Benefits
Cognitive performance in aging women
In a single long-term trial in 125 postmenopausal women aged 45 to 85, 75 mg twice daily for 12 months improved overall cognitive performance compared with placebo, with a small effect size. Women 65 and older showed a relative gain in verbal memory. An earlier 14-week study by the same group pointed the same way.
Blood flow responses in brain arteries
In the same 24-month crossover trial, resveratrol raised resting blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery and improved how these vessels responded to carbon dioxide and to mental tasks compared with placebo. Better responsiveness of brain blood vessels is the proposed link to the cognitive results.
Bone density in postmenopausal women
After 12 months on 75 mg twice daily, bone mineral density was higher than on placebo at the lumbar spine and femoral neck, and CTX, a bone breakdown marker, was 7.24% lower. Gains were larger in women with poorer bone markers and in those also taking vitamin D and calcium. The changes were small and come from a single trial.
Pain, menopausal symptoms and well-being
In the same trial, resveratrol lowered a composite pain score, especially in overweight women, and improved somatic (bodily) menopausal symptoms and general well-being compared with placebo. These were secondary, questionnaire-based outcomes from a single trial, and no separate hot flush result was reported.
Fasting insulin and insulin sensitivity
Over 24 months, resveratrol periods were associated with lower fasting insulin and a lower insulin resistance index than placebo periods in postmenopausal women. The effect sizes were small and these were secondary outcomes.
Bone markers in obese men (different resveratrol)
A 16-week trial in 74 obese men with metabolic syndrome used a generic resveratrol, not Veri-te. A 1,000 mg/day dose raised bone alkaline phosphatase and lumbar spine trabecular bone density versus placebo; the 150 mg/day dose and the hip showed no consistent change.
Mechanism of action
Endothelial and cerebrovascular function
Resveratrol is thought to improve blood vessel function through endothelial nitric oxide and estrogen-receptor signaling. In RESHAW, better brain blood flow responses were linked to the pain results, and improved femoral neck bone scores were linked to better perfusion.
Phytoestrogen activity
Resveratrol can act as a weak phytoestrogen. This is one proposed reason for its effects in postmenopausal women and the basis for caution in hormone-sensitive conditions.
Bone turnover
In postmenopausal women, resveratrol lowered the bone breakdown marker CTX. In men given a different resveratrol at 1,000 mg/day, the bone formation marker bone alkaline phosphatase rose.
SIRT1 and AMPK signaling (laboratory)
In laboratory studies resveratrol activates SIRT1 and AMPK, energy-sensing pathways studied in aging research. Whether it directly activates SIRT1 is debated, and there is no human evidence that resveratrol extends lifespan.
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity (laboratory)
Resveratrol suppresses NF-kB inflammatory signaling and acts as an antioxidant in laboratory studies; these effects have not been tied to specific outcomes in the Veri-te trials.
Clinical trials
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Veri-te resveratrol 75 mg twice daily or placebo for 12 months, the first phase of RESHAW (Thaung Zaw et al. 2020, Nutrients).
Postmenopausal women aged 45 to 85: 146 enrolled, 129 completed and analyzed.
Compared with placebo, resveratrol improved overall cognitive performance (P<0.001) and lessened the decline in cerebrovascular responsiveness to cognitive stimuli (P=0.038), which was linked to lower fasting glucose. Capsules were supplied by Evolva, which also gave supplementary funding.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled two-period crossover trial: 75 mg trans-resveratrol or placebo twice daily for 12 months each (Thaung Zaw et al. 2021, Clin Nutr).
125 postmenopausal women aged 45 to 85.
Resveratrol improved overall cognitive performance by 33% versus placebo (primary outcome; Cohen's d 0.170, P=0.005), resting middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity, cerebrovascular responsiveness to carbon dioxide and to cognitive tasks, fasting insulin and insulin resistance index. Women 65 and older gained more in verbal memory. Effect sizes were small.
Bone outcomes of the 24-month RESHAW crossover trial of Veri-te resveratrol 75 mg twice daily (Wong et al. 2020, J Bone Miner Res).
Postmenopausal women in the RESHAW trial (125 completed the crossover).
After 12 months on resveratrol versus placebo, bone mineral density was higher at the lumbar spine (+0.016 g/cm2) and femoral neck (+0.005 g/cm2), CTX was 7.24% lower and femoral neck T-score improved. Benefits were larger in women with poorer bone markers and in those taking vitamin D plus calcium.
Secondary questionnaire outcomes of the 24-month RESHAW crossover trial, 75 mg twice daily (Thaung Zaw et al. 2020, Menopause).
125 healthy postmenopausal women.
Resveratrol reduced a composite pain score (P<0.001), especially in overweight women, and improved somatic menopausal symptoms (P=0.024) and general well-being (P=0.010) versus placebo. Pain improvement was associated with better cerebrovascular responsiveness.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of generic resveratrol 1,000 mg/day, 150 mg/day or placebo for 16 weeks (Ornstrup et al. 2014, J Clin Endocrinol Metab).
74 obese middle-aged men with metabolic syndrome (66 completed).
Bone alkaline phosphatase (primary outcome) rose with dose, by about 15 to 16% with 1,000 mg/day versus placebo, and lumbar spine trabecular bone density rose 2.6% with 1,000 mg/day. No consistent change in hip bone density. This was not the Veri-te product.