16 replies to this topic

[sUper GeNius]

Anyone here think resveratrol is too much of a risk at this time?

Why? Doses?

[steelheader]

Anyone here think resveratrol is too much of a risk at this time?

Why? Doses?

Too risky for who? At my age, 70+, it seems like a reasonable bet for better health. Has lots of subjective benefits too.

[sUper GeNius]

Anyone here think resveratrol is too much of a risk at this time?

Why? Doses?

Too risky for who? At my age, 70+, it seems like a reasonable bet for better health. Has lots of subjective benefits too.

Well, that's my question. Is it in fact too risky?

Age 70. Okay. Is there any evidence that resveratrol could promote growth in prostate cancer cells? Most elderly men do in fact have some malignant cells in the prostate.

[maxwatt]

Anyone here think resveratrol is too much of a risk at this time?

Why? Doses?

Too risky for who? At my age, 70+, it seems like a reasonable bet for better health. Has lots of subjective benefits too.

Well, that's my question. Is it in fact too risky?

Age 70. Okay. Is there any evidence that resveratrol could promote growth in prostate cancer cells? Most elderly men do in fact have some malignant cells in the prostate.

Some of the early papers on resveratrol suggested it might have an estrogenic effect, and contribute to breast cancer, but the opposite was found to be the case. Apparently resveratrol may prevent prostate cancer as well.
Possible role of resveratrol in prevention of prostate carcinogenesis

The only possible negative effect of resveratrol of which I am currently aware, is that it may aggravate certain autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. This is not definite, though.

Edited for speling and gramer

Edited by maxwatt, 02 February 2008 - 04:40 PM.

[caston]

Some of the early papers on resveratrol suggested it might have an estrogenic effect, and contribute to breast cancer, but the opposite was found to be the case. Apparently resveratrol may prevent prostate cancer as well.
Possible role of resveratrol in prevention of prostate carcinogenesis

The only possible negative effect of resveratrol of which I am currently aware, is that it may aggravate certain autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. This is not definite, though.

Edited for speling and gramer

My understanding was the res is not as accurate as we would like it to be in terms of it hits a few longevity genes and a few others to boot. I think something has or will come out that is better than res but rest is still quite a good choice but definately take it with other flavinoids and phytochemicals as part of a diverse stack.

Andy Dillan has been targeting PHA-4.

""We know three distinct pathways that affect longevity: insulin/IGF signaling, calorie restriction, and the mitochondrial electron transport chain pathway, yet it is still not clear where sir-2 fits in. It seems to meddle with more than one pathway," says Dillin and adds that "PHA-4 is specific for calorie restriction as it does not affect the other pathways.""

http://www.pha4.com/

Edited by caston, 02 February 2008 - 05:01 PM.

[sUper GeNius]

Some of the early papers on resveratrol suggested it might have an estrogenic effect, and contribute to breast cancer, but the opposite was found to be the case. Apparently resveratrol may prevent prostate cancer as well.
Possible role of resveratrol in prevention of prostate carcinogenesis

The only possible negative effect of resveratrol of which I am currently aware, is that it may aggravate certain autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. This is not definite, though.

Edited for speling and gramer

My understanding was the res is not as accurate as we would like it to be in terms of it hits a few longevity genes and a few others to boot. I think something has or will come out that is better than res but rest is still quite a good choice but definately take it with other flavinoids and phytochemicals as part of a diverse stack.

Andy Dillan has been targeting PHA-4.

""We know three distinct pathways that affect longevity: insulin/IGF signaling, calorie restriction, and the mitochondrial electron transport chain pathway, yet it is still not clear where sir-2 fits in. It seems to meddle with more than one pathway," says Dillin and adds that "PHA-4 is specific for calorie restriction as it does not affect the other pathways.""

http://www.pha4.com/

SO it would make sense that a little CR would help. Perhaps not too much though. I think that, until something better comes down the pike, that's my strategy.

[VP.]

Does anyone have a clue what this is about? It's from the latest Nature Journal. Unfortunatlly I don't have access to the full paper.

'Red wine' based drug may fight cancer
By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
Last Updated: 10:01am GMT 31/01/2008

Evidence that an antiageing drug based on a key ingredient of red wine could have anticancer effects too has been found, paving the way for human trials this year.
Tests are under way on diabetics of SRT501, an improved formulation of resveratrol, a wine chemical, that could lead to a family of new drugs with powerful effects against the diseases of ageing as well as adult diabetes, the developed world's fastest-growing degenerative disease.
The drug targets SIRT1, the founding member of the human sirtuin family of enzymes which control the ageing process. Now two teams report in the journal Nature how SIRT1 plays a role in tumour growth.

The American groups, respectively led by Drs Junjie Chen of Yale University and Wei Gu of Columbia University and their colleagues, have discovered that another protein, named DBC1, acts as a regulator of SIRT: lower levels help damaged cells to self destruct and higher ones make cells susceptible to damage to a process called oxidative stress.
Although this suggests that drugs such as SRT501 could promote tumour growth in some circumstances, Dr Chen said that more research needs to be done to confirm this. "This assmption really needs to be studied."
And tests by the developers of SIRT1, the American company Sirtris suggest the drug does have anticancer effects. Prof David Sinclair, who pioneered the SRT501 work at Harvard Medical School, comments: "Genetic upregulation of SIRT1 suppresses cancer in the gold standard mouse. There are over 50 published in vitro and in vivo papers showing that SIRT1 activation improves cancer.

"Based on the data, Sirtris is planning to initiate a trial in cancer with SIRT1 activators in patients in either the US or Europe or both in the first half of 2008.," he adds.

The SIRT1 drugs emerged from research to understand why all species live longer on a calorie-restricted diet. So long as there is adequate nutrition, cutting calories by 40 per cent prolongs lifespan by 50 per cent or more in yeast, mice, rats and every other species so far tested.
http://www.telegraph.../sciwine130.xml

Abstract from Nature:

The NAD-dependent protein deacetylase Sir2 (silent information regulator 2) regulates lifespan in several organisms1, 2, 3. SIRT1, the mammalian orthologue of yeast Sir2, participates in various cellular functions4, 5, 6, 7 and possibly tumorigenesis8. Whereas the cellular functions of SIRT1 have been extensively investigated, less is known about the regulation of SIRT1 activity. Here we show that Deleted in Breast Cancer-1 (DBC1), initially cloned from a region (8p21) homozygously deleted in breast cancers9, forms a stable complex with SIRT1. DBC1 directly interacts with SIRT1 and inhibits SIRT1 activity in vitro and in vivo. Downregulation of DBC1 expression potentiates SIRT1-dependent inhibition of apoptosis induced by genotoxic stress. Our results shed new light on the regulation of SIRT1 and have important implications in understanding the molecular mechanism of ageing and cancer.

http://www.nature.co...ature06500.html

[missminni]

Too risky for what? Are there any risks reported?
Two and a half weeks ago my 9 year old 100 lb female dog was diagnosed with Mammary adenocarcinoma, high grade, prognosis poor
and I was told there was no hope and no treatment and that she has 6 months to live.
According to her biopsy it is in her lymph nodes.
I immediately put her on 6-9 grams of Resveratrol a day. Everything from her surgery healing to her
physical appearance has improved dramatically. Even her her old torn cruciate ligament injury that
had her walking in a lame manner is showing visible improvement. Her muscles look stronger and more defined, her coat
smoother and shedding less, her eyes brighter and stronger, and overall she looks healthier everyday.
One would find it hard to believe she is dying of cancer. Hopefully she isn't.
So far I haven't heard of one risk associated with Reveratrol, and nothing negative except for
the laxative effect of hi doses and the complaint of joint/tendon pain when doing excessive exercise.
BTW, with the hi doses I am giving her, her stool is only slightly looser than normal. I am wondering if
dogs don't tolerate it better than humans. I take 1 gram and get the runs.

[stephen_b]

This is an interesting post. Resveratrol seems to have benefited your dog, and hopefully will help with the cancer. Good luck, and please let us know how it turns out.

Stephen

[ilanso]

http://www.medscape....sdmh=dm1.352815

....
May 16, 2008 (Orlando, Florida) — New research suggests that resveratrol, a chemical commonly found in red wine, has the ability to lower blood-sugar levels, but it might also produce certain unpleasant adverse effects.
The research was presented here at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 17th Annual Meeting and Clinical Congress by Kimberly Martin, MD, a pediatric endocrinology fellow at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
....

The research, however, shows that in cells expressing the GLUT1 isoform, resveratrol blocks glucose transport by binding and inhibiting the GLUT1 transporter. This could be key because certain cells and tissues, including brain, retina, placenta, and red blood cells, express large amounts of this transporter. The presumed inhibition of the GLUT1 transporter in these tissues in vivo might therefore have undesired and negative effects on their normal function.

"This is a potential medication that could be used in multiple areas," Dr. Martin said. "The concern is that you could lower glucose in diabetics but at the same time. . . [lower] glucose levels in the brain or in other important tissues."

[sUper GeNius]

http://www.medscape....sdmh=dm1.352815

....
May 16, 2008 (Orlando, Florida) — New research suggests that resveratrol, a chemical commonly found in red wine, has the ability to lower blood-sugar levels, but it might also produce certain unpleasant adverse effects.
The research was presented here at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 17th Annual Meeting and Clinical Congress by Kimberly Martin, MD, a pediatric endocrinology fellow at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
....

The research, however, shows that in cells expressing the GLUT1 isoform, resveratrol blocks glucose transport by binding and inhibiting the GLUT1 transporter. This could be key because certain cells and tissues, including brain, retina, placenta, and red blood cells, express large amounts of this transporter. The presumed inhibition of the GLUT1 transporter in these tissues in vivo might therefore have undesired and negative effects on their normal function.

"This is a potential medication that could be used in multiple areas," Dr. Martin said. "The concern is that you could lower glucose in diabetics but at the same time. . . [lower] glucose levels in the brain or in other important tissues."

Why would lower sugar in the brain be bad, but a good effect in other tissues? Won't brain cells be adversely affected by high/higher glucose levels? I guess it depends on how low the glucose goes.

[ilanso]

[url="http://www.medscape....mh=dm1.352815"]

The research, however, shows that in cells expressing the GLUT1 isoform, resveratrol blocks glucose transport by binding and inhibiting the GLUT1 transporter. This could be key because certain cells and tissues, including brain, retina, placenta, and red blood cells, express large amounts of this transporter. The presumed inhibition of the GLUT1 transporter in these tissues in vivo might therefore have undesired and negative effects on their normal function.

"This is a potential medication that could be used in multiple areas," Dr. Martin said. "The concern is that you could lower glucose in diabetics but at the same time. . . [lower] glucose levels in the brain or in other important tissues."

Why would lower sugar in the brain be bad, but a good effect in other tissues? Won't brain cells be adversely affected by high/higher glucose levels? I guess it depends on how low the glucose goes.

Brain neurons can't store the sweet stuff - a continuous stream of it via the blood is required (in hypoglycemia, it's the head, not the muscles that suffers the most). If the normal blood glucose is 100mg/dL (or 1g/L, meaning one teaspoonful in the whole body), a drop to not much less than half that can bring you to a state of major confusion or (reversible) coma.

[maxwatt]

http://www.medscape....sdmh=dm1.352815

....
May 16, 2008 (Orlando, Florida) — New research suggests that resveratrol, a chemical commonly found in red wine, has the ability to lower blood-sugar levels, but it might also produce certain unpleasant adverse effects.
The research was presented here at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 17th Annual Meeting and Clinical Congress by Kimberly Martin, MD, a pediatric endocrinology fellow at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
....

The research, however, shows that in cells expressing the GLUT1 isoform, resveratrol blocks glucose transport by binding and inhibiting the GLUT1 transporter. This could be key because certain cells and tissues, including brain, retina, placenta, and red blood cells, express large amounts of this transporter. The presumed inhibition of the GLUT1 transporter in these tissues in vivo might therefore have undesired and negative effects on their normal function.

"This is a potential medication that could be used in multiple areas," Dr. Martin said. "The concern is that you could lower glucose in diabetics but at the same time. . . [lower] glucose levels in the brain or in other important tissues."

Why would lower sugar in the brain be bad, but a good effect in other tissues? Won't brain cells be adversely affected by high/higher glucose levels? I guess it depends on how low the glucose goes.

Other studies demonstrate a neuro-protective effect of resveratrol against glucose deprivation in brain cells:

Protective effect of resveratrol against oxygen-glucose deprivation in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures: Involvement of PI3-K pathway.
Resveratrol inhibits interleukin-6 production in cortical mixed glial cells under hypoxia/hypoglycemia followed by reoxygenation.

[graatch]

My concern is the vagaries of the redox cycle. We very well know that numerous antioxidants can and will become pro-oxidative under certain conditions. I haven't seen this addressed with resveratrol.

[edward]

http://www.medscape....sdmh=dm1.352815

....
May 16, 2008 (Orlando, Florida) — New research suggests that resveratrol, a chemical commonly found in red wine, has the ability to lower blood-sugar levels, but it might also produce certain unpleasant adverse effects.
The research was presented here at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 17th Annual Meeting and Clinical Congress by Kimberly Martin, MD, a pediatric endocrinology fellow at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
....

The research, however, shows that in cells expressing the GLUT1 isoform, resveratrol blocks glucose transport by binding and inhibiting the GLUT1 transporter. This could be key because certain cells and tissues, including brain, retina, placenta, and red blood cells, express large amounts of this transporter. The presumed inhibition of the GLUT1 transporter in these tissues in vivo might therefore have undesired and negative effects on their normal function.

"This is a potential medication that could be used in multiple areas," Dr. Martin said. "The concern is that you could lower glucose in diabetics but at the same time. . . [lower] glucose levels in the brain or in other important tissues."

Why would lower sugar in the brain be bad, but a good effect in other tissues? Won't brain cells be adversely affected by high/higher glucose levels? I guess it depends on how low the glucose goes.

Other studies demonstrate a neuro-protective effect of resveratrol against glucose deprivation in brain cells:

Protective effect of resveratrol against oxygen-glucose deprivation in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures: Involvement of PI3-K pathway.
Resveratrol inhibits interleukin-6 production in cortical mixed glial cells under hypoxia/hypoglycemia followed by reoxygenation.

If there was really something bad here then we would all be feeling energy lulls when we started Res, instead almost everyone has reported either nothing or an increase in energy and endurance, hardly a side effect of too little brain glucose.

[ilanso]

The research, however, shows that in cells expressing the GLUT1 isoform, resveratrol blocks glucose transport by binding and inhibiting the GLUT1 transporter. This could be key because certain cells and tissues, including brain, retina, placenta, and red blood cells, express large amounts of this transporter. The presumed inhibition of the GLUT1 transporter in these tissues in vivo might therefore have undesired and negative effects on their normal function.

Turns out this resveratrol-inhibited GLUT1 mechanism is also responsible for the partial compensation of our inability to manufacture vit. C (via red blood cells). I am doubling my daily dose of ascorbic acid to compensate for this possible inhibition of compensation :-)

PMID: 18358815

Of all cells, human erythrocytes express the highest level of the Glut1 glucose transporter. However, the regulation and function of Glut1 during erythropoiesis are not known. Here, we report that glucose transport actually decreases during human erythropoiesis despite a >3-log increase in Glut1 transcripts. In contrast, Glut1-mediated transport of L-dehydroascorbic acid (DHA), an oxidized form of ascorbic acid (AA), is dramatically enhanced. We identified stomatin, an integral erythrocyte membrane protein, as regulating the switch from glucose to DHA transport. Notably though, we found that erythrocyte Glut1 and associated DHA uptake are unique traits of humans and the few other mammals that have lost the ability to synthesize AA from glucose. Accordingly, we show that mice, a species capable of synthesizing AA, express Glut4 but not Glut1 in mature erythrocytes. Thus, erythrocyte-specific coexpression of Glut1 with stomatin constitutes a compensatory mechanism in mammals that are unable to synthesize vitamin C.

[krillin]

Add this one to the stack of in vitro studies using unphysiological resveratrol concentrations.

However, the addition of resveratrol to the same cells markedly inhibited glucose transport (half maximal effective concentration [EC50] of ~25 mmol/L) — whether or not AMPK phosphorylation was augmented or suppressed.