Resveratrol Supplements – Are they Worth It?
It's long been a conundrum to people who study these sorts of things why the French, who are known for their diets that are high in calories and fat, typically live longer and even healthier lives than most Americans. But now we have discovered why -- they drink so much wine!.
This fact isn't coincidental. Resveratrol is the compound that seems to be the solution to the mystery. This is a compound that a handful of plants produce in the skins of their fruit to fight off bacterial and parasitic fungal infections, and it works by being a powerful anti-oxidant.
The only problem with resveratrol as the answer to the French Paradox is that the French diet doesn't seem to contain enough of it to be clinically significant.
But, what almost no one can argue with is that the trials performed in the lab produced nearly uniform benefits as a result of taking resveratrol. Lab animals who took resveratrol displayed increased energy, a longer lifespan, and had higher amounts of lean muscle.
But wait, there's more...
Mice with diabetes who took resveratrol wound up with blood glucose levels that were very close to normal afterwards.
The results were so dramatic that scientists started increasing human trials (although no one came right out and said they had found a "cure" for diabetes).
And now, as you'd expect, the internet is playing a large role in all of this. I'm pretty confident you're well aware of the reports that have been over-the-top in their glowing enthusiasm for this new wonder drug.
Is this massive amount of coverage warranted?
It might. It's going to be pretty hard for resveratrol to live up to all of hype. The mythical fountain of youth, as most people know, doesn't really exist.
But maybe, when all is said and done, we might all agree that resveratrol is as close as we can get.
And since it only takes a minute or two, I'd think you'd want to check it out. Drug purity laws of course don't apply to resveratrol or other supplements -- they're not "drugs," but instead are "nutrional supplements."
Buying resveratrol, like buying any supplement online, is a game of buyer beware. There's not any way to synthesize resveratrol yet. And since we have to get it all from plants, it takes time and work. Which means that resveratrol supplements tend to vary in quality, along with their price.
Unfortunately, you can't just increase your consumption of a certain food to get enough resveratrol to make a difference. In fact, even red wine, which contains high levels of resveratrol, doesn't do the trick. You'd need to drink several liters -- at least 3, or about 5 regular-sized bottles -- every day.
So supplementation is going to have to be the way to go. But to begin with, what should you look for in good resveratrol supplements?
Look for resveratrol supplements that are relatively, if not wholly, free of fillers. You should be aware that resveratrol can break down if not stored properly -- it's best to get a product that hasn't been stored in high temperatures or exposed to very bright light.
The very first thing I would recommend is to check out the resveratrol supplements reviews that I link to below, where you'll find constantly updated reviews.
You should also check out the quick videos they have -- there are some important directions for how to get free samples of resveratrol. This is really valuable information. So it's definitely worth a couple minutes to check out, and could save you significant amounts of money over the old "trial and error" method.
Just to wrap up, whoever you choose to get your resveratrol supplements from, know that it's only a part of a health maintenance system. You still have to eat right, exercise your body and pay attention to your emotional health, with or without resveratrol as part of your diet.
A pill won't undo all of the damage we do to our bodies by itself, but it the lab tests are to be believed, it can seriously cut down on the time needed for these changes to have a positive effect.