The health industry is a somewhat interesting beast.

While the vast majority of us are fully aware of what we need to do to maintain a relatively healthy lifestyle, we still look for ways to justify some of our slightly less healthy habits such as, eating sweets, undertaking minimal exercise, and of course, drinking alcohol.

Which is why you have probably heard that not all drinking is that bad and that drinking red wine in particular may actually be beneficial for health.

Interestingly, research has suggested that this is genuinely a little more than just wishful thinking. The research has demonstrated that a specific compound found in red wine may actually be extremely beneficial for health.

And that compound?

Resveratrol.

What is Resveratrol?

Resveratrol is a rather unique plant based compound that is found naturally occurring in grapes, some berries, and peanuts (albeit in small amounts). More specifically, this compound is found in its highest concentrations in the skins and seeds of red grapes each of which play a key role in the wine fermentation process.

It is for this reason that red wine is so often considered so very good for health because as it is derived from grapes, it contains an abundance of resveratrol.

Despite being a pure plant based chemical compound, once in the body resveratrol actually acts like a potent anti-oxidant. As such, it is known to limit the oxidative damage caused by harmful free radicals in the body, which has some large implications for health.

It is important to note that for us to actually see any positive effects from resveratrol, we need to consume quite a lot of it more than what would be achievable (or healthy for that matter) if we were to only obtain it through wine.

Which is why resveratrol supplements have gained so much popularity of late.

What Are the Benefits of Taking a Resveratrol Supplement?

Resveratrol is a unique compound that has been shown to act on the body through a number of different mechanisms. Through these mechanisms, it impacts the body positively in a number of different ways, offering an excellent way to boost health and general function.

Resveratrol Supplements and Blood Pressure

Due to its action as an extremely potent antioxidant, resveratrol has been shown to cause an increased consumption of Nitric Oxide within the body. Nitric Oxide is a known vasodilator, and as such causes the walls of our veins and arteries to relax.

This actually reduces the amount of work the heart needs to do to pump blood around the body, leading to a large drop in blood pressure. This can result in a much healthier cardiovascular system, combined with an associated reduction in risk of developing heart disease [1].

Resveratrol Supplements and Blood Cholesterol

Resveratrol impacts blood cholesterol levels through two key mechanisms.

Firstly, it promotes the oxidization of LDL (or bad) cholesterol in the blood. This causes a subsequent drop in blood cholesterol levels, and a reduction in arterial plaque buildup (which is a key driver for heart disease).

Secondly, it causes an increase in blood levels of HDL (or good) cholesterol by impacting specific cholesterol producing enzymes.

Through these mechanisms, resveratrol can cause HUGE improvement in our blood cholesterol levels, leading to a large increase in cardiovascular health as a result [2].

Resveratrol Supplements and Brian Health

Combined with its antioxidant properties, resveratrol has also been shown to act as a potent natural anti-inflammatory. As a result, resveratrol has been shown to protect brain cells from oxidative and inflammatory driven damage.

With this in mind, resveratrol supplementation has been strongly recommended to reduce the risk of developing age related declines in cognitive function, while also being used to protect against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons [3].

Resveratrol Supplements and Cancer

And finally, combined with the above, there is evidence to suggest that increasing your intake of resveratrol may even assist in the prevention of cancer.

Resveratrol has been shown to interact with cancerous cells at a physiological level, by directly inhibiting their growth, and altering their gene expression.

As such, resveratrol offers an excellent option to reduce our risk of developing cancer, and may even provide an excellent addition to tradition cancer treatments [4].

Best Resveratrol Supplement Reviews

Resveratrol supplements have been increasing in popularity quite rapidly, meaning that there has been a heap of option enter the market. As a result we have gone ahead and found what we believe to be the best three Resveratrol supplements available on the market at the moment.

BRI Nutrition gives us with what is hands down the most popular resveratrol supplement on the market. Providing us with an extremely potent dosage of 1200mg of pure resveratrol per serve, it is an excellent option for those looking to boost health immediately.

While this option is slightly more expensive than many of its competitors, you can be assured that it is so popular for a reason because it works extremely well.

This resveratrol supplement by Purely Beneficial ends up being one of the most cost effective on the market, in which each serve provides us with a whopping 1450mg of resveratrol. Within this, it uses high quality ingredients that are readily absorbed into the body to maximize effectiveness.

A fantastic option for those individuals looking for a seriously good quality resveratrol supplement that wont break the bank.

aSquared Nutrition are relatively new compared to the other companies listed above, but that doesnt mean they are not effective. Their resveratrol supplement provides us with a solid dosage of 1000mg per serve, and uses extremely high quality ingredients.

This is a great option for those looking for a great quality supplement that they can implement into their regime easily and effectively.

Take-Away Message

Resveratrol is one of the most bioactive compounds on the entire planet, where it can lower blood pressure, improve blood cholesterol levels, reduce our risk of developing cancer, and even improve brain health and cognitive function.

It is for these key reasons that resveratrol makes an excellent addition to anyones supplement regime.

The three options outlined in this article are what we believe to be the three best resveratrol supplements on the market at the moment. If you have had any experience with them, we would love to hear about it, so please drop us a comment and we will get back to you ASAP.

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How to Choose the Best Resveratrol Supplements (2019 Update)