3 replies to this topic

[michae4]

How can I go about testing the level of t-resveratrol in my blood plasma after taking it? Are there any analytical/blood labs known to test for this?

I know that there is much concern about the bioavailability of resveratrol, so I'd like to get a better idea of how much of it is actually getting to my cells.

[niner]

How can I go about testing the level of t-resveratrol in my blood plasma after taking it? Are there any analytical/blood labs known to test for this?

I know that there is much concern about the bioavailability of resveratrol, so I'd like to get a better idea of how much of it is actually getting to my cells.

I don't know of any commercial labs that would do this for you, certainly not at a reasonable price. There are published analytical protocols that use HPLC and common reagents, so in principle, most any good analytical lab could do it, although it would be better to use a lab that had had some practice at this sort of thing. Such labs tend to be found in drug companies and certain academic settings. Even if you got a plasma level of resveratrol, that wouldn't tell you the intracellular level. There is also the question of what fraction of the resveratrol is bound to serum albumin and what is free. Also, the analysis needs to distinguish between the native drug and its metabolites. It's a non-trivial problem. It's not that it couldn't be done, but it's probably not worth the cost for the average resveratrol user.

[michae4]

I agree that it is important that the lab have experience in the specific protocol. I would certainly be willing to pay a premium for this over working with a group that has no experience. Maybe the labs that test for purity of resveratrol powder are an option? If anyone knows contact info on them, I would appreciate it.

How can I go about testing the level of t-resveratrol in my blood plasma after taking it? Are there any analytical/blood labs known to test for this?

I know that there is much concern about the bioavailability of resveratrol, so I'd like to get a better idea of how much of it is actually getting to my cells.

I don't know of any commercial labs that would do this for you, certainly not at a reasonable price. There are published analytical protocols that use HPLC and common reagents, so in principle, most any good analytical lab could do it, although it would be better to use a lab that had had some practice at this sort of thing. Such labs tend to be found in drug companies and certain academic settings. Even if you got a plasma level of resveratrol, that wouldn't tell you the intracellular level. There is also the question of what fraction of the resveratrol is bound to serum albumin and what is free. Also, the analysis needs to distinguish between the native drug and its metabolites. It's a non-trivial problem. It's not that it couldn't be done, but it's probably not worth the cost for the average resveratrol user.

[maxwatt]

I agree that it is important that the lab have experience in the specific protocol. I would certainly be willing to pay a premium for this over working with a group that has no experience. Maybe the labs that test for purity of resveratrol powder are an option? If anyone knows contact info on them, I would appreciate it.

These labs (AACL and Alkemical to name two) do not test blood samples. Medical labs like Quest are not equipped to test for resveratrol. You might get Quest to draw blood and forward the sample to a lab that could test for resveratrol. But what protocol would you use? Take resveratrol and have lab draw blood sample every 20 minutes? You might miss the peak level. I estimate each blood sample would cost around 200 dollars to test plus $25 for one blood sample, maybe a discount on subsequent samples. Maybe you could find a grad student who has access to a lab who could do it? Even then you only know blood serum levels at discret points in time. You need multiple subjects. Do they take resveratrol fasted or with food? Will the sample include East Asians who are more sensitive to certain drugs and have been shown in unpublished testing to attain a higher blood serum level of resveratrol from the same dose, as compared to Caucasians and African races? And as Niner pointed out, you still will not know intracellular levels which ultimately is where it's at. Blood serum levels may not correlate with macro effects. A controlled study with many subjects taking the substance in known doses and quantity, with som end point to measure, such as oxidized LDL and blood lipid profiles, blood sugar levels, weight gain or loss, etc. would be a more informative test.