The Longevinex site recently added a Q&A section to their site addresses some of the issues I had with the product.
Questions and Answers About Longevinex™
Q. Why isn't Longevinex labeled for resveratrol content?
A. In 1994 when the Dietary Supplement Health & Education Act was enacted by Congress, it permitted existing dietary supplement ingredients to be marketed without safety testing, but new ingredients would have to undergo extensive tests before they could be introduced to the marketplace. Even though bottled red wine contains resveratrol and has been widely marketed for centuries, resveratrol has been declared a "new drug" and a number of dietary supplement companies that have attempted to market their products using the word "resveratrol" have received objection letters from the FDA. Therefore, Longevinex™ must be marketed as a "red wine extract" and cannot be labeled for resveratrol content. In time the FDA may change their position on this.
Q. How can consumers be assured the resveratrol in Longevinex™ remains stable during encapsulation?
A. Liquid Longevinex™ is produced in an oxygen-free, nitrogen environment and then sealed in an airtight capsule (Licaps) with an internal nitrogen bubble. Other red wine products do not go to this extent to ensure stability and preservation of resveratrol. An independent assay conducted by Plant Bioactives Research Institute confirms that "red wine polyphenols" have been preserved in the finished Longevinex™ product.
Q. How can consumers decipher the claims of one brand of resveratrol from another?
A. Many dietary supplement manufacturers claim their products contain red wine polyphenols such as resveratrol. They are unfamiliar with the nature of these molecules which may over time degrade into other breakdown molecules. It's best for consumers to demand proof by an independent laboratory that these molecules in fact exist in their finished product (this is usually a high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) test. Then the finished product needs to be tested for biological activity. Currently the only laboratory that has conducted tests on the biological activity of resveratrol is located at a New England university. We hope their data will be published soon. Most resveratrol products do not exhibit any biological activity.
Q. Is there any alcohol in Longevinex™
A. No
Q. Why are two sources of polyphenols provided in Longevinex™.
A. Longevinex™ uses extracts from red wine grapes and Giant Knotweed (botanical name Polygonum) as sources of polyphenols. There is a minimum of 15 mg of red wine polyphenols in each capsule, which is equivalent to the consumption of 5 to 15 five-ounce glasses of the best red wine.
Q. Why are other ingredients combined with resveratrol in Longevinex™?
A. Wine preserves resveratrol and produces health benefits in concert with other wine molecules, in particular, quercetin, which prolongs its action in the body. Longevinex™ adds quercetin and rice bran extract (IP6 phytic acid) as natural preservatives and shelf-life extenders.
Q. What kinds of changes can consumers expect to experience when taking Longevinex™?
A. While health benefits of red wine has been widely demonstrated in epidemiological studies (the French Paradox), the same has not been demonstrated as yet in any dietary supplement. Consumers of red wine polyphenols may experience reduced insulin levels, lower body temperature, normalized blood pressure and higher HDL cholesterol. Human studies are underway.
Q. Does Longevinex cure cancer?
A. Longevinex™ does not prevent, cure or treat any disease. Longevinex™ is solely promoted as a way for consumers to acquire the healthy benefits of red wine without the calories, alcohol or sulfite preservatives found in a bottle of red wine.
Q. How much scientific evidence is there that Longevinex produces health benefits?
A. There are hundreds of published reports which confirm the health benefits of red wine molecules.
Q. Are there any contra-indications to taking Longevinex™?
A. Longevinex™ is not recommended for growing children and pregnant females.
Q. When should Longevinex™ be consumed?
A. Longevinex can be taken with or without food, at any time of day.
Q. Does Longevinex™ conflict with any medications?
A. The ingredients in Longevinex thin the blood, but the small amount provided in Longevinex™ are not expected to conflict with blood-thinning medications any more than the consumption of wine.
Hugh
