Can Resveratrol help with weight loss?
Weight loss is the dream of many millions of people throughout the western world. Obesity is a massive issue in a huge number of countries, with diets becoming more fat filled and live styles more sedentary.
This has led to numerous health supplements springing up, claiming to be able to help with weight loss. Such supplements are remarkable in their number, but many don't base their claims on anything more than hype to sell some products.
Which is why it is important to look at the ingredients of health supplements before you make any buying decisions. You need to know just what goes into them – and the effectiveness of the ingredients.
Resveratrol and weight loss
One of the major ingredients being advertised at the moment is that of resveratrol. People are only just being made aware of it because, until very recently, it was only being tested for its anti-cancer abilities.
But testing also suggested that it may have a use in helping people in their weight loss goals. Initial testing in rats showed that body fat percentages in those using resveratrol was lower than those rats in the control group – who were eating exactly the same diet and doing the same exercise.
This led to scientists launching further research into the effects of resveratrol on weight loss. Whilst tests are still ongoing, as this is such a new area of research, the initial testing is extremely positive.
Scientific theory
It is not just weight loss within rats that supports the idea that resveratrol can help people lose weight. The scientific theory of the reaction of resveratrol in the body also suggests that it can help with weight loss – especially when it is used as an ingredient in a health supplement that takes it in its whole plant form.
The reason for this is that when resveratrol is created in plant life it helps promote the creation of antioxidants. These antioxidants then get into the blood stream via the intestine and send a signal to the brain that the body is full – meaning that you are able to stave off hunger by using health supplements that rely on the plant extract that resveratrol is found in.
Resveratrol is also suspected to activate the SiRT1 gene. This gene is shown to break down lipids (body fat) at a tremendous rate, using the fat as energy rather than muscle or calories. This means that the body is able to tap into the body fat and use that to power itself, burning through the fat very quickly.
As an added advantage it works by breaking apart the fat within arteries as well as body fat. This helps stop the likelihood of clogged arteries and therefore heart disease. When you consider that heart disease is a common side effect of obesity – and also the biggest killer in the western world, you understand just how important that is to a persons health.
So whilst the testing is still ongoing, and really just getting started, both the initial tests and the scientific theory supports the idea that the health supplement ingredient resveratrol is a powerful method of losing weight and reducing the likelihood of heart disease.© 2009 ResveratrolAntioxidantSupplements.com All Rights Reserved.