My Resveratrol Experience - Side Effects, Benefits, Dosage, and Research Information

New Resveratrol Article In Fitness Magazine

The February 2010 issue of Fitness Magazine, published an article written by Richard Laliberte titled, "Resveratrol: The New Weight-Loss Supplement?"  The article features personal accounts by women in their 20's and 30's. The article also highlights some nice fact finding regarding the potential physical fitness benefits of resveratrol, completed by the writer.

While the article is focused mainly on how resveratrol effects women, I think it is a worthwhile read for men as well.  Laliberte provides useful information, both positives and safety concerns, for those interested in taking resveratrol as a potential fitness enhancer. Enjoy the read!

Resveratrol, Endurance Enhancer or Placebo Effect?

20 months of Resveratrol use and I am still not finished questioning whether or not Resveratrol provides endurance benefits.  It would be nice to see real research results, providing those who take resveratrol with definitive answers, however it looks like we will just have to wait for them.

The questions I often ask myself are the following:

• Does resveratrol increase my endurance above and beyond the maximum levels that would be obtained without taking it?
• Does resveratrol quicken the amount of time it takes to maximize my endurance, but not provide an ability to go over what the maximum would be without it?
• Does resveratrol not have anything to do with my endurance levels or possibly hurt it?

I've read "stories" and articles where they discuss professional athletes in biking, mixed martial arts (MMA), swimming, running, and other active sports, taking resveratrol as part of a supplement routine.  The question is, is it working?

I can not look to anyone other than myself to try and determine the answers to these questions.  For one thing, resveratrol may not effect one person like it effects another.  So I took some time the other day to sit back and recall the activity levels throughout the course of my life.  Now I am young by most people's indication of "old" and "young", however, I am past what many would consider their prime from an athletic perspective.

Here is what I was able to recall from my memory:

In my early teens I was active, playing baseball, tennis, and skiing.  Like most active teens my endurance level was high, I was able to play 5 sets of tennis with limited rest.  Skiing from 9am to 9pm was easy with just taking a break for lunch and dinner.  During my early teens I don't recall doing much aerobic activity though as most of the sports I played were anaerobic in nature.

Muscle Madness: Weight Training Reduces Risk of Cancer Up To 40%

Resveratrol isn't the only anti-cancer research focus in the world.

Reducing the risk of cancer is something that most people don't consciously think about. Those that do often stick to strict diets high in Vitamin C content along with a high energy fitness program.

Until now, most overlooked the need for weight training along with their aerobic exercise routines.  Researchers at Sweden's Karolinska Institute have completed studies that show men who weight train at least twice per week are up to 40% less likely to develop cancers.

The research also indicated men who were overweight or had above average BMI ratings, were less likely to develop cancers then those without strength training as part of a weekly routine.

Scientists tracked and documented 8,677 men between the ages of 20 and 82.  From 1980 to 2003, the men under went routine medical check-ups to track there lifestyles and strength levels.  The data revealed men who weight lifted regularly and had the most muscles enjoyed up to a 40% decreased likelihood of dieing from cancer.

Resveratrol for Anti-Aging, Muscle Building, & Increased Endurance!

Here are the Top 3 Reasons I use Resveratrol:

Anti-Aging

First, like most people I want to live a very long time.  Even more important, I want to live healthier for longer.  I have yet to meet someone who wants to live until there 120 but have a myriad of health problems.  So living to 120 only makes sense if it can be accomplished in a healthy way.

When it comes to Anti-Aging, resveratrol works to help promote cellular health.  It has been shown to activate SiRT1 which triggers a fight or die response in our cells.  If we can tell our cells to live instead of die they have the potential to continue their replication process.

I believe healthy cells are the foundation for warding off age related diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.  As more research is completed I hope my beliefs are proven true.  Only time will tell!

Muscle Building

Those of you who have read articles on this site know I am very into an overall healthy, but reasonable, way of living.  This includes a physical fitness regimen that is based on intense weight training in short periods of time.  As an antioxidant resveratrol helps with muscle recovery.  I also believe the recovery is brought on partially from the cell recovery caused by activating SiRT1.

Resveratrol Experience: 7th Month Update

What a difference a week makes!

Every 8-12 weeks I like to take time off from all supplements.  I call it "Body Cleansing Mode."  For seven days I stop taking all supplements and vitamins in hopes to reset my body.  Some people say there is no need to do this while others claim it's beneficial to give your body a break.

I don't have any scientific reasons for doing this other then how it makes me feel and the feedback I get from my body.  I look at it like this.  When you are taking supplements and vitamins you get comfortable with them and it's difficult to know how they are working.  You get used to the extra energy or better nights sleep.  So when I stop taking them I am much more aware of their effects.

For the past 7 days I went through this cleansing and the differences I felt were extremely obvious.  As many of you know I have an intense gym routine that puts me through three sets of eight different exercises in a 30 minute period of time.  (I will be detailing my fitness & supplement regimen in a future post)  I do this 3 days a week as my body needs to recover in between each session. 

"Juicing" with Resveratrol: The Great Steroid Debate!

When it comes to Athletics, is Resveratrol Cheating?

The other day I was in the gym talking with my trainer and the subject of "cheating" in exercise and sports was brought up.  The million dollar question was, "Is taking supplements cheating?"  The question was fairly general but after a little thought the complexity of the answer was glaringly obvious.

This past year we've not only had controversies regarding steroids in baseball, but in all sports and maybe most important in the "purest" sporting event in the world, the Olympics.  The question got me thinking and brought to my attention that while I hadn't previously thought of an answer to this question I certainly had many opinions on it!

Studies using resveratrol to measure endurance have been shown in mice to be highly effective.  Mice have run longer and faster then those not being fed a resveratrol based diet.  If the same can be said about resveratrol in humans should this be considered "allowable" in professional sports?  After all, it can help to enhance our performance...

Resveratrol is a natural substance that is not chemically altered prior to consumption.  For me this is how I determine whether something is cheating or not.  If a substance is 100% natural and not chemically altered then I consider it to be a "non-cheating" substance.  This isn't to say all natural substances are safe, and should be legal, but it is the basis for which I decide whether or not cheating has taken place.  I am also not saying that something that is chemically altered isn't healthy either.

The Changing Face of Physical Training

I want to achieve Peak Physical and Mental Performance! I think we all want this and todays techniques for achieving top conditioning are much more refined then they were in the past.

As many of you know from reading this site my past history is one not unlike many of you.  I was active up to and throughout college followed by 10-12 years of very little activity.  I missed the way I used to feel and the sense of accomplishment I got from playing sports and working-out in the gym.  After years of saying I was going to do something about it, I finally did and learned so much about myself and these new techniques used by educated Exercise Physiologists.  Resveratrol has only been a small part of the puzzle, albeit a very important one in my mind.

Well, times have changed!  Training today is different then it was 10 years ago.  Some say it's the same stuff presented differently, or that new techniques are just the newest fad, but I think today's upper echelon of trainers are on to something real. The combination of nutrition, supplementation, strength & endurance training has enabled athletes to become faster, stronger, and more mentally sharp then athletes of earlier eras.  Not all athletes take steroids!  You CAN get that "BIG" and that "FAST" without using illegal substances.

The Physical Part:  How are today's athletes able to naturally become superior to those of the past?

Burning Fat Using Resveratrol: Balance is Key! (Part 1)

In a world where beauty is often measured by the size of your waist and the shape of our bodies, we are often faced with a dilemma not easily over come:

"How can I lose weight and be healthy without having to run 100 miles per week, following a strict low calorie diet, and even more extreme, having invasive surgical procedures done?"

The answer isn't necessarily one of such extremes or one of mental and physical anguish.  Perhaps we need to look at how society views what healthy is?  Or better yet, just accept the figures we were born with?  Unfortunately (fortunately for some), we are genetically prone to certain body types and diseases.  How many times have you looked at a fit man or woman eating pizza and washing it down with an ice cream sundae, only wishing we could do the same thing and maintain their form?  The reality is most of us can't ever do that!

The majority of us need to find a balance that keeps us healthy and at the same time is enjoyable and less restrictive.  If resveratrol can help burn fat and increase our metabolism then we might be able to accomplish just that! "A comfortable way to maintain a healthy life style without having to give up every thing we love."  That is BALANCE!