What if there was a substance that could protect against heart disease, prevent cancer and even help you live longer? Of course, you would expect that drug companies would be all over it. After all, something that good just might be the next miracle drug.
But this particular substance is already available in a form that’s both effective and affordable – and the poor drug companies won’t be seeing a dime from it. In fact, you’re probably already reaping this compound’s health benefits without even knowing it.
I’m talking about resveratrol – the potent antioxidant found in grapes, red wine, peanuts and berries.
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Start wining
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Ever wonder how the French can eat all of those fatty foods and rich sauces – and still live long, healthy lives? Recent studies have found that resveratrol may help explain this "French Paradox." Researchers believe the antioxidants in wine, which Europeans often consume with their daily meals, may be heart-protective.
In one of the largest studies to confirm the health benefits of wine, Serge Renaud, M.D., director of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, Bordeaux, examined the health effects of regular wine consumption on more than 34,000 middle-aged Frenchmen over a period of five years. Dr. Renaud and his colleagues found that those who drank two to five glasses of wine a day had a 30 percent lower risk of dying from heart dis-ease than the men who didn’t drink at all – despite their diet.
It seems that, according to test-tube and animal studies, resveratrol undermines atherosclerosis by decreasing the "stickiness" of blood platelets and by allowing blood vessels to stay flexible. What’s more, there is evidence that resveratrol might help reverse some of the damage leading to clogged arteries.
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Killing off cancer
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Of course, resveratrol’s benefits don’t stop there. A recent study in the European Journal of Cancer Preven-tion suggests that regular wine consumption provides power-ful protection against cancers of the upper digestive tract, lung, colon, basal cell carcinoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Exciting new research out of Portugal has also looked at resveratrol’s role in preventing breast cancer, essentially reversing earlier findings that drinking increased the risk of breast cancer.
The researchers exposed a specific type of human breast cancer cell known as MCF-7 to three different polyphenols: epigallocatechin gallate (found in tea), xanthohumol (found in beer) and resveratrol – then waited to see what happened. Although all three compound significantly reduced the growth of breast cancer cells, only resveratrol worked on more than one front to defeat the cancer cells.
Scientists at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, hypoth-esize that resveratrol may also prevent prostate cancer by giving cancer cells a one-two punch. In essence, the potent polyphenol short-circuits the development of future cancer cells while inhibiting the spread of existing cancer cells to other organs.
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Live smart, live long
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It seems that keeping your arteries healthy and fending off cancer aren’t resveratrol’s only talents. A recent study from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine found that resveratrol from red wine and grapes minimized damage to the brain following a stroke by absorbing free radicals and stopping them from doing further harm.
Even without the threat of future heart disease, cancer or stroke, it’s starting to look like resveratrol can help you live longer. Scientists from Harvard Medical School recently discovered that the antioxidant actually increased the lifespan of a specific type of yeast cell by 70 percent. When resveratrol was injected into the cells, it mimicked calorie restriction, which studies have confirmed is the only known way to slow aging. While this research is admittedly very preliminary, the researchers speculate that red wine could have the same effect on humans.
One last thing . . .
While all of this evidence is promising, it isn’t an excuse to increase your drinking habits. When it comes to alcohol, moderation is key. Too much alcohol can do a real number on your liver and your brain cells. But one or two glasses of red wine with dinner is plenty to give you the protection found in the research.
While grapes are the best food source of resveratrol, with grape skins containing 50 to 100 mcg. of resveratrol per gram, not all grapes are created equal. Grapes produce antioxidants to protect against inclement weather and disease, so those grown in cooler climates have higher levels of resveratrol and other antioxidants than those cultivated in warmer locales.
What if you don’t drink? Can you still get the health benefits of resveratrol? You bet! Purple grape juice also contains the antioxidant at levels high enough to offer protection. But, to get the most potent polyphenols, choose a non-concentrated juice with the pulp and solids left intact.
You can also get your resveratrol in supplemental form. One Chinese herb, Hu zhang, is a natural source of the compound and has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years to treat gall stones, yeast infection, rheumatoid arthritis and breast cancer. To get the most bang from your buck, the standard dose is 500 to 2,000 mg. of Hu zhang a day.
This just in . . .
Since lycopene – the potent antioxidant found in tomatoes – was found to reduce the risk of prostate cancer, men have pretty much been the target of this cancer-busting nutrient. Well boys, it’s time to share.
According to a new study presented at the annual Experimental Biology meeting in Washington, lycopene may also help millions of women suffering from fibroid tumors. Fibroid tumors – non-cancerous growths in the uterus – affect up to 35 percent of all women and can cause pelvic pain, miscarriage and infertility. Traditionally, a hysterectomy was the only cure. But this new study found that 200 mg. of lycopene a day not only halted the growth of tumors, it made them shrink. And not just a little, but significantly.
And here’s some good news for everyone. Lycopene also boosts blood concentrations of vitamins A, C and E and reduces homocysteine levels. So, along with making sure that your multi contains lycopene, why not cook up a batch of tomato-rich spaghetti sauce for dinner? Personally, I can’t think of a tastier way to stay healthy.
Yours in health and happiness,
Bonnie Jenkins
Advanced Natural Medicine Bulletin
References:
Bianchini, F and Vainio, H . “Wine and resveratrol: Mechanisms of cancer prevention?" European Journal of Cancer Prevention. 2003;12:417-425.
“Lycopene linked to reduction in fibroid tumors.” PR Newswire. 19 Apr 2004.
“Polypheols fight growth of breast cancer cells.” NutraIngredients.com. 19 Apr 2004.
Stewart, JR, et al. "Resveratrol: A candidate nutritional substance for prostate cancer prevention." Journal of Nutrition. 2003;133:2,440S-2,443S.
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