The public has heightened interest in a compound that is commonly found in grapes called resveratrol, initially just known to deliver some protection for the heart. Nowadays, there’s a lot more health benefits related to this substance that is being talked about. Take a look at the interesting goodness that we can possibly have:

• On weight management,  it acts as an estrogen blocker. This is important because this hormone has some negative effects like decreasing muscle mass and increases fat storage. It also helps regulate insulin production; lower insulin levels decrease fat storage while high levels of insulin secretion lead to increased fat storage (which may eventually lead to insulin resistance and therefore, type 2 diabetes).

• Scientists have seen that it can inhibit all three major stages of tumor development (initiation, promotion, and progression) associated with cancer of the breast, prostate, brain, liver, pancreas, kidney, colon, ovary, and cervix including melanoma and lymphoma. Interestingly, scientists have seen it act as an anti-leukemic agent.

• By nature, it is an anti-fungal as it has shown to inhibit the growth of both mold and fungus. Additionally, it stops the growth of viruses such as influenza and herpes. In cases of HIV, it  demonstrated that it can improve the potency of certain drugs used to treat it.

• New research have been done to show its neuro-protective effect. In some clinical works, after serious brain injury, treatment with it  has been shown to vastly improve the ability of the brain to recover. Going deeply into this research, it promoted neuronal survival in the brain and it may provide a practical application to help treat neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s  Disease.

• In another animal study from the Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cell Biology, it was shown to have the potential to improve muscular endurance of athletes by increasing the energy-creating components in the cells.

Taking a step back and just to emphasize the goodness of resveratrol for heart health, it is its anti-inflammatory effects that help provide cardio-protective benefits.

As grapes (and wines) are known to be the major source of resveratrol, animal studies have looked into its toxicity. Studies conducted on mice showed that high amounts of resveratrol (present in hundreds of glasses of an average red wine) indicated a significant boost of the advantages while there is little evidence to show any harm.

However, take note that since resveratrol in (red) wine is minute (compared to food supplements), it would really take a large number of wine glass to get the benefits (like 10 glasses of red wine). Red wine is noted as a good source of resveratrol simply because in the winemaking process, the seeds and skin are included (both of which contain resveratrol).

Now before you buy those food supplements or foods that claim to contain resveratrol, here’s just some simple notes for you: It is trans-resveratrol, which is most effective and not the cis-resveratrol (it could be effective but not as much).