What Are Resveratrol's Benefits?

Resveratrol is a polyphenol compound found to occur naturally in certain substances such as grapes and wine. Resveratrol has also been made into a supplement form and can be purchased in drug stores and health stores across the United States as well as other countries. Resveratrol has been studied and confirmed to have certain positive benefits to the body's overall health and its ability to fight off disease and aging to function in a healthy manner.

Antioxidant

• Resveratrol is identified to be present in the skin of grapes.

  Resveratrol has been identified as a potent antioxidant which works in the body to prevent damage from free radicals. When the body uses oxygen cells, free radicals are produced as a byproduct which can cause damage to the cells in the body and lead to mutations evident by condition such as heart disease and macular degeneration. Antioxidants counteract and destroy free radicals in the body to prevent damage from occurring. The antioxidant protection provided by resveratrol can help promote the body's immune system, protect overall health and delay the signs and effects of aging.

Increased Energy

• Resveratrol is also reported to be present in the skin of blueberries.

  Evidence points to a correlation between resveratrol and increased energy, greater production of testosterone and better overall muscle strength. Laboratory tests measuring the effects of resveratrol on lab mice show the mice were able to run twice as far on a treadmill than the mice who did not receive doses of resveratrol. The laboratory tests also showed an increase in the oxygen consumption of the muscle tissue in addition to an increase in the percentage of mitochondria present in the muscle tissue. These studies indicate that similar usage in humans can help provide extra energy and increased muscle transformation during periods of athletic training.

Cancer Protection

• Pomegranate is reportedly a potent source of resveratrol.

  Resveratrol is often studied in relation to cancer and the effects it has been shown to provide in preventing the spread of cancer cells as well as destroying existing cancer cells in the body. A survey conducted by the National Institutes of Health demonstrates compelling evidence that resveratrol has an effect against cancer, and a study published in the "Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology Journal" shows resveratrol has an effect even on pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the more difficult cancers to treat, but resveratrol's effects have been shown to create a break-down in the cancer cell's mitochondria which reduces the cell's overall functioning capacity. Resveratrol also makes the cancer cell more susceptible to the effects of chemotherapy so the cells can be eradicated from the body with proper cancer treatment.