150–500 mg/day.
*⏱ 2 min read
Resveratrol is a natural compound found mainly in the skin of red grapes and the root of Polygonum cuspidatum, or Japanese knotweed, as well as in smaller amounts in peanuts and blueberries; it protects the plants that contain it from fungal attack and from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation, which explains why plants produce it as a hormetic response to environmental stressors.
First extracted in the 1940s, resveratrol attracted little interest in terms of human health until 1992, when research suggested that it might mediate some of the cardioprotective effects of red wine; since then, numerous studies have demonstrated resveratrol's ability to slow or prevent various diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as to extend the lifespan of organisms ranging from yeast to vertebrates.
Resveratrol activates sirtuins, especially SIRT1, which improve mitochondrial function; it inhibits the cyclooxygenases that produce proinflammatory molecules such as prostaglandins; it activates AMPK, the master regulator of energy metabolism; and it inhibits mTOR in the presence of low IGF-1 levels and other circumstances, effects that collectively mimic the metabolic benefits of caloric restriction; in clinical trials in humans with prediabetes and insulin resistance, resveratrol improved glycemia, HbA1c, insulin sensitivity, and markers of oxidative stress.
An important concern about resveratrol supplementation is its possible interference with the benefits of exercise: some human studies show that resveratrol can reduce or suppress cardiovascular adaptations to exercise, such as improvements in VO2 max, HDL cholesterol, and blood pressure, probably because resveratrol, as an antioxidant, may blunt the oxidative stress needed to activate training adaptation responses; however, other studies do not replicate this finding, suggesting that the effects may depend on the dose and the timing of supplementation relative to exercise.
Information, not medical advice. Scientific evidence reflects the quality of the studies.