New Study Sheds Light on Best Resveratrol Dosage for Humans
Wow we are publishing a lot of articles on Resveratrol! It is not intentional, there have just been a slew of published studies on resveratrol released this summer.
The latest study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (yes it really is as exciting as the name makes it sound), shows that a relatively low dosage of resveratrol in humans can have significant health benefits.
Best Resveratrol Dosage Much Less Than Previously Reported
Husam Ghanim, PhD, of the University of Buffalo found that a dosage of 40 milligrams of resveratrol, taken once a day for six weeks, was able to reduce inflammation in test subjects. Inflammation in humans can lead to heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes – so anything that reduces inflammation is of great interest.
In the study, Dr. Chanim took twenty volunteers and broke them into two even groups of ten. One group received a placebo pill for 6 weeks. The second group received a Polygonum cuspidatum extract (Japanese Knotweed) pill that contained 40 milligrams of resveratrol.
Fasting blood samples were taken throughout the study and here are the results…
• “Results showed that resveratrol suppressed the generation of “free radicals” — unstable molecules known to cause oxidative stress and release pro-inflammatory substances into the blood, resulting in damage to the blood vessel lining.
• People taking resveratrol also showed suppression of the inflammatory protein tumor necrosis factor, or TNF, and other compounds that increase blood vessel inflammation and interfere with insulin action, causing insulin resistance and the risk of developing diabetes.”
Why This Resveratrol Study is Significant
There are three elements that we believe make this study significant. First, the study was done with humans. Human studies are always more significant that mouse studies (sorry to any mice readers we have). Second, the study used only 40 milligrams of Resveratrol. This shows that resveratrol can be effective in a relatively small dosage. Third, the study used a Japanese Knotweed extract and this therefore lends credibility to resveratrol supplements currently on the market that are made with Japanese Knotweed.
So, is 40mg the Best Resveratrol Dosage for Humans?
Not sure. First, a much larger study would need to be done to draw really significant conclusions on the best resveratrol dosage for humans. Second, it is possible that something else in the extract was helping along with the resveratrol. Third, it would be interesting to see if 100mg or 200mg produces even better results.
In the end, this study does not prove that any one dosage of resveratrol is best – but it does put to rest the claim that you need to be taking mega-doses of resveratrol (400mg and up) to see any health benefits. In addition, the best way to avoid resveratrol side effects is to take the minimum amount required to produce positive results.