Comprehensive Library Of Resveratrol News

A molecule extracted from the botanical herb Astragalus is now being widely touted as a “youth preserver.” One advocate calls it “the most exciting breakthrough in the last century.” Theoretically, how does this molecule do this? Answer: By lengthening the age-shortened end caps of chromosomes called telomeres.

A published human study claims those subjects who took the Astragalus extract called TA-65 had cells that were 5-20 years younger. TA-65 activates the gene that produces telomerase, the natural enzyme that repairs fragmented telomeres.

There always a kernel of truth to such claims, but in this instance there is also a lot of stretching the truth too.

Telomeres are known as the biological clock of the cell, since they shorten with each cell division and with advancing age. Shortened telomeres is claimed to govern the rate of aging. Telomere lengthening agents like Astragalus extracts would theoretically slow aging.

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Derived from the medical literature and from reports by consumers to manufacturers.

• Frontal headache: usually among menstruating females who are anemic
• Achilles heel tendonitis: usually reported by mega-dose users of the product; believed to be related to shortage of copper; similar to Achilles tendon soreness reported with the metal-chelating antibiotic drug Cipro.
• Melanonis coli: benign dark pigmentation of lining of digestive tract; usually discovered during colonoscopy.
• Fatigue:  Believed to be induced by the mineral-chelating properties of the product, inducing anemia.
• Insomnia: Believed to be due to underlying anemia.

Symptoms believed to be related to over-inhibition of TNF (tumor necrosis factor)

• Stiff hands
• Skin rash
• Anxiety reactions
• Flu-like symptoms

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A published report in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology (Volume 88, pages 1017-1025) today confirms that Longevinex® is the first branded resveratrol-based dietary supplement shown to exhibit cardio-protection, that is, it preconditions the heart so if a future heart attack occurs, the patient (in this instance, a laboratory rat) won’t succumb to this unexpected event. An abstract of the report can be viewed online (click here), and the full paper is also available for free public viewing (PDF version / HTML version)

The experiment showed that Longevinex®, a multi-ingredient nutriceutical that provides resveratrol in a matrix with quercetin, rice bran phytate, ferulic acid and vitamin D3, exerts cardio-protective action equivalent to that produced by plain resveratrol at a dose 40% lower than prior published studies (175 mg resveratrol, 100 mg resveratrol/Longevinex matrix).

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Source: Med Hypotheses. 2010 Oct 5. [Epub ahead of print]
Mannari C, Bertelli AA, Stiaccini G, Giovannini L.Department of Neuroscience, Pharmacology Section, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.

Researchers in Italy report that inexpensive, diluted wine activates the Sirtuin1 survival gene better than pure resveratrol. The study was conducted to determine the potential health effects afforded by table wine made from Lambrusco grapes.

An errant study published in 2003, researchers showed that resveratrol is the small molecule that most effectively activates the Sirtuin1 gene among all small molecules tested. The Sirtuin1 gene is akin to the SIR2 gene in lower life forms (yeast cells, roundworms, fruit flies) and is portrayed as the key gene that is activated by a limited calorie diet, a practice that unequivocally doubles the lifespan of all living organisms.

However, it was discovered that the fluorescent compound used in the 2003 assay is what activated Sirtuin1, not resveratrol, thus obfuscating the gene target of this red wine molecule.

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Las Vegas, NV (October 7, 2010) – Longevinex® is the first resveratrol-based nutriceutical to demonstrate it abolishes the earliest sign of blood vessel aging and significantly inhibits a marker of inflammation, in humans.

In a 3-month study conducted among patients with metabolic syndrome (obesity, elevated blood sugar) in Japan, researchers report that 1-capsule of Longevinex® taken daily strongly inhibits loss of “flow mediated dilatation,” which is described as impaired ability of arteries to widen (dilate) with increased heart rate induced by physical exertion or stress. If the arteries do not dilate when a human goes from a resting heart rate to a faster heart rate, then the artery remains abnormally narrow, blood pressure rises abnormally, and the threat of a stroke becomes real.

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“Resveratrol this and resveratrol that, it cures most everything in the laboratory rat.”

Main points:

• What do you get when shopping for resveratrol pills at Wal-Mart and Costco?
• Will your resveratrol pill switch your genes in time to achieve superlongevity?
• Can resveratrol be molecularly altered to improve its performance and bioavailability?
• Can you overdose on resveratrol?
• Is Sirtuin1 gene activation the end-all way of evaluating the effectiveness of resveratrol pills?
• Which is the best-tested brand of resveratrol pills?

Resveratrol — the red wine molecule heralded for its potential to reverse biological time, to erase the ravages of human aging, to do what only could be previously imagined in science-fiction books.  But the rush to commercialize resveratrol is trivializing its future.  A cobweb of false advertising, pseudoscience (even in published scientific journals), misleading labeling and potential side effects posed by overdosing could provoke regulatory agencies to step in and declare this molecule a drug, robbing the public of direct access to this miracle of our time.

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