After some debate, Harvard Medical School researchers have confirmed the compound “resveratrol” that's found in red wine does provide anti-aging benefits.
The study, which was published on March 8 in Science, shows that resveratrol stimulates production of SIRT1, a serum that blocks diseases by speeding up the cell's energy production centers known as mitrochondria.
Resveratrol is a naturally-occuring polyphenols antioxidant that is found in some plant products like grapes and cocoa. It is categorized as a phytoalexin, an antimicrobial compound that is produced by plants to protect them from rough environments like excessive ultraviolet light, infections and climate changes.
Resveratrol has been linked to protection against obesity and diabetes, a reduced risk for blood clotting and a way to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol, due to the compound's ability to dilate blood vessels, increase nitric oxide and block the stickiness of platelets.
In a recent interview," senior author David Sinclair, Harvard Medical School professor of genetics, said he wants to continue studies to see if reveratrol can help people who are already really healthy.
According to Sinclair, "[t]hings . . . are . . . looking promising. We're finding that ageing isn't the irreversible affliction that we thought it was," he commented. "Some of us could live to 150, but we won't get there without more research."
