Is Resveratrol An Anti-Inflammatory And Anti-Aging Agent?

People normally use resveratrol for the purpose of healing the body after they sustain an injury. This substance is a phenol and it can be used to fight against foreign bacteria and fungi that invades the body. Some medical researchers and professionals claim that resveratrol has anti-aging and anti-inflammatory qualities and is able to stop the formation of diseases or slow the aging process.

Cardiovascular Health

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 80 million American people have some type of issue with their cardiovascular system. Some studies have shown that resveratrol is able to keep the blood from clotting, lowers "LDL," or bad cholesterol, and blocks the stickiness of platelets. While research has created evidence that resveratrol is able to improve cardiovascular health, that does not mean that this substance is 100% effective for this purpose.

Antioxidant Properties 

Oxidation is a natural chemical reaction that happens within the body. It breaks down cells on the molecular level causing them to produce free radicals, which then destroys cells. Antioxidants are used to slow down this process. Resveratrol is an antioxidant that stops most free radicals from spreading. They also encourage oxidation so that new cells can be created. 

Anti-Inflammatory Activity

When a person's body is affected by harmful stimuli such as pathogens, damaged cells or irritants it can create a condition called inflammation. Inflammation is characterized by heat, pain, redness, swelling and loss of function. It is a necessary protective characteristic of the body that is used to heal a person and to remove injurious stimuli such as damaged tissue, foreign bacteria or viral infections. Resveratrol supposedly relieves inflammation related to stroke, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Anti-Cancer Effects

Resveratol could supposedly stop cancer from forming by going deep into a cell's DNA to repair free radical damage that could lead to cancer. This substance is supposedly able to prevent the development of tumors by keeping certain enzymes from forming.

Antiviral Activity

Viral infections that can occur within a person's body could be effectively eliminated with the use resveratol. Again, this substance works to eliminate viral activity by eliminating free radicals from cells and by implementing the oxidation process.

Anti-Aging

Some medical professionals believe that the aging process can be slowed with the resveratrol. This substance's anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties supposedly stops the aging process by inhibiting these two qualities. Research reveals resveratrol has been able to slow the process, but not completely stop it.

Weight Loss Potential and Athletic Performance

Fat cells could be shrunk with the use of resveratrol, but this has not been conclusively proven. Researchers found evidence that resveratrol produces energy production in the heart and the skeletal muscles, which then could be used to power up work out routines. While scientific research reveals that resveratrol has the ability to improve athletic performance and help people to lose weight; it is not commonly used as a proven method for either one of these two health related processes. 

Resveratrol dosing, safety and availability 

When researchers performed studies on the use resveratrol they used at least 2 grams (2,000 milligrams) of this substance on test subjects. A person would have to take at least 2 grams of this substance to get some of the benefits that research discovered. Most supplements contain 250 to 500 milligrams of resveratrol. The FDA does not regulate this substance, and since they do not, people might not receive the dosage that they expect from supplements.

Researchers have not discovered any known side effects that result from the use of resveratrol. Some medical experts speculate that this substance might interfere with the use of blood thinners and other meds that are used for cardiovascular health. The substance can be purchased from health stores, supermarkets, grocery stores, pharmacies or from businesses that sell this product online.

Conclusion

While there is some evidence that resveratrol can be used to provide some medical benefits, the substance should not be used in place of proven treatments and remedies for various conditions and diseases. Ultimately, resveratrol probably will not stop the aging process and people should not rely on it for this purpose. People should contact their doctor or physician before using this product.