FACINATING RESVERATROL REASEARCH ON HUMANS

Welcome back to my blog dedicated to sharing knowledge of resveratrol and its benefits with anyone interested. As usual, the articles all come published medical journals from all around the world. I have posted some testimonials as well. If you are new to this blogsite, I would urge you to go to the very bottom, as that is my first blog, and work you way up. I will continue to try and keep it pithy and brief.

Many people try to keep the best for last, but I can't wait. Most research on resveratrol is done in test tubes or in lab animals. My first article is on real people and fascinating.

Learning--From the United Kingdom comes a report where they looked at the effects of oral resveratrol on learning performance and blood flow in the brain in healthy adults. The participants received 1. a placebo, 2. 250 mg resveratrol (2 1/2 tsp Vivix), or 3. 500 mg resveratrol (5 tsp of Vivix). 45 minutes later they were given a series of tests that required learning skills. Blood flow in the brain was also studied. The results were that the 500 mg group showed an increase in blood flow to the brain as well as the amount of oxygen removed from the blood. The 250 mg group showed less increase in blood flow but still better than the placebo group. This was confirmed by shuffling the participants and running the study again on a different day. A single dose of resveratrol can improve learning and cerebral blood. Imagine taking it before a class. (Am J Clin Nutr Mar 2010)

Depression--The University of Florida Gainesville on the antidepressant effect of resveratrol, dealing with both the serotonin and noradrenaline systems. These are natural chemicals in the brain involved in chemical depression. Resveratrol was fed to half of a group of mice. They were all put through a series of "despair tests" designed to create depression in mice. The resveratrol group did dramatically better and had higher levels of serotonin and noradrenaline in their brains. (Eur Neuropsychoparmacol Mar 2010)

Chronic Ulcerative Colitis and Colon Cancer--Resveratrol has anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and cancerprotective properties. Chronic Ulcerative Colitis (CUC) is an inflammatory disease os the digestive tract associated with a high risk of associated colon cancer. It can be very difficult to treat. At the University of South Carolina, a chemical was fed to mice which causes CUC and subsequent colon cancer. Half of the mice were fed resveratrol in advance. 80% of the non-resveratrol mice got CUC and subsequent colon cancer. 20% of the resveratrol group got CUC. The resveratrol mice who got tumors got fewer of them. And this was achieved with a product that is non-toxic and inexpensive. (Canc Prev Res Mar 2010)

Chemotherapy and Protecting the Kidneys--As a Urologist (see Blog 1) I believe in protecting kidneys. Many standard chemotherapy agents have the potential to damage the kidneys, thus limiting their further use. One commonly used drug is cisplatin, and one factor that limits its use is kidney damage. At the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, rats were given cisplatin in a dose that would damage kidneys. Because resveratrol has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it was given to half of the rats prior to the chemo-therapy. Several days later the rats were sacrificed and their kidneys were examined under a microscope. You guessed it. The resveratrol group had considerably less damage. If someone you know was about to get cisplatin, it would be a good idea to suggest resveratrol.

I hope part or all of this is of interest. I still believe that Vivix made by Shaklee Corp is the best and most potent source of resveratrol available. Until next time.

Dr Bob

CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, ALZHEIMER'S, DIABETES AND VASCULAR DISEASE, AND BREAST CANCER

The subject of this blogsite is resveratrol, a natural polyphenol found in certain foods. There are several companies selling resveratrol products. The people in the testimonials on this blogsite (see below) all used resveratrol made by the Shaklee Corporation. This company has combined resveratrol with other natural polyphenols to produce a product ten times stronger than any competitor. I think that the Shaklee Corporation is a great company because they test all their raw ingredients, they manufacture to the highest standards, then they test the end product to be sure it is safe and has in it what is on the label. None of this is required by the FDA. They do it because it is the right thing to do.

As always, the studies I have selected come from the National Library of Medicine, which can be accessed by anyone at www.pubmed.com. These studies come from around the world. As of Mar. 14 there have been 3191 resveratrol studies published in medical journals. Here are some of them.

Coronary Artery Disease--Hardening and narrowing of the arteriesby cholesterol plaque is called arteriosclerosis. It occurs when the ceels that line the inside of arteries are damaged by free radicals. The damage is then healed by layering cholesterol over the damaged cells and over time there can be a buildup of cholesterol. At New York Medical College, they studied the cells that line arteries (endothelial cells) by mixing the cells with resveratrol. They exposed the cells to a chemical that duplicates the damage done by free radicals, and the measured a chemical in the endothelial that builds up when the cells are damaged. The resveratrol treated showed much less buildup than the non-resveratrol treated cells. Resveratrol has the potential for a new way to prevent vascular disease. (Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol Nov 2009)

Alzheimer's Disease--A group from Milan, Italy, wrote a review article which summarizes major articles on research done both in test tubes and lab animals regarding the value of resveratrol in protecting brain tissue from the changes that come with Alzheimer's. Still not much in human studies but the highlighted articles are encouraging. They also review research on the benefits of resveratrol and other neurodegenerative diseases such as MS and Parkinson's. (J Alz Dis Jan 2010)

Diabetes and Vascular Disease-From Shahed University in Tehran, Iran, is a study where a group of rats was given streptozotocin, a chemical that causes type 2 diabetes. One week later half the rats were fed resveratrol and then were tested for blood sugar and lipid levels. They also studied changes in the lining cells of their arteries in the treated and untreated groups. In the resveratrol treated group, blood sugars went up less, blood fats went up less and the arteries remained healthier.The conclusion was that "chronic treatment with resveratrol may prevent diabetes related changes in vascular reactivity observed in diabetic rats directly and/or indirectly" by keeping the sugar and fats low and by protecting the arterial cells. (Phytother Res accepted but not yet print published)

Breast Cancer--At the University of Texas Austin breast cancer cells were grown in glass dishes. A form of Vitamin E (alpha-TEA) would kill breast cancer cells but not normal breast cells. Resveratrol would do the same thing. The two together were more effective at killing breast cancer cells than either one alone. This has the potential for becoming an additional way of treating breast cancer which is safe and affordable. (Nutr Cancer May-June 2008)

I hope you have enjoyed the articles on resveratrol, and that you will share them with friends.

Dr Bob

Some More Research That Should be Interesting

When I looked at this blog, it threw me off at first. If it were on paper you would start at the back and work forward. On the blog, if you are new, you start at the end or the bottom and work your way forward or up.

I'm a student of western US history and read a magazine, True West. I've often called Vivix, a potent source of resveratrol, a snake oil because it helps so many different problems. It turns out that Chinese laborers building the railroads in the 1800's brought liniment to the US that had snake oil as an ingredient and was used for joint and muscle pain. Snake oil was from snake meat which contains EPA (eicosa pentaenoic acid), an omega-3 fatty acid that has an anti-inflammatory property. It worked. When unscrupulous con men claimed benefits beyond what real snake oil could deliver that it got a negative connotation. Here we go with the research.

1. In Turkey, they cut the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in the knee in rats and then monitored the degenerative arthritis which develops in joints after an injury like this. The rats on resveratrol had less joint damage after the injury than those not on it. (Inflamm Res Apr 605 158-62)

2. Speaking of arthritis, a study from China shows that there is a chemical that can be injected into rat joints that causes changes identical to the damage that occurs with rheumatoid arthritis. It results in an increase in synoviocytes, cells in joints that increase in number when joints are damaged. The rats on resveratrol had a slower increase in the growth of synoviocytes, implying less damage to joints. Resveratrol can protect joints as an antioxidant.(Zhong Nan Da Xue Buo Aug 2016 528-33)

3. In Detroit, a group of rats (aren't you glad you're not a rat) was split and half got resveratrol. The other half did not. They were exposed to loud noise. The resveratrol group had less hearing loss. The conclusion was that noise and age related hearing loss were decreased by adding resveratrol to your diet. (Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery Nov 2003 463-70)

4. A study out of Albany, New York reviewed the use of dietary supplements, including vitamins, minerals, and herbs. They found that nutritional supplement expenditures in the US demonstrated greater growth than pharmaceuticals. They also found that 80% of cancer patients used natural products in addition to their traditional treatments. (Nutr Cancer 2009 587-970)

Thank you for your interest and for checking us out.

The Start of 2010

The advantage to having your own blog is total flexibility. Thus the Christmas/New Year hiatus. But resveratrol research marches on. My last check last week showed that there are 3071 articles published on resveratrol in medical literature. A few of these showed that there are resveratrol-like compounds in nature that can be converted to resveratrol in the body. One example is pterostilbine found in blueberries, with their own health benefits. Here are some recent articles.
1. Ulcers: Stomach and duodenal ulcers are associated with a bscterial infection of Heliobacter pylori. One treatment is antibiotics and acid blockers. A study from Italy showed that resveratrol alone without any prescription drugs blocked the growth of this bacteria; a safe, natural treatment or preventative for ulcers. (J Chemother Nov 2009 pp 507-13)

2. Hypertension: A study from Spain showed that a strain of overweight rats called “obese Zucker rats”     routinely had high blood pressure and all the potential risks associated with high blood pressure. When given low levels of resveratrol, their blood pressure returned to normal, in addition to normalizig their increased blood fats, increasing sensitivity to insulin and had an anti-inflammatory effect on the joints of these “fat rats”. What a bonus. (Biochem Pharmacol Mar 2009, pp 1053-63)


3. High cholesterol: This is an interesting article combining what we call traditional medicine, prescription medications, with alternative medicine, herbs and food supplements. From the University of Connecticut is a study looking at a combination of statin drugs and resveratrol given to a strain of rats with high cholesterol and greatly increased risk of coronary artery disease. The combination resulted in a cardioprotection against myocardial infarction in these rats. This shows that supplements such as resveratrol are not an either/or but can be a combination of both working in concert. (J Mol Cell Cardiol Mar 2007 pp 508-16)


4. Pancreatitis: This condition is an inflammation of the pancreas that can result in the body digesting its own tissues. There is very little in the way of medications to treat this condition. We offer IV fluids, pain control and hope. The Chinese offer one of the few human studies on resveratrol using it to treat severe acute pancreatitis. Resveratrol was given to people with severe acute pancreatitis and in a variety of different pathways including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and regulation of calcium metabolism, along with slowing of speed of cell death, people got better from a previously untreatable condition. They recommended more research on this subject but the early studies are very encouraging. (Front Biosci Jan 2010 pp 168-76)

More studies to come. Thank you for your interest.


Dr. Bob

Vivix Testimonies

Today I wanted to share some Vivix testimonies that we have been gathering. I hope you enjoy them and know someone that can relate to them.

Crohns and Arthritis

At age 24 I was diagnosed with Crohns disease and also suffered from rheumatoid arthritis. The medical world does not have good answers for autoimmune diseases. I was treated with steroids, anti-inflammatory drugs and a chemo-like poison was suggested. When I got some relief the drug side-effects were frightening and life threatening. Then along came Shaklee’s Vivix. I took it for only a few weeks when it was again time to try to wean me off the meds to see if I could live without them. It had never worked before.

This time, Crohns did not flare up again and I am free from arthritis symptoms. It has been 11 months of good health. I have never felt better! In addition to my everyday teaspoon of Vivix, I take Easy Gest, Omega Guard, and Vitalizer. Using gene-silencing, Resveratrol switched off genes involved in the initiation and progression of disease.

Kendra S.

Parkinson’s

My brother-in-law was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 5 years ago and since then we had seen a steady decline in his condition. Last Christmas, he could hardly feed himself. He began taking Vivix in January. When we saw him in June, his hands were not shaking and he could even button his shirt. Vivix was the only change in his treatment and he says he rarely has any tremors. He just turned 77.

Loretta C.

Lupus

After taking Vivix for three months, my Lupus symptoms are gone. I clean houses and do landscaping. Before Vivix, my hands were swollen and very painful. At times, I used steroids for some relief but feared the side effects. My energy is better now too. Additionally, my hair is thicker and healthier. I wouldn’t want to be without Vivix.

Kathleen B.

Gout

I have had osteoarthritis for several years and have had gout attacks frequently. I began using Vivix in October 2009. I have not had a gout attack and have significantly less pain and stiffness. I am 75.

Jim C.

High Cholesterol

For the first time in fifteen years, my cholesterol is in normal range. The only thing different in my diet is Vivix. Thanks, Shaklee!

Jill B.

Energy-Allergies-Sinus

This fall, I am not troubled by allergy problems and sinus symptoms that usually accompany them. I’ve been using Vivix for nearly a year and also have much more energy.

Loretta C.