Untitled Document
Although we have mentioned that red wine and cocoa are two of the best sources of resveratrol, unfortunately a diet of dark chocolate and red wine may be decadent but ultimately very unhealthy if you overdo it. The best way to obtain the benefits of resveratrol is through balance and moderation.
We recommend consuming wine in small amounts, about one glass per day or less; according to most research, up to two glasses daily for men and one per day for women hasn’t been shown to cause any health concerns. If you do choose to take resveratrol supplements, still aim to consume antioxidants naturally from a healthy diet, including a variety of fresh plant foods.
While a large body of evidence has already suggested that resveratrol has many benefits, many experts feel that before we can promote drinking more wine or taking supplements to all adults, additional research is still needed. Overall, there’s support for its positive attributes, but data is still needed to confirm its effectiveness for prevention of actual diseases in humans.
It’s still not completely known how different people react to resveratrol and if some benefit more than others. For example, people with existing cases of diabetes or metabolic defects may need to take higher doses than mostly healthy adults to get the same effects. Talk to your doctor if you plan on taking supplements and are already on other medications.
Overall, most of the benefits of resveratrol have been shown in animal studies and at high dosages. Harvard School of Public Health points out, “The dose of resveratrol administered in experiments is always much higher than you’d normally consume in a daily diet. You would need to drink a hundred to a thousand glasses of red wine to equal the doses that improve health in mice.”
It’s possible, however, to experience mild to moderate side effects at higher doses, so experts recommend starting with less until further studies demonstrate any added benefit of taking more. Resveratrol supplements may potentially interact with blood thinners like warfarin (Coumadin) and NSAID pain relievers (like aspirin or Advil), so be sure not to mix these.
That being said, resveratrol is not a cure-all and means to living a longer, disease-free life. It may be one piece of the puzzle, but the bottom line is that it probably shouldn’t motivate you to drink more wine than you already are. *