The Red Wine Pill
18 Sep 2008
How do the French differ from North Americans? They’re noted for enjoying fat-rich, calorie-packed baked goodies which are not heart healthy. Yet they’re less likely to die from cardiovascular disease than North Americans. It’s called "The French Paradox", believed to be linked to resveratrol, a substance found in red wine. Now, a study shows that a red wine pill provides more health benefits than drinking hundreds of glasses of the sweet nectar of the gods.
Dr. David Sinclair, a researcher at The Harvard Medical School, has developed a concentrated form of resveratrol. He’s tested the effects on mice and believes it will help to offset the effect of high fat diets, decrease the chance of diabetes and slow down aging in humans.
Middle-aged mice were fed a diet in which 60 percent of calories came from fat. They developed signs of diabetes and died much sooner than mice fed on a regular diet.
Another group of middle aged mice were fed the same diet along with resveratrol. This did not stop them from gaining weight, but it did prevent the onset of diabetes. Moreover, even though obese, they lived as long as those fed a regular diet. It showed mice could be gluttons at mealtime without paying the price later on.
Dr Johan Auwerx, at the Institute of Molecular Biolgy in Illkirch, France showed that an ordinary mouse could run one kilometer on a treadmill. But mice given resveratrol ran twice as far and had a slower heart rate, similar to trained athletes. As Dr. Auwerx remarked, "Resveratrol makes you look like a trained athlete without the training".
Auwerx believes resveratrol generates energy in the body’s cells thereby burning more fat and avoiding weight gain. Examination of muscle fibers of the mice revealed they had been remodeled by resveratrol into a type prevalent in trained human athletes.
Other scientists believe that enzymes, such as sirtuin, keep the body healthful in youth, but become less powerful with age. They claim that resveratrol restores the activity of these enzymes.
At this point I’m ready to pour myself a glass or two of Cabernet Sauvignon. But according to Dr. Sinclair I would have to drink 1,500 bottles of red wine daily to get the same amount of resveratrol that was given to mice. The alternative is the Red Wine Pill.
Some say it’s too early to take resveratrol until further research has been done. But Sinclair’s research is driven by his own desire to slow down aging. As he told me, "This is the Holy Grail of Aging Research". And he says he, his wife, parents and half of his research staff have been taking the red wine pill for three years without any problems.
So what is the choice? If you’re a moderate drinker you can continue to enjoy a frequent glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. Many studies show you will live longer. But Dr.Sinclair stresses his research is not about red wine which provides miniscule amounts of resveratrol. Rather, it’s about getting a concentrated dose of resveratrol in the Red Wine Pill.
For years doctors have feared promoting the health benefits of wine because of social problems associated with excessive use of alcohol. Now the Red Wine Pill allows teetotalers the health benefits of wine without the alcohol or calories.
Since 50 percent of patients with diabetes die from heart attack, the Red Wine Pill will hopefully help decrease this complication in years ahead. And if Dr. Auwex’s and Dr. Sinclair’s research is right, the Red Wine Pill should help to decrease the chance of cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease, and give energy to those who are tired all the time.
Several red wine pills are available, but studies show some brands provide only small amounts of resveratrol. One product called, "Extension Resveratrol", is made by Vitamin Research Products, a company that received top honours in a study carried out by seven international nutritionists. This product also contains red wine polyphenols which act synergistically with resveratrol. It also contains quercetin which prolongs the action of resveratrol in the body. For more information see the web site www.vrp.com or call the toll-free number 1-800-877-2447.
