Latest Update on Resveratrol

I have been following the fascinating developments of the anti-aging molecule resveratrol (see here and here). Resveratrol is a molecule found in red wine and very high concentrations of it (that is, the molecule not wine!) mimics some of the benefits of calorie restriction.

The latest issue of Cell Metabolism has an early online study on the impact resveratrol has on mice which consume it at midlife (see here). Here is the abstract:

A small molecule that safely mimics the ability of dietary restriction (DR) to delay age-related diseases in laboratory animals is greatly sought after. We and others have shown that resveratrol mimics effects of DR in lower organisms. In mice, we find that resveratrol induces gene expression patterns in multiple tissues that parallel those induced by DR and every-other-day feeding. Moreover, resveratrol- fed elderly mice show a marked reduction in signs of aging, including reduced albuminuria, decreased inflammation, and apoptosis in the vascular endothelium, increased aortic elasticity, greater motor coordination, reduced cataract formation, and preserved bone mineral density. However, mice fed a standard diet did not live longer when treated with resveratrol beginning at 12 months of age. Our findings indicate that resveratrol treatment has a range of beneficial effects in mice but does not increase the longevity of ad libitum-fed animals when started midlife.

Cheers,
Colin