Research being reported by the Mayo Clinic suggests that the compound resveratrol, found in red wine and available in supplements, may be responsible for many of the reported health benefits of drinking red wine. Resveratrol is a particular type of antioxidant present in red wine and new research indicates it may have be associated with the artery clearing effects of red wine.

It has been observed that drinkers of red wine often experience less cardiovascular problems than non red wine drinkers.  This effect is often referred to as the “French Paradox” because although the cuisine of that country is incredibly rich and contains many cholesterol laden foods the French people seem to suffer little health effect.  This link has been heavily researched as nutritionists and healthcare workers sought to discover the link.

It appears that the mystery as to how red wine delivers heart healthy benefits may be solved, with a new found focus on particular antioxidants, including resveratrol. Antioxidants have been known to improve cardiovascular functioning by protecting the blood vessels in your heart.  Studies performed on animals with resveratrol extracts have demonstrated health benefits including improved cardiovascular function and lower obesity levels.  These results are encouraging but no significant studies have been performed on people yet.

One of the obstacles to performing the resveratrol trials on people is the dosage needed.  Resveratrol is found in red wine and in order to deliver the equivalent dosage the animal subjects in the studies received individuals wold have to consume hundreds of bottles of wine.  Now while this might sound like something fun to attempt it would unlikely yield any helpful scientific results.

Researchers are presently working on resveratrol extracts and supplements. The goal is to develop a method for taking resveratrol that will provide all of the heart health benefits of the antioxidant without the need to be drinking red wine all day. Hopefully when proper supplements are developed researchers will be able to determine the full effectiveness of the compound.