Red Wine May Help Longevity

Resveratrol, a compound found in red grapes and red wine, may counteract the effects of a high-calorie diet and improve life-span. Research published in Nature has linked the compound to the survival and well being of mice fed with a high-calorie diet. Resvertrol is a polyphenol that is found in the skin of red grapes and wine. It is believed to provide significant health benefits, and is thought to act through activation of enzymes that regulate many cellular processes including fatty acid metabolism, cell cycle and lifespan regulation. In the study, middle-aged mice were fed one of three diets: either a standard diet, a high calorie diet, or a high calorie and fat diet supplemented with resveratrol. The organs of the mice who were fed a high-fat diet had fatty lesions, degeneration and inflammation but the resveratrol treated mice had organs comparable to those of the standard - diet mice. Researchers also found, at 114 weeks of age, 58% of the high-fat mice had died compared with only 42% of those on either resveratrol or standard diet. From the study it appears that resveratrol improves the longevity of fat fed mice despite substantial weight gain. It is possible that the beneficial effects of grapes and wine may be related to the compound resveratrol. It should be noted that significant research has to be conducted before resveratrol?s effects can be demonstrated in humans.