19 replies to this topic

[marco1910]

http://www.latimes.c...0,4292239.story

[niner]

http://www.latimes.c...0,4292239.story

From the article:

Traditional health experts disagree. "Taking it as a supplement without long-range safety and toxicity studies is foolish," says Dr. Gerald Weissmann, director of New York University's biotechnology study center. Besides, he adds, "you might get terrible pimples, infections or worse" because the touted "antioxidant" agents that resveratrol sets loose in the body to scavenge toxins also function to dampen our defenses against some dangerous bacteria.

Say what?

[hmm]

http://www.latimes.c...0,4292239.story

Marco1910, I read the LA Times, but I never saw that story before. I looked at the date of the story, and it says "July 13, 2009". It is also a little bit weird because usually on a topic like that the LA Times tends to go a little bit more in depth. Can you give context/background on this?

July 11: Oops, saw the article in there today -- I guess they pre-dated it!

Edited by hmm, 11 July 2009 - 09:18 PM.

[bluemoon]

Strange article

Edited by Holmes, 11 July 2009 - 12:31 PM.

[maxwatt]

From the article:

Traditional health experts disagree. "Taking it as a supplement without long-range safety and toxicity studies is foolish," says Dr. Gerald Weissmann, director of New York University's biotechnology study center. Besides, he adds, "you might get terrible pimples, infections or worse" because the touted "antioxidant" agents that resveratrol sets loose in the body to scavenge toxins also function to dampen our defenses against some dangerous bacteria.

Say what?

And next you will grow hair on your fingers, you'll go blind, and if you still don't stop your hand will fall off.

[Anthony_Loera]

I think the author simply wanted to note that human clinical trials are still far from completion.

However, the Gerald's quote regarding "Pimples, infections or worse" is a very strange answer regarding "antioxidants", as the reader who has always assumed that antioxidants are good for you, will now be confused.

I think this needs more explanation regarding how Gerald thinks resveratrol is supposed to work (or not work), and cite the animal studies since no human studies exist showing "pimples, infections or worse".

A

Edited by Anthony_Loera, 11 July 2009 - 05:25 PM.

[therunningman71]

The LA Times has a health section on Mondays...and I would guess this is being printed in the upcoming Monday issue...It is a little strange that it was released beforehand, some kind of Philip K. Dick thing going on haha....Anyway I am a long time viewer of this site, and finally I had something I could confidently comment on, so I signed up haha...

[kismet]

However, the Gerald's quote regarding "Pimples, infections or worse" is a very strange answer regarding "antioxidants", as the reader who has always assumed that antioxidants are good for you, will now be confused.

And rightly so. Although, I believe that Cochrane and all the other grand failures of antioxidants that have been extolled in the news in the last years should have them confused already -- and rightly so. I mean it's not like the researches themselves have much of a clue; they inititiated all those, huge failed trials in the vain hope of a magic bullet or at least some effect. The same may or may not happen with resveratrol. But the reader should be rightly confused (and therefore cautious) about antioxidants, because that is the actual state of the science; it's confusing. On the other hand, I do agree that that statement does not make a lot of sense. He should have said something equally confusing but more factual (like, I mean, mentionening the grand failure of antioxidants?!) 

[niner]

And rightly so. Although, I believe that Cochrane and all the other grand failures of antioxidants that have been extolled in the news in the last years should have them confused already -- and rightly so. I mean it's not like the researches themselves have much of a clue; they inititiated all those, huge failed trials in the vain hope of a magic bullet or at least some effect. The same may or may not happen with resveratrol. But the reader should be rightly confused (and therefore cautious) about antioxidants, because that is the actual state of the science; it's confusing. On the other hand, I do agree that that statement does not make a lot of sense. He should have said something equally confusing but more factual (like, I mean, mentionening the grand failure of antioxidants?!) 

The antioxidant story is confusing, yes, but resveratrol isn't really much of an antioxidant. It doesn't exert its actions in the manner of an antioxidant, and it doesn't "set loose" any antioxidants in the body that I'm aware of, touted or otherwise. The statement was just bizarre.

[VP.]

New LAT article on resveratrol. It is skeptical. http://www.latimes.c...3,0,53028.story

[Anthony_Loera]

The resveratrol market is 20 million world wide?

That is way too low. I know of a single US company that imported about 16 tons of resveratrol into the USA last year, that one company can resell it for US customers at over a minimum of 30-60 million depending on the products manufactured...

That is one company, in the USA alone...where does he come up with these worldwide numbers?

A

[bluemoon]

So what is this Sinclair chap saying?

"I am surprised at the interest, if you consider that the long-term effects in humans are not known," says David Sinclair, the Harvard Medical School pathology professor who has pioneered research on resveratrol and the family of genetic pathways on which the plant compound acts. "The short-term effects are fine. But we don't know what happens if you take this for two decades. There are thousands of people performing a massive experiment."


In 2007, Sinclair was on Charlie Rose and said he was taking resveratrol but that he didn't recommend others start until more was known.

Sicnlair also told the Immt Inst around the same time that he was taking 320mg of Lonquercetinx for three years. In the article with that info, he points out he didn't know of any major side effects reported.

Then Sinclair goes and helps formulate Vivix...

Everything above he said is true, although I wonder how surprised he can really be at the interest.

Edited by maxwatt, 15 July 2009 - 03:38 AM.

[gloria yin]

The resveratrol market is 20 million world wide?

That is way too low. I know of a single US company that imported about 16 tons of resveratrol into the USA last year, that one company can resell it for US customers at over a minimum of 30-60 million depending on the products manufactured...

That is one company, in the USA alone...where does he come up with these worldwide numbers?

A

Are you sure of that ,is the Resv extracted from plants or sythesize?

[Anthony_Loera]

Hi Gloria,

According to freight records, it was from polygonum.

Cheers
A

[Ringostarr]

Sinclair is kind of a clown. He constantly speaks out of both sides of his mouth. One day he is hyping resveratrol and another day he (wearing his Glaxo hat) is knocking it. In the end I think greed is going to win the day with him.

So what is this Sinclair chap saying?

"I am surprised at the interest, if you consider that the long-term effects in humans are not known," says David Sinclair, the Harvard Medical School pathology professor who has pioneered research on resveratrol and the family of genetic pathways on which the plant compound acts. "The short-term effects are fine. But we don't know what happens if you take this for two decades. There are thousands of people performing a massive experiment."


In 2007, Sinclair was on Charlie Rose and said he was taking resveratrol but that he didn't recommend others start until more was known.

Sicnlair also told the Immt Inst around the same time that he was taking 320mg of Lonquercetinx for three years. In the article with that info, he points out he didn't know of any major side effects reported.

Then Sinclair goes and helps formulate Vivix...

Everything above he said is true, although I wonder how surprised he can really be at the interest.

Edited by maxwatt, 15 July 2009 - 03:38 AM.

[bluemoon]

Sinclair is kind of a clown. He constantly speaks out of both sides of his mouth. One day he is hyping resveratrol and another day he (wearing his Glaxo hat) is knocking it. In the end I think greed is going to win the day with him.

But Sinclair already has $8 million from selling Sirtis to Glaxo and his $300,000 salary. Is $9 million going to buy him a second Porshe?

The reporter should have checked into his past statements.

[2tender]

What negative things has Sinclair said? How has he contradicted himself? There are many people using Resveratrol right now and I think its important to know exactly what its status is. Thanks

Edited by 2tender, 13 July 2009 - 09:38 PM.

[bluemoon]

What negative things has Sinclair said? How has he contradicted himself? There are many people using Resveratrol right now and I think its important to know exactly what its status is. Thanks

I think it is more with his tone. In the article he is quoted as saying that he is surprised people are trying resv when he has said on TV and in the NYTimes that he and his parents took it. If Sinclair didn't take it, I wouldn't have started.

He also said people are doing a longterm experiment on themselves, which is true, but he was taking it for 3 to 4 years himself before...SRT501? The wording has a negative connotation, right?
And on Charlie Rose, he said in early 2007 that while it is perfectly safe, he said something like he "can't recommend people take it until we know more." Then he goes to Shaklee to formulate Vivix.

Seems like mixed singles to me.

[2tender]

Thanks, I see, and of course if there hadnt been studies done dateing back to early nineties when the first compounded low milligram Res. supplements appeared, I wouldnt be taking it either. Sinclair and the advancement of Res. supplement products did renew my interest. I wonder if he is still taking it and exactly what his regimen is right now. Any insight? Theoretical or otherwise?

[fatboy]

Nope. I've been mega-dosing for almost 2 years now but I died 6 months ago.