Extending life with red wine
This post initially appeared on Science Blogs
The latest Science in the News Flash is up, and it examines the anti-aging research surrounding the molecule resveratrol, which is present at low concentrations in red wine:
If resveratrol were able to mimic the lifespan-extending effects of caloric restriction in people without requiring such an extreme diet, it would be very popular, especially if it gives people an excuse to drink more wine! However, to consume enough resveratrol to benefit from the life-extending effects seen in yeast, the average person would have to drink 1000 bottles of wine per day, an endeavor with consequences that would far outweigh the lifespan-extending effects of resveratrol. Indeed. Instead, maybe we should use red wine as an excuse to get exercise like I do.