Best Resveratrol Supplement

If you are interested in wellness and healthy aging, you need to know about the positive effects of resveratrol to prevent various medical conditions. Resveratrol is a potent antioxidant, but its benefits don’t end there. 

Keep reading to learn more about the health benefits of resveratrol and the best dietary supplement solution. This article will cover: 

• What is resveratrol?
• Resveratrol sources and types
• Anti-aging benefits
• Heart health benefits
• Brain health benefits
• Resveratrol side effects (spoiler: virtually none)
• The best resveratrol supplement – Core Med Science Liposomal Curcumin – Resveratrol

Let’s dive in! 

What is Resveratrol? More than an Antioxidant

Resveratrol is a phytonutrient (plant nutrient). Like quercetin and EGCG in green tea, resveratrol is a polyphenol and a powerful antioxidant. 

Resveratrol offers various bioactivities in the body, including:

• Antioxidant protection against free radicals
• Anti-inflammatory properties
• Microbiome health 
• Estrogen modulation 
• Protection for the cardiovascular, metabolic, and nervous system (Source 1, 2)

I’ll dive into more of the health benefits below. 

Red Wine and Trans-Resveratrol

Over 70 plant species make resveratrol to defend against pathogens, but you’ve likely only heard of one: red wine. (Source 3)

Resveratrol helps explain the French Paradox, why people in France can indulge in rich, decadent food (and wine) yet have much lower rates of cardiovascular disease. The story is likely more complex, but a diet rich in polyphenols helps prevent chronic disease. 

Besides red wine, other food sources of resveratrol include: 

• Red grapes
• Blueberries
• Peanuts 
• Cacao and dark chocolate
• Mulberries (Source 1)

While small amounts of resveratrol are widespread in many foods, you’ll achieve many medicinal benefits at higher doses you can only get from dietary supplements. Out of at least 92 resveratrol compounds in plants, the medicinal properties mainly come from one form of resveratrol: trans-resveratrol (not cis-resveratrol). (Source 3)

Japanese knotweed root (Polygonum cuspidatum), a traditional herb used in Chinese and Japanese medicine, was one of the first sources of resveratrol used in supplement form.

Health Benefits of Resveratrol for Life Extension

It’s essential to consider aging because it’s a risk factor for chronic disease. As we get older, oxidative stress and inflammation increase, causing cellular damage, which can lead to cancer, diabetes, heart disease, dementia, osteoporosis, and more.  

Research suggests resveratrol has anti-aging properties and may extend the lifespan while decreasing the risk of age-related diseases. On a cellular level, resveratrol combats oxidative stress, reduces inflammation, and improves mitochondrial function. It addresses the underlying mechanisms that promote biological aging. (Source 1)

Additionally, resveratrol may be a life extension agent. In at least 19 animal and insect studies, including honeybees, fruit flies, and mice, those given resveratrol lived longer. (Source 1)

One reason for the longevity benefits of resveratrol may be their impact on sirtuins, cellular proteins involved in aging and other cellular processes. I’ve discussed sirtuins before in the context of NAD+ and its precursors, nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). Robust NAD+ levels are essential for health; read more here. 

Resveratrol impacts SIRT 1, a sirtuin that induces autophagy. Autophagy is the cells’ natural process for clearing waste and recycling cellular components so cells can repair and regenerate. Autophagy is a crucial process for slowing cellular aging. It increases under certain conditions, like sleeping and fasting, and resveratrol helps too. (Source 1, 4) 

Heart Health Benefits of Resveratrol

By reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, resveratrol is cardioprotective. Additionally, resveratrol protects the blood vessels and vascular system. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Polygonum cuspidatum, a root extract high in resveratrol, is used to prevent atherosclerosis. (Source 3)

Resveratrol may have additional benefits in addressing drivers of cardiovascular disease, including blood pressure, cholesterol, and insulin sensitivity. 

A meta-analysis of six studies suggests resveratrol supplementation significantly decreases systolic blood pressure. (Source 5)

In a 2022 meta-analysis of 25 articles, participants who received resveratrol supplements experienced decreases in:

• Waist circumference
• Hemoglobin A1C (a 3-month estimate of blood sugar/glucose levels)
• Total cholesterol
• LDL cholesterol (e.g., “bad cholesterol”)

These changes suggest resveratrol is protective for metabolic and cardiovascular health and may be part of an overall treatment strategy for weight loss and heart disease. (Source 6)

Brain Health Benefits

Resveratrol also has positive effects on brain health and is a neuroprotectant. It modulates SIRT 1, as discussed, inhibits pro-inflammatory enzymes, and activates a crucial anti-inflammatory pathway called NF-Kb. (Source 7)

Resveratrol’s actions in cells may increase cerebral blood flow and plasticity, leading to improved cognition and protection from neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. (Source 7, 8)

Resveratrol Dosage and Side Effects

Resveratrol is safe and well-tolerated at recommended doses of up to 1 gram daily. Long-term clinical trials, even at high doses up to 5 grams per day, report no adverse effects. (Source 3)

In patients with fatty liver disease, high concentrations of resveratrol may produce side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It’s important to discuss supplementation with a knowledgeable healthcare professional, such as a functional medicine provider, for personalized guidance. (Source 3)

There are many resveratrol products on the market, with widely diverse quality and bioavailability. Supplements in the USA are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in terms of manufacturing practices, but not for active ingredients, fillers, or contaminants. As a consumer, it’s hard to know what resveratrol supplement brands to trust. 

Best Resveratrol Supplements – Optimized Resveratrol

Core Med Science is a leader in high-quality liposomal supplements. Our physician-formulated products are non-GMO, gluten-free, certified GMP, and made in the USA. We go further and 3rd party test our ingredients and products for contaminants like heavy metals (we have the certifications to prove it). 

Our proprietary liposomal formulas offer superior digestion, absorption, and bioavailability of active ingredients, allowing them to get into cells for maximum health benefits. Learn more about liposomal technology here. 

Core Med Science Liposomal Curcumin – Resveratrol combines the incredible anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and health-promoting benefits of curcumin with pure resveratrol for the ultimate synergy of bioactive compounds. (Check out our customer reviews!)

From heart health to brain health to longevity, the health benefits of resveratrol are astounding. The only way to improve them is by combining resveratrol with curcumin in a quality liposomal formula to reap the benefits of both extraordinary plant compounds. 

References

1. Zhou, D. D., Luo, M., Huang, S. Y., Saimaiti, A., Shang, A., Gan, R. Y., & Li, H. B. (2021). Effects and Mechanisms of Resveratrol on Aging and Age-Related Diseases. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2021, 9932218. 
2. Kobylka, P., Kucinska, M., Kujawski, J., Lazewski, D., Wierzchowski, M., & Murias, M. (2022). Resveratrol Analogues as Selective Estrogen Signaling Pathway Modulators: Structure-Activity Relationship. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 27(20), 6973. 
3. Salehi, B., Mishra, A. P., Nigam, M., Sener, B., Kilic, M., Sharifi-Rad, M., Fokou, P. V. T., Martins, N., & Sharifi-Rad, J. (2018). Resveratrol: A Double-Edged Sword in Health Benefits. Biomedicines, 6(3), 91. 
4. Ye, S., Fang, L., Xie, S., Hu, Y., Chen, S., Amin, N., Fang, M., & Hu, Z. (2023). Resveratrol alleviates postpartum depression-like behavior by activating autophagy via SIRT1 and inhibiting AKT/mTOR pathway. Behavioural brain research, 438, 114208. 
5. Liu, Y., Ma, W., Zhang, P., He, S., & Huang, D. (2015). Effect of resveratrol on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland), 34(1), 27–34. 
6. Zhou, Q., Wang, Y., Han, X., Fu, S., Zhu, C., & Chen, Q. (2022). Efficacy of Resveratrol Supplementation on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review. Frontiers in physiology, 13, 795980.
7. Cicero, A. F. G., Ruscica, M., & Banach, M. (2019). Resveratrol and cognitive decline: a clinician perspective. Archives of medical science : AMS, 15(4), 936–943. https://doi.org/10.5114/aoms.2019.85463
8. Wiciński, M., Domanowska, A., Wódkiewicz, E., & Malinowski, B. (2020). Neuroprotective Properties of Resveratrol and Its Derivatives-Influence on Potential Mechanisms Leading to the Development of Alzheimer's Disease. International journal of molecular sciences, 21(8), 2749. 
9. Almatroodi, S. A., A Alsahli, M., S M Aljohani, A., Alhumaydhi, F. A., Babiker, A. Y., Khan, A. A., & Rahmani, A. H. (2022). Potential Therapeutic Targets of Resveratrol, a Plant Polyphenol, and Its Role in the Therapy of Various Types of Cancer. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 27(9), 2665.