Resveratol, a natural compound found in various foods and that can also be taken as a supplement, appears to produce the same health benefits as the sex hormone oestrogen.
Oestrogen may be best known as a female sex hormone, but in fact both sexes have it, and it plays a vital role in protecting us against the harmful effects of ageing, through reducing or blocking type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Researcher Henry Bayele from University College, London, studied Resveratol in the lab, to see its effects on liver cells. Oestrogen is known to switch on proteins called sirtuins that control a wide range of metabolic functions, including new cell growth and repairing DNA.
Bayele’s tests showed that in small doses, resveratrol increased the effects of sirtuins, protecting the body. However, too much resveratrol actually had the opposite effect, meaning the body might age faster. So taking the right amount is crucial, which is why many chose to take resveratrol as a supplement, but it is also found in peanuts, pistachios, grape skins, blueberries, raspberries and chocolate.