat diet with no resveratrol suffered the typical repercussions normally associated with obesity. They were incredibly lethargic, started to develop diabetes, and died much earlier than the other two groups. Both the high fat plus resveratrol and standard diet groups had a 30% lower risk of death than the high fat group, and the resveratrol group greatly outperformed the high fat group in fitness tests.

Sinclair started a company called Sirtris with the goal to find a drug that would prevent and reverse the effects of age related diseases. A human study conducted by Sirtris showed positive results of their resveratrol drug on patients with diabetes. They are now in the process of developing and testing a synthetic resveratrol supplement, called SRT501, that is supposedly 5x more powerful than current resveratrol supplements. As of the time of this posting SRT501 is in Phase II testing and human studies are being conducted. In 2008 GlaxoSmitheKline bought Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, INC for a sum in the neighborhood of $720 million.
Dr. David Sinclair got his name out to the general public when he agreed to conduct an interview on the CBS show 60 Minutes. In that interview he said that he believed that we have turned the corner on extending the length of a healthy lifestyle into our 90s or 100s. He said that the goal was to have 90 year olds who were able to live the lifestyle that a healthy 60 year old now lives. His most intriguing quote was “People will live active healthy lives, and die quietly in their sleep. That’s really the aim here with these medicines”.

Dr. Sinclair was so certain about the health benefits of resveratrol that he started to take these supplements himself even before human studies were conducted. In fact, the exact amount he took was a big topic of debate in the anti-aging community. There has been some controversy on the optimal resveratrol dosage, so many were interested what an expert in the field thought was best to take himself.  At one point he revealed that he was sticking to a 5 mg/kg daily dosage, which worked out to be about 315mg per day. Much more research has been done between then and now, so we have no idea how much he is currently taking or how much he believes one should take each day.

Those who take resveratrol supplements are looking turn back the clock of their life. They are hoping it can be used to prevent heart disease, cancer, and dementia. They also want to look younger and live a more active life for as long as they possibly can. Recent studies into this miraculous compound are beginning to show that all of this just might be possible. As each new study is conducted more researchers are becoming convinced of the power of this supplement.

The question is; what is that correct resveratrol dosage necessary to get all of these health benefits? There is little argument in the scientific community about its usefulness, but the recommended dosage in humans is still highly controversial. Most of this debate started when one of the main researchers from The Harvard Medical School, Dr. David Sinclair, appeared on the CBS show 60 Minutes. While discussing a trial being conducted on mice, he stated that you would have to drink 1000 bottles of wine per day to match the amount of Resveratrol being given to the mice.

This event sparked an industry of high dose resveratrol supplements, and started a online war between low dose and high dose believers, that has been as much about marketing as it is science. The low dose followers recommend taking 100mg or less per day, while the high dose users tend to take an amount between 500mg and 2000mg each day. There is also a moderate group who falls in between those two, but tend to stay out of any heated dosage discussions.

There is also some controversy over how to spread out your dosage during the course of a day. Some say taking it multiple times spread out during the day, while others believe it is more beneficial to take it all at once. Science seems to be on the side of the latter group, as this seems to be the best way to maximize absorption. You see, the bioavailability is one of the biggest concerns when taking a resveratrol supplement and you want to make sure you are not letting any go to waste. Those recommending spreading your dosages out over the day are either ill informed, or are just trying to get you to run out faster (so you have to buy more often).

The quality of the resveratrol you choose will also affect how much you need to take to get equal benefits. You will need to take more of a 50% extract than you would one that is 99% pure trans-resveratrol.

In the same 60 minutes interview Dr. Sinclair also noted how much he was taking at the time. He stated that at the time of the interview he was consuming 5mg/kg per day. That comes out to be about 320mg each day. Many people hear this number and decide that 320mg is what they should be taking as well. However, this is not a logical way to determine correct usage of this supplement. Just because Dr. Sinclair, even as a leading resveratrol expert, took that much does not mean it is ideal for you.

Since we are each different it is unlikely that a single standard recommended dose will be able to provide the best results for an individual. Instead, take a scientific approach and find the answer for yourself (please read our site’s disclaimer before continuing).

Begin by recording how you feel when you are not taking any resveratrol supplements, it is also a good idea to discuss this whole procedure with your personal doctor before getting started. If you experience any problems along the way let the doctor know immediately.

Start with a small amount, such as 100mg per day. Many people believe this is the lowest amount you can take and still show significant results. Record how that makes you feel and stay on it for about a week, before moving up. Continue increasing the amount you take until you notice any unwanted side effects, or you stop noticing additional benefits. If you notice a side effects decrease dosage and see if this fixes the problem. If you are no longer noticing increase benefits then it is likely you have found the peak of the supplements usefulness.

Even before scientists started studying the French paradox, which hypothesizes that those who drink red wine on a daily basis have a lower instances of heart disease, we have known that red wine can be beneficial to our health when taken in moderation. Studies have revealed that an antioxidant found in the skins of grapes, called resveratrol, is one of the sources for those health benefits.

This polyphenol is produced by plants to fight off bacteria and harsh weather conditions. It looks as if some of these protective properties are transferred over to a us when we consume it. Some of the benefits of resveratrol include; an extended active life, prevention and possible treatment of diabetes, a reduction in dementia, improved endurance, and increased athletic performance.

Sure, all of these benefits sound too good to be true. Is this discovery too good to be true, or is it really the next step in increasing our life span? If it is for real, than how does resveratrol work?

Unlike other “miracle cures” it seems that resveratrol actually has some weight behind it. Scientists have conducted a series of tests that have shown this substance to increase the life of yeast, worms, fish, and mice. However, it was not until they figured out why it worked that they really started to become excited about the prospect of human usage.

To understand how this works you need to know a little bit about the Calorie Restriction Diet. Of all the methods we have tried to use in order to live longer, calorie restriction is one of the few methods that is universally believed to be effective. The idea behind this lifestyle, is that by eating 15%-30% less food (this often comes out to about 1400-1700 calories per day) you can extend your life 1 to 2 decades. Those on the diet also show lower levels of cholesterol, lower fasting insulin levels, higher levels of mental focus, and increased endurance. They were also able to maintain this into old age. If those benefits sound exactly like the resveratrol benefits, you are starting to understand why this works.

Obviously, this diet is no fun which is why so few people actually stick with it long term. When scientists began to study different compounds looking for are one that mimicked the results of calorie restriction, they struck gold when they learned resveratrol did just that.

Dr. David Sinclair, from the Harvard Medical School, conducted tests where mice were fed an incredibly high fat diet. Half of those were given resveratrol as well. A control group was fed a normal healthy diet and did not take any supplements.

The mice on only the high fat diet showed similar symptoms to what happens when humans become obese. Their activity level greatly decreased, their livers swelled and became incredibly fatty, they started to develop diabetes and cancer, and died at an early age.

Those on the high fat diet with resveratrol showed none of these symptoms. In fact, their levels in all aspects of health were nearly identical to those of the mice eating a healthy diet.

This study seems to show that getting a healthy dose of resveratrol can help fight off the damages of obesity and give you the benefits of a calorie restricted diet, all without changing what you eat.

This is not to suggest that taking this supplement gives you free reign to eat all the doughnuts, pizza, and potato chips you want. The mice in the study might not have had as many problems with obesity, but they still were incredibly fat. It just means that we may now have a real chance to extend our life span without suffering through the hunger and pain that comes with severely limiting calories. A healthy life style combined with resveratrol may allow us to stay healthy and active decades longer than we can now.