When many people hear the word resveratrol, they think of the healthy ingredient in red wine or associate the word with the term “anti-aging.” Resveratrol is a polyphenol found in several plants such as the peels of grapes, and berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, mulberries.
A 2020 study involving supplemental resveratrol investigated the potential benefit of resveratrol for bone density in postmenopausal women. The study was 24 months in length and was high-quality, being a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover investigation.Initially, the study looked at the effects of 75 mg of resveratrol taken twice daily and the effects on various health parameters, including bone density. The authors concluded that resveratrol supplementation significantly improved bone metabolism as measured with urinary markers (CTX) and bone density of the lumbar spine and femoral neck. The authors theorize that resveratrol supports bone density by improving microcirculation which helps osteoblasts responsible for bone formation. This study is essential since osteoporosis is prevalent in postmenopausal women.
In a different 2022 meta-analysis, researchers looked at the effect of resveratrol supplementation on glucose (blood sugar) and lipid metabolism. The analysis included 25 articles that included randomized clinical trials and blood markers that included lipids, hemoglobin A1C, fasting glucose, fat percentage, waist circumference, and others. The authors found that resveratrol supplementation in a dose range of usually 200 mg to 500 mg daily significantly reduced waist circumference, hemoglobin A1C (long-term blood sugar regulation), and lipid levels.
The authors state that previous research on resveratrol has shown that it improves glucose and lipids by acting as an antioxidant to reduce reactive oxygen species damaging free radicals). In addition, the authors also report that resveratrol regulates genes involved in lipid metabolism as well as liver and muscle energy metabolism. This study is important since hyperlipidemia and insulin resistance are global health problems that can be helped with proven nutritional therapies.
Dr. Mark Stengler NMD, MS, is a bestselling author in private practice in Encinitas, California, at the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine. His newsletter, Dr. Stengler’s Health Breakthroughs, is available at www.markstengler.com and his product line at www.drstengler.com
Wong, R. H. X., Thaung Zaw, J. J., Xian, C. J., & Howe, P. R. C. (2020). Regular supplementation with resveratrol improves bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: A randomized, placebo‐controlled trial. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 35(11), 2121–2131. https://doi.org/10.1002/jbmr.4115.
Zhou, Q., Wang, Y., Han, X., Fu, S., Zhu, C., & Chen, Q. (2022). Efficacy of resveratrol supplementation on glucose and lipid metabolism: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Frontiers in Physiology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.795980
