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On August 25, 2003, the results of a landmark study were released showing that a substance from grapes and other plants (resveratrol) extended the life span of yeast cells by 70%.*
What caused the media to pay so much attention to this study is that resveratrol activated a “longevity gene” expressed during caloric restriction. Since caloric restriction extends maximum life span in mice, rats and other mammals, scientists speculated that this is the first time that humans might be able to derive some of the benefits of caloric restriction by taking a pill.*
We realize that yeast is relatively low on the evolutionary ladder compared to mice, rats and humans, yet the results of the yeast study may be highly significant. Life Extension plans to fund a gene chip analysis to find out to what degree resveratrol mimics the gene expression effects of caloric restriction in mammals. Humans have a more complex version of the same gene.
If resveratrol were a new drug, some people might be concerned about side effects, or whether it would really work in humans. The good news is that resveratrol has already been extensively studied, and has been consumed by humans for centuries in wine and medicinals. Scientific studies show that resveratrol has powerful effects against cardiovascular disease, cancer, inflammatory disorders and a host of other age-related illnesses.*
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The most common source of resveratrol is wine, a beverage with many health benefits. Given all the positive research, drinking wine in moderation appears to be a healthy thing to do.* However, drinking wine is not the best way to go about getting a consistent amount of resveratrol for health since its concentration is highly variable, depending on growing conditions of the grapes and how the wine is made. If the wine isn’t made with organic grapes, it may contain no resveratrol at all. The only way to be certain about resveratrol intake is to take a standardized supplement.
For the past two years, the Life Extension Foundation has been working with a European pharmaceutical company to produce a high-potency resveratrol extract for low-cost dietary supplements. The result of this collaboration is a standardized grape concentrate containing resveratrol in an amount suggested by scientific studies to favorably impact aging and certain medical conditions.*
In order to make this promising nutrient as widely available as possible, resveratrol has been added to one of the most popular supplements already used by Life Extension members. This means members can obtain the benefits of resveratrol without having to take any additional capsules. The new resveratrol extract is also available as a low-cost one-per-day supplement.
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