Getting the Maximum Benefit from Resveratrol

Many supplements for resveratrol are currently available on the market today, but you need to be careful what you buy, as many are simply a waste of money. Although extensive research has shown the many health benefits of this supplement, resveratrol must enter the blood stream to provide any benefits.

Trans-resveratrol is a form of resveratrol that is well absorbed by humans when taken orally. Tests have been conducted on the amount of trans-resveratrol that actually reaches the blood stream when people drink red wine on an empty stomach, drink red wine with food, or take a resveratrol supplement that has no enteric coating. The results showed that in none of these three instances did a significant amount of trans-resveratrol actually enter the blood stream.

These studies used the form of resveratrol called trans-resveratrol to test the health benefits. The highest levels of concentration in supplements containing trans-resveratrol are up to fifty percent. If an enteric coating is applied to the supplement, then a greater amount will enter the blood stream, but most manufacturers do not put this coating on their products. If you ingest resveratrol in either a powder or liquid form, you will not receive any of the health benefits.

Resveratrol can be found in the skins of grapes, in raisins, peanuts, mulberries, blueberries, eucalyptus trees, and in the Japanese Knotweed plant. There is some known benefit supplied when drinking red wine, however researchers believe this is not caused by resveratrol. The amount of red wine you would need to consume to see a positive impact (about a liter a day) would be so great that you would damage your liver in the process.

Therefore, in order to see health benefits from resveratrol, you should take the product as supplement. It should be combined with other nutrients and protected with an enteric coating so it will eventually enter directly into the blood stream by way of the small intestine. These benefits include a stronger heart, a stronger metabolism, and a longer and a healthier life.

Although no one really understands why resveratrol provides these health benefits, several theories have emerged to explain how it works. One theory is that trans-resveratrol stimulates a gene that decreases a free radical called superoxide. Over time, superoxide can cause erosion in DNA. This means that the resveratrol supplements should also contain Vitamin C, enzymes, and glutathione. By stimulating this gene, the superoxide is reduced to hydrogen peroxide, a free radical. When Vitamin C is at work, the hydrogen peroxide is reduced to water. Adding glutathione and enzymes to the supplement will boost the effects of the Vitamin C by making it last for a longer time.

For the resveratrol supplement to be most effective, the correct combination of antioxidants and nutrients must be present. Simply taking resveratrol and adding it to your diet will not give you the maximum health benefit. There are many types of plant extracts that supply a benefit to humans, and the best manufacturers will combine these extracts in the proper way to give you the most powerful boost to your health.