Other Benefits

Stroke

Resveratrol decreases the risk of stroke in several ways:

 

• Resveratrol helps prevent blood platelet aggregation (i.e. the formation of blood clots) which can fully or partially block arteries.
• Resveratrol helps prevent inflammation which is a contributing factor in fatty deposits building up in the lining of arteries, thereby fully or partially blocking blood flow. (click here to read more about inflammation).
• As a powerful antioxidant, Resveratrol is believed to lower LDL cholesterol (the ‘bad’ cholesterol) by blocking cholesterol oxidation. LDL cholesterol can build up in the lining of arteries, blocking blood flow.

 

Osteoporosis

Resveratrol has been proven to improve bone health (and provide many other benefits) in middle aged mice. Specifically, in a recent study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, researchers noted that Resveratrol showed "very strong positive effects on preventing cardiovascular disease, reducing heart inflammation, keeping bone health in terms of structure and function, and maintaining loco-motor and balance activity". In essence, the researchers discovered that resveratrol had the same beneficial effects on bones, hearts, livers, and muscles as caloric restriction.

 

MELAS Syndrome

MELAS syndrome is a rare disorder in which mitochondria – i.e. the powerhouses of the cell - do not function property. Typical symptoms include muscle weakness, blurred vision, seizures, headaches, vomiting, and stroke like episodes. Many in the scientific community believe resveratrol, as a stimulator of mitochondria production, could serve as a treatment for MELAS. In fact, in 2008 Sirtris Pharmaceuticals was granted orphan-drug status (seven years of marketing exclusivity) from the FDA to treat MELAS with resveratrol upon approval.