The last decade has seen the term “longevity boost” brought in from the fringes to become a common reference in the overlapping spheres of health, beauty, fitness and wellness.
Whether applied to cells in the skin, the offset of age-related diseases or a longer lifespan, better longevity is increasingly an important focus for those of us who want to keep feeling and looking at our optimum into our later years. Improving it via what we do – and don’t – put in our bodies plays a key role, including supplementing a healthy, rounded diet with particular nutrients that have been well-researched for their benefits in boosting longevity.
Top of that list is resveratrol, an antioxidant found in grapes, red wine and the fast-growing scourge of gardeners, Japanese knotweed. Shown to have wide-ranging therapeutic benefits, resveratrol is now popping up in supplements solely based around this ingredient as well as others that include it as part of a balanced blend.
What is resveratrol?
“Resveratrol is a plant compound which acts like an antioxidant in the body,” explains Shabir Daya MRPharmS, co-founder and in-house pharmacist at Victoria Health. “It is found naturally in deep purplish fruits such as grapes used to make red wine, which is why red wine is often touted as being healthy in moderation, while commercially, resveratrol is mostly obtained from Japanese knotweed.”
Why from a weed and not from grapes or red wine in supplements? Because the amount you need to consume to be beneficial would be huge (and in the case of alcohol, not healthy!). The suggested daily dosage to get a beneficial effect is between 150mg and 500mg, ideally taken with a meal containing some fats as resveratrol is a fat-soluble nutrient.
What are the health benefits of taking a resveratrol supplement?
Research into resveratrol has revealed that its antioxidant benefits help defend cells, from the skin to our internal organs, from daily oxidative damage as well as working in myriad different ways. “Resveratrol is often referred to as an anti-ageing nutrient because it possibly has a wide range of protective actions against a diverse range of health concerns,” he says. “Aside from its antioxidant properties, studies have been conducted linking resveratrol to maintaining healthy blood pressure, regulating sugar and fat levels in the bloodstream and displaying anti-inflammatory properties. It may also protect brain cells, as well as ease joint and muscular pain. Some people report that taking resveratrol helps exercise performance and recovery.”
Resveratrol has also been studied for its ability to activate the group of proteins known as sirtuins that help regulate cellular health and energy production, whilst also having a positive effect on the gene expression that causes us to age, so may help slow down some aspects of the natural ageing process. While Daya underlines that - as with most supplements - those new to taking resveratrol likely won’t see any immediate changes, benefits such as reducing inflammation will take effect over time.
Are there beauty benefits too?
Antioxidants are well-loved by scientists for their ability to defend against external aggressors such as pollution and UV rays that play havoc with our skin, contributing to pigmentation, and sensitivity and breaking down the elastic and collagen fibres that keep the complexion firm and bouncy. “Pairing resveratrol with a quality vitamin C supplement provides you with two powerful antioxidants with protective benefits,” recommends Daya. “This combination may help to protect skin and the soft tissues from the loss of elasticity: think the loss of elasticity for skin but also from a health point of view, when blood vessels and the valves inside the blood vessels lose their elasticity, then blood flow in impeded and slower around the body. Additionally, resveratrol and vitamin C are known to enhance collagen production which can lead to firmer skin.”
Read on for our pick of the best wellness and beauty-boosting resveratrol supplements.
ProHealth Longevity Trans-Resveratrol Plus
Boasting over a dozen clinical trials with more than 750 participants, this formula is proven to have a wide range of benefits including switching on the ‘longevity gene’ that boosts our cells’ natural ability to function and repair like they did when we were younger, boosting skin, bone and cognitive health.
The 1000mg of resveratrol is sourced from a Swiss biotech company and provides the equivalent amount of active ingredient in a daily capsule as found in 550 bottles of red wine (without the colossal hangover). Also combined into the formula are antioxidant green tea extract, polyphenol-rich inflammatory red wine extract, quercetin for its immune-boosting properties, plus a concentrated black pepper extract to encourage easy absorption.
Buy now £24.95, iHerb
Youth & Earth Liposomal Resveratrol
A fantastic liquid alternative for anyone who isn’t a fan of taking tablets, this tastes slightly sweet, a bit earthy and a little medicinal, but is perfectly palatable and easy to swallow. You can also mix it with a little water if preferred.
The liposomal technology used as a delivery system helps the active resveratrol to be absorbed quickly and easily by the body without being disrupted when travelling through the gastrointestinal tract, meaning its efficacy is protected from being reduced en route. Free from gluten, soy and GMOs as well as being suitable for vegans and vegetarians, take two teaspoons in the morning before breakfast then store the bottle in the fridge to keep fresh for six weeks.
Buy now £40.99, Youth & Earth
Life Extension Optimised Resveratrol Elite
A single capsule of this supplement contains 222mg of Life Extension’s trademarked Resveratrol Elite blend, a combination of trans-resveratrol from Japanese knotweed and fenugreek seeds, plus a range of other natural compounds found in grapes that have beneficial biological properties. The resveratrol is also coated with a hydrogel to ensure its bioavailability (how easily it’s absorbed) into the body is boosted tenfold.
Combined with the bioflavonoid quercetin, which is known to support heart and immune health as well as protect our cells, these ingredients work together synergistically to help keep inflammation at bay, defend the body and skin against the degenerative effects of the ageing process and ramp up energy production.
Buy now £34.00, Victoria Health
Solgar Resveratrol Softgels with Red Wine Extract
A great combination of red wine extract from grape skin plus 250mg of resveratrol from Japanese knotweed makes this a hard-hitter when it comes to antioxidant content. In fact, the amount of active resveratrol used is comparable to 64 glasses of red wine, without the sugar or alcohol content.
Pointing to the ingredient’s ability to potentially help maintain the normal functions of a healthy cardiovascular system, this one-a-day dose from the esteemed supplement brand Solgar is an easy antioxidant boost if you avoid wine and miss out on the benefits of antioxidants elsewhere in your diet.
Softgels can be easier for some people to swallow (including fans of this particular supplement online), making them a great alternative to capsules or tablets, but are made from gelatin, so not for vegans or vegetarians.
Buy now £20.57, Amazon
Artah Enhanced NAD+ Complex
NAD+ – or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide – is another big player in the area of longevity that you may have heard of. As such, it pairs perfectly with resveratrol. NAD+ is a crucial molecule found naturally in our bodies and plays a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of DNA and ensuring the healthy cell function that helps protect us from ageing and disease – in other words, helps promote longevity.
For this Artah complex, it’s teamed with protective antioxidant and polyphenol resveratrol to boost its function, as well as mood-lifting saffron and the flavonoid luteolin, which helps our own NAD+ supplies get recycled. Regular users report better sleep, mental clarity and energy too.
Buy now £65.00, Artah
Phytoceutics Resveratrol
From the Phytoceutics range that focuses on a science-meets-nature approach to optimal lifespan and healthspan, this supplement is an antioxidant formula to help balance inflammation, support heart health and promote wellness and ageing better, using its trademarked Resveratrol blend (as opposed to resveratrol – see what they did?).
It contains a patented form of food-grade, 100 per cent natural resveratrol that is proven to be ten times better absorbed by the body over a more sustained period and is combined with an extract of probiotic fenugreek seeds to boost its bioavailability further. Each capsule contains the equivalent of 400mg of standard resveratrol, with one or two taken daily on an empty stomach.
Buy now £29.80, Phytoceutics
Holland & Barrett Resveratrol with Red Wine Extract
Each of these easy-to-swallow capsules is packed with 250mg of Japanese knotweed extract combined with 10mg of red wine extract to pack an extra resveratrol punch, making just one an extra strength daily dose, although the directions note you can take two per day if you’d like.
Suitable for vegetarians and vegans, they contain no yeast, artificial colourants or flavourings, or added sugar or salt. The ingredients list is kept to a minimum with knotweed at the top. The capsules containing the concentrated formula are rapid-release, so the resveratrol gets to work quickly when taken.
Buy now £30.99, Holland & Barrett
Nutri Advanced Saw Palmetto + Stinging Nettle Complex
A good all-rounder for men in particular when it comes to antioxidant benefits, this supplement also utilises saw palmetto berry which has long been used to support prostate health, although more recently it’s become popular for helping women maintain hormonal balance too.
The blend of botanicals includes resveratrol and pomegranate plus pine bark extract, chosen for their antioxidant capabilities in protecting fatty acids and cell membranes from oxidative stress, while zinc is essential for a multitude of healthy bodily functions. Take two capsules with food or, cleverly, you can break them apart and sprinkle the nutrients inside into a meal.
Buy now £29.95, Nutri Advanced
Verdict
With a wealth of impressive independent clinical trials behind it, ProHealth Longevity Trans-Resveratrol Plus has serious credentials when it comes to a beneficial resveratrol supplement that helps make our cells behave as if they were young again.
The added nutrients - the anti-inflammatory red wine extract to immune-boosting quercetin working in harmony make it well-balanced and thought-through too. And just one capsule per day is enough to infuse the body with a mega dose of resveratrol, which is certainly preferable to drinking what sounds like an entire vineyard dry!
