What are the results of recent research on resveratrol and arthritis?
This post highlights the results of recent research on resveratrol on arthritis. Resveratrol is a polyphenolic antioxidant present in peanuts, skin of red grapes, berries and red wines. The source of commercial supplement comes from an Asian plant called Polygonum cuspidatum. It is a strong scavenger of free radicals and can also induce activities of numerous antioxidant enzymes. It may mediate, at least in part, the beneficial effects of red wine for heart health known as “French Paradox”. Alcohol-free resveratrol supplement is available. Isotonix Resveratrol has been tested in my own laboratory and is highly recommended. It is available from this website.
Resveratrol and arthritis
There are over 100 forms of arthritis. The most common type is a joint degenerative disease, caused by wear and tear of cartilage at the joints. Friction between bones leads to pain and stiffness of the joint affected. An example is osteoarthritis. The second type is an autoimmune disease, caused by destruction of joint cartilage and bone erosion due to antibodies against one’s own tissues. This leads to chronic inflammation of multiple joints. An example is rheumatoid arthritis. A third type is gout, caused by excessive uric acid level in blood. The uric acid crystallizes at the joint causing inflammation and pain.
Resveratrol has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help alleviate symptoms of all these types of arthritis. It inhibits activation of major regulators of the inflammatory response and reduces expression of enzymes involved in the production of prostaglandins. It slows the cartilage degradation and promotes cartilage regeneration. Furthermore, it also reduces the production of autoantibodies by modulating the T and B lymphocytes. Recent research shows synergistic effect between resveratrol and curcumin.
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