Can Resveratrol Boost Brain Function?
When it comes to resveratrol — the powerful antioxidant polyphenol found in grapes and red wine, science is having a virtual love fest finding that it improves weight loss efforts and immune function. Well, it may be time to add another plus to taking resveratrol — boosting brain health. Recently, UK researchers found that a single dose of either 250 or 500 mg of resveratrol boosts blood flow in the brain. Though increased blood flow to the brain is generally directly correlated with improvements in cognitive performance, the researchers did actually not observe this effect during the course of this particular study. They reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that cognitive performance was not affected.
What does this mean? That resveratrol’s ability to increase blood flow to the brain could potentially affect brain function, but much more research is needed to determine whether this is true. (Kennedy DO et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Published online ahead of print, doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.28641.)
In the meanwhile, making resveratrol part of your supplement routine could still be a good move. Research has confirmed its benefits, linking resveratrol to anti-cancer effects, anti-inflammatory effects, cardiovascular benefits, anti-diabetes potential, energy endurance enhancement and protection against cognitive decline.
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