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Resveratrol

Trans-resveratrol · Longevity

LimitedLittle human data, early, small, or narrow.

The molecule that launched the longevity supplement industry, and the one whose original science was retracted.

Blunted
What one trial found resveratrol did to exercise adaptation in older men

What it is

The red-wine polyphenol that launched the entire longevity-supplement industry, and then largely failed to survive human testing. It stays in the catalog as a case study in how a compelling mouse result becomes a shelf full of product.

How it works

Resveratrol was reported to activate sirtuins (SIRT1) and AMPK in laboratory systems, though direct SIRT1 activation is disputed and may be an artifact of the assays used. The bigger problem is downstream: oral resveratrol is metabolised so fast that blood levels stay very low, and human trials following the famous mouse work have largely disappointed.

Which form to buy

Trans-resveratrolThe active isomer

The biologically active form; standardized products specify it. Still poorly bioavailable.

If buying at all, buy this.

Resveratrol + piperineAbsorption attempts

Piperine improved resveratrol exposure in MICE; human pharmacokinetic trials did not show significant enhancement.

A mouse result, not a human one.

Red wineEnjoyment only

You would need to drink an implausible amount to reach trial doses, the famous French-paradox framing was never dose-realistic.

Drink it because you like it.

PterostilbeneThe better-absorbed cousin

A related compound with superior bioavailability; human outcome evidence is likewise thin.

Same open question, better pharmacokinetics.

What it actually does, graded

Modest metabolic marker changesLimited

Some trials show small improvements in glucose or lipid markers; results are inconsistent.

Blood pressureLimited

Small reductions at higher doses in some meta-analyses.

Lifespan / anti-ageing in humansNone shown

The founding claim, unsupported in people. (Note: the foundational sirtuin papers stand, it was a separate researcher's body of resveratrol work that was retracted. The mechanism is disputed on assay grounds, not fraud.)

Improving exercise adaptationNone shown

One trial in 27 inactive men around age 65 (250 mg/day, 8 weeks) found resveratrol BLUNTED several cardiovascular training adaptations, a striking signal, but one small unreplicated study in that specific population.

Pros and cons

Pros
  • Cheap and safe at typical doses
  • A genuinely interesting mechanism, historically important
Cons
  • Very poor oral bioavailability undermines the whole premise
  • Human results have consistently underdelivered against the animal hype
  • One small trial in older inactive men suggested it may work against training adaptations
  • Lab-dish estrogen-receptor activity leaves hormone-sensitive situations an open question

What to expect

  • Realistically nothing perceptible; the studied effects are small marker changes.

Interactions

CautionBlood thinners & antiplateletsResveratrol has antiplatelet activity, relevant before surgery or on anticoagulants.
MonitorHormone-sensitive cancersResveratrol shows estrogen-receptor activity in LAB systems, acting as agonist or antagonist depending on conditions. Human relevance is uncertain; worth raising with an oncologist rather than assuming either way.
MonitorDrugs metabolised by CYP enzymesResveratrol inhibits several at higher doses.

Is it for you?

Probably worth it if
  • Curiosity about the mechanism, with expectations set at "probably nothing"
Probably skip it if
  • The unreplicated adaptation-blunting signal in older inactive men concerns you
  • You expect the longevity effects the category was built on

Who should avoid it

  • People on anticoagulants, without clinician input

Research on this supplement

Papers about this supplement, not proof of the claims above. A title says what was studied, which is sometimes a negative result or a different question entirely.

  • Efficacy of resveratrol in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
    Pan Afr Med J, 2023
  • Effects of Resveratrol, Curcumin and Quercetin Supplementation on Bone Metabolism-A Systematic Review
    Nutrients, 2022
  • Resveratrol: a review of plant sources, synthesis, stability, modification and food application
    J Sci Food Agric, 2020

What the evidence says

Resveratrol built the field on sirtuin activation and the French-paradox story, and both have aged badly: direct SIRT1 activation was challenged as assay-dependent rather than real, and misconduct-related retractions affected part of the field (one researcher's papers, not the literature as a whole). Human trials in metabolic and cardiovascular endpoints are small and inconsistent, and bioavailability is genuinely poor. The field has largely moved on to NAD+ precursors, which is itself informative.

What studies used

Human trials have ranged widely, commonly 150-500 mg/day of trans-resveratrol. Poorly bioavailable; studies often paired it with fat.

Reported from published studies and product labelling — a record of what was used in research, not a recommendation. What is right for you is a conversation with a clinician.

Watch out for

  • Inhibits CYP enzymes and can affect clotting, relevant on anticoagulants
  • One trial in older men reported it BLUNTED the cardiovascular benefits of exercise training

Evidence base

A21,476 research papers
established literature

Strong human evidence: either a phase 3 or 4 trial report alongside review-level evidence, or ten or more randomised controlled trial reports.

This letter measures how much human research exists, not whether it works for you — the tier above (Limited) is the read on quality.

Research (12)

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Where next

Every supplement in the catalogThe full shelf, grouped and evidence-tiered.→The compound indexSteroids, nootropics and research chemicals.→The peptide indexInjectable peptides and what trials used.→