Resveratrol Health Benefits
Humans have become fascinated with anti-inflammatory foods and antioxidants over the past few years. A growing number of studies have shown that inflammation and free radical damage is the cause of many different health problems, which is why fight it is vital to our health.
Resveratrol Anti-Inflammatory
Resveratrol has been behind many of the studies and is the one of the most common anti-inflammatory agents. Resveratrol is naturally produced by the body but only in limited amounts. Therefore, taking resveratrol supplements is the only other way to reap the benefits of this powerful anti-inflammatory agent.
What is Resveratrol?
Resveratrol is a type of plant compound called a polyphenol. Researchers believe that these compounds have powerful antioxidant properties as well as several anti-inflammatory agents.
Resveratrol is naturally found in the skin of red grapes and several other berries, as well as peanuts. Most resveratrol supplements contain resveratrol from the Japanese or Chinese knotweed plant, although some supplements do come from red grape extracts.
Benefits of Resveratrol
While supplement manufactures claim that resveratrol has dozens of benefits, there is limited research available. Here are some of the reported benefits of resveratrol:
Heart Disease Prevention: Resveratrol supposedly helps reduce inflammation in the arteries, prevents the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, and makes it more difficult for plaque to build up in the arteries.
According to researchers, inflammation in the heart could be the root of heart disease. Inflammation causes blood clots that can potentially block blood flow to the heart, causing a heart attack. Therefore, in theory, resveratrol can eliminate this inflammation and reduce the risk for a heart attack.
Cancer Prevention: Some research indicates that resveratrol might inhibit the spread of cancer cells and potentially cause apoptosis (death of cancer cells). While research is only in its’ preliminary stage, researchers are hopeful there may be some more definitive evidence soon.
Diabetes: Resveratrol may help prevent insulin resistance, which is when the body is less sensitive to the effects of the hormone insulin. Insulin resistance is one of the few precursors to diabetes.
Alzheimer’s Prevention: While the exact cause of Alzheimer’s in unknown, some research indicates that nerve cell damage and the buildup of plaque to be two risk factors. Resveratrol protects nerve cells and eliminates plaque to potentially reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s.
Improved Immune System Function: Resveratrol possesses a large concentration of many anti-inflammatory compounds that support and improve immune system function. In fact, one of the most common uses for resveratrol is specifically for the immune system. Taking resveratrol can help your body fight sickness, prevent free radical damage, and reduce the risk for serious disease.
While much of the research is only preliminary, there is still enough evidence that resveratrol has several benefits on the body. More research is currently in progress and hopefully soon we will know more about the many benefits of this powerful supplement.
If you’d like to buy resveratrol, you can do so at many local retail stores or from dozens of reputable stores online.
