Resveratrol: research denies its beneficial properties

    Resveratrol: research denies its beneficial properties

    New research seems to disprove certainties about the resveratrol contained in red wine and chocolate. It wouldn't help prevent heart disease and cancer

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    We have always considered resveratrol, an antioxidant substance contained in Red wine but also in chocolate e berries, particularly valuable because it can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. Now new research seems to disprove these certainties.





    The study, led by a team of researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, monitored nearly 1998 men and women from 2009 to 800 from 65 years old residents in the Chianti area. Most of them, also given the area of ​​origin, had a diet very rich in resveratrol. The researchers, led by Richard Seem, had the participants fill out a questionnaire about their eating habits and then proceeded to perform urine tests to measure the levels of this substance in people.

    During the 12 years of research, a third of the participants sampled had already died, a 27% had developed a disease affecting the cardiovascular system and 5% had become ill with cancer. Taking into account all the data in the hands of the researchers and also considering the age and sex of the participants, it was possible to see that higher concentrations of resveratrol in reality they did not coincide with lower risks of contracting diseases than the others.

    The research thus concluded that the benefits of resveratrol have been overrated over the years. “This is not to say that an occasional glass of wine is not a healthy choice. The American Heart Association recommends an average of one or two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women, ”said Samantha Heller, a clinical nutritionist at New York University Medical Center.

    According to the study, however, foods that contain resveratrol such as red wine, chocolate and berries were actually shown to be beneficial as they contributed to reduce inflammation. So commented Professor Seems: “the benefits, if any, come from other polyphenols or substances present in these foods. They are complex foods and all we know from our study is that the benefits are most likely not related to resveratrol ”.



    The central point and the interesting starting point to be taken from the results of this research is that it is probably wrong to focus on a single active ingredient capable of decreasing the risk of getting sick but, as occurs in nature, a set of phytochemicals must be considered, minerals and vitamins that work together to promote health and fight disease. These are found mainly in fruits and vegetables, and that is why it is always good, in order to get all the useful nutrients, to eat them every day, varying according to the season.


    Therefore, the role of resveratrol on our health is not yet completely clear, also why research has not evaluated the effects of this substance taken in large doses for example through supplements. Therefore, new insights are certainly needed.


    Read also:

    - Red wine against stroke, diabetes and cancer thanks to resveratrol

    - Red wine: a glass (no more) prolongs life

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