Thursday, September 25, 2014
The resveratrol myth is slowly unwinding
That anti-oxidants in food are good for you has by now been extensively debunked. There is some evidence that they are bad for you. See here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here, for instance. And a favorite anti-oxidant is resveratrol. The latest report:
Pregnant women who have the odd drink should avoid red wine, researchers suggest. They say that an ingredient in the wine that is normally viewed as healthy could harm their unborn child's pancreas.
Resveratrol has been credited with having protective effects against heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and a number of other conditions.
Naturally present in red wine, red grapes and some berries, it is also available as a supplement.
However, a study now suggests it can lead to developmental abnormalities in the foetal pancreas. The study was carried out by the Division of Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism and the Division of Reproductive and Development Science at Oregon Health and Science University in the United States.
Lead researcher on the study Dr Kevin Gove said: 'This study has direct relevance to human health. 'Resveratrol is widely used for its recognised health benefits, and is readily available over the counter.
'The important message in this study is that women should be very careful about what they consume while pregnant, and they should not take supplements, like Resveratrol, without consulting with their doctors. 'What might be good for the mother may not be good for the baby.'
As part of the study, Dr Grove and colleagues gave resveratrol supplements every day throughout pregnancy to obese macaque monkeys eating a Western diet.
A second group of obese monkeys was not given the supplement, and both were compared with lean monkeys fed a healthy diet.
The animals were closely monitored for health complications, and blood flow through the placenta was determined by ultrasound.
The foetuses were analysed for developmental abnormalities, and findings showed definitive evidence of pancreatic abnormalities.
The study was published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal.
SOURCE
Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).
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2 comments:
New reports, artificial sugar may lead to diabetes.
The thing with reservatol? I actually think what researches have found is that alcohol, not some bit of some forms of it, in lower doses, is good for you. But they can't bring themselves to just say it. Same, probably, with tobacco. At least in it's rawer, less... manufactured... states. Think cigars, natural cigarettes, and chewing tobacco (unsweetened).
There are problems with alcohol. I doubt many, if any, can actually use it regularly without some form of addictive behaviors. That said, I still think, over a lifetime, alcohol is healthier than harmful, by far. Consumers will merely go through various stages of use and abuse, based on hormonal and other cycles of their lives.
Good for sex, in moderation, too. Actually, women need it more than men. Tight, too tight. Bleh.
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