You've made the decision to start taking resveratrol, now how do you decide which brand you should take? This is a serious question and I urge anyone interested in trying resveratrol to think it over carefully!
"You are going to put a non-FDA regulated, little known substance, into your body and sometimes in large quantities."
That just sounds crazy! Well, I did it and I don't think I'm crazy (well, maybe a little but that's an entirely different story.) I do however think I am careful and not lazy. It is just pure irresponsibility to take a supplement of any kind without first researching it and then knowing to the best of your ability the purity of the substance you are about to consume.
That brings me to my selection criteria for choosing a resveratrol supplier:
1: Independent laboratory testing.
A company who gets there product tested and verified for purity is one that is on the right track. It means they care about their product and even more so their consumer.
2: Publicly post their independent test results.
Saying your product is tested is one thing, but showing those test results to the public puts a company on a different level. A reputable testing company, such as Biomol or Consumer Lab, will verify the contents of a supplement.
3: Registered with the FDA and follow their manufacturing guidelines.
Even though the FDA does not recognize resveratrol as a pharmaceutical it is still a positive factor for a company who produces and distributes resveratrol to be registered with them. It is a proactive step that shows initiative on behalf of a company who follows the strict rules laid out by the FDA and other equivalent agencies throughout the world.
4: Excellent customer service.
Is there a human being you can speak with? If there is someone you can call or email to ask questions it shows the company is not just in it for a one-time sale. A quick and accurate response to a question shows you the company is looking to build relationships and not just sell you a product once and move on. Send a quick email to your prospective company list. How do they respond? Is the person on the other end someone you want to do business with?
5. Present verifiable facts and not just sales jargon.
This is not necessarily a "make it or break it" part of the criteria, but it's important to me. Does the website, packaging, and container have a bunch of "red wine" jargon on it? This type of promotion without any mention of resveratrol, and more specifically trans-resveratrol, is very questionable. The packaging should clearly show you the amount of trans-resveratrol in the product and any other substances it may contain. Remember, red wine and grapes is not resveratrol. If it doesn't say resveratrol ask questions!
This list is not the end all of buying resveratrol but it's a good place to start. Use your common sense when deciding who to buy from. If your gut tells you it's not right then move on to another company. There are scam artists in every business and the supplement business is no different.
If you have any questions about what resveratrol is right for you let me know. I can try and lead you in the right direction.
Hi...what brand Resveratrol do you use? I am looking to take it in conjunction with soy isoflavones to increase weight loss and am completely cluesless in regards to the dosage as well as how to find out the purity and concentration of active ingredients I need. Please email me back asap. Thank you!
Posted by: Cari | July 09, 2008 at 12:05 PM
Hi Cari, welcome to the site. I am glad you are taking some intelligent steps to determining your resveratrol product.
I've been conflicted regarding whether or not to disclose which product I use publicly as I don't want people to think I am pushing products. That said, my decision is that it is ok to mention the products I use because the companies I buy from I believe in.
To answer your question I use RevGenetics x500 capsules. I find dealing with this company is easy, the owner is very responisive, they have each batch independently tested for purity, and the cost is good as well. I will post more about the company at a later date.
They have many different types and dosages of resveratrol products.
Posted by: Admin | July 09, 2008 at 12:31 PM
I have been taking resveritrol for about 1 year. however if i take more than 100 mg i get diarrhea. would like to take at least 250mg. i have read that the ingredient emodin is what causes the problem. All resveritrol brands that I look at in the health food store do not disclose the emodin content. Can you suggest one with very little emodin? and why do they put emodin in anyway? thank you for your help.
Posted by: Nancy Molloy | August 04, 2010 at 08:14 PM