# Experiences with resveratrol? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 30, 2008, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161 "2008-12-30T02:53:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Plan\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Plan\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plan_B)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/1 "2008-12-30T02:53:08Z")
I was watching Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld on TV on Sunday and he said that he recommends taking resveratrol for preventive health and anti-aging effects. In fact, he says that he regularly takes it himself. I’ve been watching Dr. Rosenfeld for years and he always seems to be down to earth and informed, about not only the latest fads, but the empirical research concerning these fads. In short, when he speaks, I listen. So I’m wondering if I’m missing something here, either about Dr. Rosenfeld, or about resveratrol. Does anyone know of anything bad about him that I should be aware of before I follow his advice? And about resveratrol…Is that a good idea? And if it is, where should I buy it? Sorting through all the info on the Internet is just too overwhelming right now. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/2 "2008-12-30T20:21:50Z")
I buy [Longevinex](http://www.longevinex.com/). ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/3 "2008-12-30T21:43:02Z")
Looks to me like resveratrol is at best [unproven and could have side effects](http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/resveratrol.html). I personally wouldn’t used something like this without better evidence behind it but I don’t know everything. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/4 "2008-12-30T21:50:51Z")
A guy on TV is hawking something with miraculous benefits but yet is not a prescription? Color me skeptical. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/5 "2008-12-30T22:18:50Z")
I’ve been taking it for about 2 years. There is a lot of reputable evidence in its favor. The brand I take is Source Naturals, and is sold at Whole Foods and GNC. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/6 "2008-12-30T23:07:04Z")
5-10 years ago, if you read the lay press, it was blatantly apparent that antioxidants were the things that were aging and killing otherwise healthy old people. The _C. elegans_ and mice models proved it, and if people could just load up on antioxidants like vitamin E, they’d live forever. Didn’t pan out: [http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/summary/142/1/37](http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/summary/142/1/37) Mice, fruit-flies, nematodes, and humans are different. Obviously, over millions of years of evolutionary development, we’ve evolved an ecological niche dependent upon long lifespans which mice have not developed. For instance, we have innate antioxidant protective systems that mice don’t have. As far as I’ve been able to discover, the evidence of resveratrol doing any good for “primates and up” in the food-chain is nonexistent. I can’t promise that it will never come, but for the time being diet and exercise offers a greater likelihood of extended life. I’ll continue to pursue those avenues for now. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/7 "2008-12-30T23:20:28Z")
Sorry to split posts again, but the subject got me reading and here’s a good review on maximal life-span interventions _from the future_ (February 2009) prepared by some folks at the National Institute of Aging (a part of the NIH). [http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.med.60.061607.220533](http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.med.60.061607.220533) Here’s a relevant bit on resveratrol: “Another potentially fruitful research approach, which avoids the obvious challenges of retention and compliance with CR in humans, is the search for compounds that mimic the effects of calorie restriction without the need for food restriction. There is some evidence in lower organisms that calorie restriction’s effect on longevity might require sirtuins, and sirtuins have been found to be activated by a family of polyphenols, including a natural compound called resveratrol (46). Resveratrol can increase life span in yeast, Drosophila, C. elegans, and at least one species of fish, but its effect in mice is less clear. It was recently reported that median life span can be increased by feeding resveratrol to extremely obese and overfed mice (47), but that resveratrol did not significantly affect maximal lifespan of these mice, nor did it affect either median or maximal lifespan of regularfed mice (48).” I guess the lesson is to climb on the hamster wheel. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/8 "2008-12-31T00:04:04Z")
> [@threemae](#): > > I guess the lesson is to climb on the hamster wheel. “Yes, friends, you too can help power the SDMB…” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/9 "2008-12-31T01:08:00Z")
For what it’s worth, I’m a scientist who works in the pharmaceutical industry, and resveratrol is the only supplement I take. There’s actually pretty good data, in VERY reputable journals (Nature and Science) that suggests that there are beneficial effects. As others have noted, nearly all of this is in lower organisms, though there is some decent mouse data now too. I thought enough of it to invest in Sirtris, a company that does this sort of research, which made me a nice coupla bucks when it was bought out earlier this year. So, I was an investor, but no longer have any financial interest in them! Anecdote (not data!): I’ve been taking it daily for about five years. My blood pressure (still a bit high) has never been lower, and if anything I’ve put on a few pounds, exercise less, eat worse and have a higher stress job now than when my blood pressure was high. I wouldn’t be shocked to find out that it doesn’t work, but there’s enough data to convince me to take it. ---
**Author:** ![Young\_Scrappy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/f0a364/32.png) [@Young\_Scrappy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Young_Scrappy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/10 "2009-02-11T14:53:10Z")
Anybody else taking this after the 60 minutes report? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/11 "2009-04-06T03:12:15Z")
Resveratrol has been highly recommended by Dr. Mehmet Oz, on \*Oprah. \*Though I have mixed feelings about Oprah, I have never known Dr. Oz to give bad advice. And yes, he claims to take it himself. Supposedly, after taking it for a short time, you start to experience increased energy, weight loss, lower blood pressure and normalized blood glucose for diabetics. I started taking it a few days ago. I’ll let you know whether I notice any difference. Of course the placebo effect may come into play, but that’s not an entirely bad thing. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/12 "2009-04-06T22:53:19Z")
I take resveratrol on a weekly basis, in the form of red wine. My favorites right now are [7 Deadly Zins](http://www.lodivineyards.com/7deadly.htm) and [Coppola Claret](http://www.wine.com/v6/francis-coppola-diamond-claret-2004/wine/87187/detail.aspx). HTH!😃 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/13 "2009-04-07T17:42:55Z")
Antioxidants’ effect on you may depend on your politics. If you are a free radical, you may want to steer clear of antioxidants. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/15 "2009-05-12T11:44:51Z")
The stuff must work, this thread keeps coming back to life. ---
**Author:** ![discodancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@discodancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/discodancer)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/16 "2009-06-03T13:59:50Z")
Does anyone know if it matters if the source of the resveratrol is from grape skins or knotweed? I’ve seen that the supplements from knotweed are cheaper. It’s also confusing that some supplements contain extracts from grapeseeds, but I heard it is only contained in the grape skins. Anyone know anything about this? ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/17 "2009-06-03T15:00:20Z")
> [@On another topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/544243/2): > > For those interested, the 60 Minutes segment is still online at their site: [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/25/60minutes/main4752082\_page4.shtml](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/25/60minutes/main4752082_page4.shtml). It was a very interesting segment to watch, and does seem to indicate that resveratrol is making a positive impact. If indeed this is the element in red wine that is responsible for the health of those in France, then it seems to be a very positive supplement indeed. There’s currently much research being done, but of course resveratrol can be taken now in a supplement. I found one called [Pomology Anti-Aging](http://www.seacoastvitamins.com/product_info.php?products_id=2802) which has resveratrol along with several other antioxidants which I like a lot. They have free samples on the Pomology website so those interested could give it a try. I don’t think it’s a supplement you necessarily feel the benefits of, but that can improve health over the long-term. From what I’ve read, the amount of resveratrol consumed by the average wine drinker is extremely low and is unlikely to be tied to any possible heath benefits seen in France. I’ve been taking the stuff for a few weeks & am still waiting to see some kind of noticeable effects. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/18 "2009-06-04T09:29:11Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > I’ve been taking the stuff for a few weeks & am still waiting to see some kind of noticeable effects. After 2 months, I don’t feel any change whatsoever. But I’m more concerned with long-term effects anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Young\_Scrappy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/f0a364/32.png) [@Young\_Scrappy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Young_Scrappy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-resveratrol/479161/19 "2009-06-10T17:04:21Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > After 2 months, I don’t feel any change whatsoever. But I’m more concerned with long-term effects anyway. which one do you take?