by Dan-N on June 10, 2010
We have all seen the commercials for Ivory Soap – 99.44% Pure! I do wonder what the remaining .56% is in that bar of soap, but 99.44% pure seems about as pure as you could get.
Resveratrol Supplement tests out at 99.7% Pure – Take That Ivory Soap!
We have talked a good deal about resveratrol supplements on this blog and our opinion on them is pretty clear. If you want to try a resveratrol supplement, you need to make sure it is made with 99% Trans-Resveratrol and it is free of emodin. Emodin is a nasty little substance found in many resveratrol supplements that can lead to side effects like an upset stomach and diarrhea.
The folks at Perfect Supplements, the makers of the Perfect ResGrape Resveratrol just sent us these test results…
Click To See ResGrape-Resveratrol-Analysis
The results show that the Trans-Resveratrol content is actually 99.7% – the highest level we have ever seen in a resveratrol supplement. In addition, there is no emodin in the product.
Don’t Fall For the Old Supplement Industry Bait and Switch
Often you will find some impressive studies and potential health benefits surrounding an ingredient. For example, there is a lot of excitement about the anti-aging potential of resveratrol. Supplement companies will draw you in by talking about all the health benefits of resveratrol, but they will then distract you to the point where you forget to really determine if what they are selling you is pure resveratrol. Remember, it does not matter if resveratrol has strong health benefits if you what you ending buying is not pure resveratrol in the first place. Don’t put the cart before the horse – first determine if you can get pure resveratrol and then decide if the potential health benefits are worthwhile.
Why You Need to See Extensive Testing for the Supplements You Buy
The important thing about the above test is that it was done by Perfect Supplements, the manufacturer of the Perfect ResGrape. The company that supplied them with the resveratrol provided a document that said the resveratrol was 99% pure, but Perfect Supplements took the extra step of re-testing the resveratrol to make sure it was pure and free of emodin. This may not sound like a big deal, but it is rarely done in the supplement industry and really a very important check.
Given that supplements do not need to be tested by the FDA before coming to market, it is very important that before you purchase any supplements you demand to see extensive testing. Do not settle for tests from the ingredient supplier, demand to see independent tests that the manufacturer has done once they receive the ingredient.
Perfect Supplements is the leading way in quality testing when it comes to resveratrol supplements. In addition to the resveratrol test shown above, they have also tested their ResGrape product for ORAC antioxidant levels -
Click Here for Perfect ResGrape ORAC Results
We believe that all supplement companies should follow the lead of Perfect Supplements (and the handful of other companies that do full testing) and provide full and transparent testing results. Yes, it cost the companies some money to run these tests, but as consumers let’s let them know that we will not buy until we see the test results. Come on, say it with me… Show Me the Tests, Show Me the Tests…
On May 5th, 2010 GlaxoSmithKline, makers of a pharmaceutical drug called SRT501 (which is based on resveratrol) announced they were halting their study on cancer patients due to possible kidney problems. The media, who is always quick to build something up and then smash it down (much like a 4 year old playing with blocks), jumped all over the story…
Is the Bloom Off the Resveratrol Rose?
That is the headline from the Wall Street Journal Health Blog Post on 5/5/2010. Nobody loves a good headline more than us – but come on – resveratrol comes from grapes, not roses, it doesn’t bloom… let’s not mix metaphors. Grapes are crushed into wine – go with something clever like “Resveratrol Benefits CRUSHED by New Study?” Sorry, back to the facts…
What Exactly is SRT501?
SRT501 is a proprietary drug being developed and tested by GlaxoSmithKline. SRT501 is based on the reseveratrol antioxidant that is found in red grapes – but SRT501 is NOT the same thing as natural resveratrol. SRT501 is a proprietary chemical developed in the lab by a pharmaceutical company.
When Exactly Will We Stop Trying to Improve on Mother Nature?
Red grapes, muscadine grapes, red wine – these are all natural things that have been shown in study after study to have strong health benefits. Resveratrol is a naturally occurring substance that is found in grapes and red wine, but it is just one of hundreds of healthy nutrients found in grapes. Most of us understand that if we eat and drink natural things that are filled with the healthy polyphenols found in grapes – we will feel better. Why reinvent the wheel? Why try to one-up Mother Nature? Why take something natural and turn it into a chemical drug?
So is SRT501 Dangerous?
Who knows? The kidney issues that were showing up in the study are not an uncommon problem among people with multiple myeloma, the disease that the study subjects had. It may turn out that SRT501 had nothing to do with the kidney issues. It may turn out that SRT501 did cause the problems. In either case, the study really does not talk to the health benefits or risks of eating NATURAL resveratrol rich foods or supplements.
Want the Truth on Resveratrol – Just Read the Wall Street Journal
The WSJ and their bloggers have no problems telling you what they think about resveratrol. The only problem is depending on who is writing the story you will get a complete different spin on resveratrol.
The May 5th Wall Street Journal Health Blog Post – “Is The Bloom Off the Resveratrol Rose” gives a negative view on resveratrol. In addition to discussing the negative implications of the study they go on to say -
“This comes on the heels of a research controversy about whether resveratrol and other substances thought to activate SIRT1 actually do so. Here’s a New Scientist article on the topic.”
Clearly gives the impression that all the recent studies on resveratrol have been negative. However, less than 1 week earlier – the very same WSJ had this to say -
“Research from the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore found that there could be even more health benefits from drinking red wine. Antioxidant-rich red wine has already been touted to protect against cancer, heart disease, high cholesterol and obesity. Now resveratrol, an compound found in red wine, may reduce the risk of stroke. “Resveratrol can potentially build brain resistance to ischemic stroke,” the study said.”
- Wall Street Journal Blogs On Wine – 4/29/2010
Maybe if the WSJ Health Blogger read the WSJ On Wine Blog she would know that not all the recent research on Resveratrol has been negative.
Our Advice – K.I.N.S
We have all heard of K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple Stupid) – well we have come up with a new one – K.I.N.S – Keep It Natural Stupid! When drug companies try to take natural foods and turn them into drugs, things always seem to go wrong. Let’s stop trying to perfect Mother Nature. Eat grapes, drink red wine and enjoy whole foods. Do supplements make sense? Sure, if they are all natural whole food supplements. Things like Perfect ResGrape work because they contain all the nutrients from muscadine grapes – they just take what Mother Nature has made and put it in a jar – they Keep It Natural Stupid.
On the other hand, supplements that try to modify and one-up ingredients that Mother Nature has given us should be avoided in our opinion. We really tend to over complicate things, if we all ate more natural and healthy food, we would all feel better.
by Dan-N on November 16, 2009
There is no question that Resveratrol supplements are very popular. If you are new to Resveratrol, you can read our Special Report on Resveratrol, Learn about Resveratrol Health Benefits, See Resveratrol in the News and discover what goes into a Resveratrol Supplement.
With Great Popularity Also Comes Great Deception
The supplement industry would love for you to think that all resveratrol supplements are the same. If you are busy trying to find the best resveratrol supplement you are missing a more important question – do you even want Resveratrol in your Resveratrol Supplement? Yes, we are starting to sound a little like Yogi Berra here (one of our favorites – “Baseball is 90% mental — the other half is physical.”) – let’s explain…
Trans-Resveratrol the Real Deal Resveratrol
Resveratrol actually has two parts to it – Trans-Resveratrol and Cis-Resveratrol…
While the components in Trans-Resveratrol and Cis-Resveratrol are the same, the structure and bonds are different. The science gets a little complicated, but research has consistently shown that only Trans-Resveratrol is stable and has positive health benefits.
Why Your Resveratrol Supplement May Only be 50% Trans-Resveratrol
Resveratrol is 50% Trans-Resveratrol and 50% Cis-Resveratrol. So take a look at these two labels -
While it may look like Label A is a better Resveratrol Supplement – it is not! Label A actually only has 175mg of Trans-Resveratrol (the other 175mg is Cis-Resveratrol). Label B is a much smarter choice with 198mg of Trans-Resveratrol.
Now you know the Secret – when shopping for Resveratrol Supplements, make sure you see 99% Trans-Resveratrol listed in the ingredients!
by Dan-N on November 6, 2009
At this point most people know that pesticides are bad. Most people understand that if pesticides get into the foods we eat, they can have very negative effects. What people don’t know is that pesticides are having a very negative impact on our food supply, even when they are not in the food we eat!
Hey, What Happened to All the Resveratrol in My Red Wine?
Resveratrol is an incredible popular nutrient found in red grapes and red wine. Click here if you want to read our full Special Report on Resveratrol – its health benefits, the science and the clinical studies. We go over it in detail in the report, but Resveratrol has strong anti-aging benefits and it is believed to at least partly explain the “French Paradox” – the French have a high fat diet and smoke, but they have very low rates of heat disease. The theory is the Resveratrol in the red wine they drink is what keeps them healthy.
About 30 years ago a bottle of red wine had about 30mg of Resveratrol. Today that same bottle has only about 3mg! Why is the Resveratrol content of Red Wine decreasing? Pesticides.
Pesticides Are Making Grapes Lazy!
The antioxidants in red grapes – the resveratrol and the other polyphenols are produced by grapes to fight off infection, bugs and harsh conditions. Well, guess what happens when you start to use Pesticides to fight off the bugs and infection? You guessed it – the grapes decrease the amount of resveratrol and other polyphenols that they produce.
Resveratrol Levels Dropping in Red Grapes and Muscadine Grapes
The problem with pesticides is not just the toxic chemicals getting into our food, the problem is they are changing the actual nutritional content of the food we eat. Red grapes and Muscadine Grapes that have been sprayed with pesticides produce much less resveratrol – there is no need for resveratrol if the pesticides are doing all the work.
Our Advice – Don’t Buy Any Resveratrol Supplements Unless You Know the Grapes Were Not Treated with Pesticides
When shopping for a trans-resveratrol supplement, you want to make sure the grapes used in the supplement were not treated with pesticides. Products such as the Perfect ResGrape Resveratrol have spec sheets to show that NO pesticides were used – this is EXACTLY what you want to see before buying any Resveratrol supplements.
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