Oxidative stress—Yes, various forms of Oxygen can actually damage cells in your body. These forms of oxygen are collectively referred to as ‘reactive oxygen’ and include free radicals, peroxides, and oxygen ions. Free radicals are molecular species with unpaired electrons which make them very reactive. An imbalance in your body between these reactive oxygen species and your body’s ability to detoxify them can be triggered by environmental stress.
What is the significance of oxidative stress? Oxidative stress caused by free radicals plays a crucial role in not only Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, but also atherosclerosis and cancer. Consequently, a great deal of attention has been focused on antioxidant phytochemicals for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Resveratrol became widely publicized after the “French Paradox” which followed the observation that French people have a lower incidence of coronary heart disease despite having diets rich in saturated fats. Resveratrol is a phytoalexin found in the skin of grapes, nuts, and berries. Attempts to explain this “French Paradox” included the observation that French people consume more red wine than other countries. Red win is considered a source of Resveratrol.
With respect to cancer, some researchers have proposed that Resveratrol may prevent UVB mediated skin damage including skin cancer (Reagan-Shaw et al, 2008).
In conclusion, Resveratrol is a very promising antioxidant phytochemical which may play a role in the prevention of various diseases. Numerous recent studies have been published on Resveratrol—yet there are no definitive studies suggesting supplementation with Resveratrol at this point. If you do choose to drink Red Wine in the hopes of increasing your intake of Resveratrol, please be cautioned that the alcohol in red win can damage numerous organs including your liver, brain, pancreas, and stomach, among others…
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References:
Das S, Das DK. Resveratrol: a therapeutic promise for cardiovascular diseases. Recent Patents Cardiovasc Drug Discov. 2007 Jun;2(2):133-8.
Reagan-Shaw S, Mukhtar H, Ahmad N. Resveratrol imparts photoprotection of normal cells and enhances the efficacy of radiation therapy in cancer cells. Photochem Photobiol. 2008 Mar-Apr;84(2):415-21. Epub 2008 Jan 23.
free radical antioxidant resveratrol dietary supplement nutrition cancer cardiovascular disease
2 Comments
June 5, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Another great post. I did not know about the relationship between the free radicals and Alzheimers and Parkinsons. Love the cartoon too!
April 15, 2009 at 2:08 pm
After reading through this article, I feel that I need more information on the topic. Could you share some resources ?