This blog will be focused on the neurodegenerative diseases of Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's and the potential benefits of Resveratrol. As with many studies, the subjects in these studies were not people, but lab animals. The papers can be found online at pubmed.com by putting the PMID (pubmed identification) number in the search box. This is a free service from the National Library of Medicine.
How red wine polyphenols (including resveratrol) affect the brain pathology in Parkinson's--This research is from the University of Malta, and is looking at both Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Parkinson's Disease (PD). Even though they are different clinically, they share common mechanisms that trigger such changes as proteins binding together in brain cells, dysfunction of mitochondria, oxidation damage, and neuroinflammation, all of which lead to nerve cell death. Resveratrol is an active polyphenol which has potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as improving the quality and number of mitochondria. This results in the protection of nerve cells in both AD and PD. PMID 27570766
Effects of resveratrol in protecting nerve cells in neurodegenerative diseases--From China, we have a paper on another was that resveratrol protects nerve cells. It is called autophagy, which means "self-eating". It is the process by which individual cells remove and get rid of unnecessary or dysfunctional components (cleaning house). In diseases like PD and AD, the autophagy which keeps cells healthy and balanced is not working properly, resulting in poor or improper function of those nerve cells. In lab animals, resveratrol will regulate autophagy, resulting in proper function of the nerve cells, reversing the poor function of those cells and protecting them in the future by getting rid of material that is not supposed to be in those cells. PMID 27405156
Increasing energy levels in nerve cells--Again from China comes a study on another way resveratrol can help in the fight against PD. Mitochondria exist in cells to produce energy for that cell so it can perform its intended tasks, the more mitochondria, the more energy. In earlier studies, Resveratrol increases the mitochondria in cells. Mice were given a drug called rotenone which causes nerve changes identical to the change that occur in patients with PD. Among those changes are a decrease in the number of mitochondria in cells. Giving resveratrol in those mice will increase the mitochondria and improve the function of those nerve cells. PMID 26770656
Review of resveratrol as a neuroprotector--The university in Messina, Italy reviewed the research done on Resversatrol as a neuroprotector and its value in treating Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease). There was a therapeutic response in the nerve cells in each of these diseases and an improvement in their function.
As you see, the benefits can be achieved in different ways. Resveratrol helps as an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory, regulates and stimulates mitochondria, and stimulates autophagy, the self-cleaning of un-needed material in cells, and it does this in a variety of neuro-degenerative diseases. This is a good benefit from a product that is safe and affordable.
Dr. Bob
