Study finds resveratrol both fights and prevents respiratory ills
This could be the biggest breakthrough for asthma and COPD sufferers to ever come along.
And it comes straight from Mother Nature, not Big Pharma.
Researchers at Georgia State University have found that an easy-to-find compound, one available in numerous foods, drinks and supplements, can both control and even prevent one of the biggest triggers in these respiratory diseases.
If someone you love suffers from any kind of breathing ailment, please take a moment and pass this very important eAlert along to them.
Just when you think you’ve heard all the good news there is to hear about resveratrol, this study comes along.
Resveratrol is the ingredient found in grapes, wine and a common plant that’s earned it the title of the “anti-aging” compound.
It’s been found to regulate blood sugar, slow down or even stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, and help keep your heart healthy (that old “French Paradox”!)
A smidgen of any one of those benefits would be enough to earn it blockbuster status in pharma land.
But what these Georgia State researchers found elevates resveratrol to a whole new status.
As you probably know, inflammation is the hallmark of diseases such as asthma and COPD. But what you may not know is the role that a strain of bacteria called NTHi plays in all this.
NTHi has been the subject of a lot of research lately. One study found it colonized in the lower respiratory tract of around 30 percent of COPD patients. And once it travels there, it can trigger bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma attacks and COPD exacerbations.
Now, resveratrol has long been known to be a very potent antioxidant that helps fight inflammation.
But in this study, the researchers discovered that the compound is able to specifically decrease the inflammation caused by NTHi in experiments done both in test tubes and the lungs of mice.
And even more importantly, they found out exactly how resveratrol can do this.
It appears that the compound enhances a protein in our body which is used to control inflammation called MyD88. The researchers call it the “brake pedal protein,” and resveratrol can help keep our foot to the floor and allow it to do its job.
Another thing the scientists at Georgia State discovered is that the anti-inflammatory benefits of resveratrol continued on even after an NTHi infection had cleared. So it looks like it may be able to both fight and control this pathogen!
Of course, with a finding like this on the horizon, don’t be surprised if Big Pharma isn’t already hard at work — again — trying to make an Rx version of resveratrol. Drugmaker Glaxo tried that several years ago. But its synthetic version, one that could be patented and bring in the billions, didn’t work.
But since natural resveratrol can be found so easily, why wait for the day when drugmakers finally figure it out? Plus that, any fake versions will likely also come with side effects you won’t find in the real deal.
So here are some easy ways to get more resveratrol in your diet:
- Enjoy some red grapes, the skin of which contain the compound.
- Drink grape juice, which is said to provide the same benefits you’ll get from red wine.
- Eat peanuts and have a PB&J for lunch.
- Treat yourself to some dark chocolate.
- Enjoy a glass of red wine with dinner.
Now, while those are good sources of resveratrol, you certainly don’t want to be eating a boatload of chocolate or chugging down wine all day!
And that’s where a high quality resveratrol supplement comes in. Look for one made from Japanese knotweed or red grapes (some contain both).
Sources:
“Component of red wine, grapes can help to reduce inflammation, Georgia State researchers find” Georgia State University, September, 28, 2016, news.gsu.edu
