David Sinclair of Harvard Medical School and Rafael de Cabo of the National Institute on Aging placed 1-year-old mice on low-calorie diets and high-calorie diets along with low or high resveratrol doses. The higher resveratrol and higher-calorie diets had similar effects to low-calorie diets and low-resveratrol diets in terms of health benefits.
The general health and vigor of mice on a long-term regimen (approximately one year) of resveratrol improved overall, without apparent side effects. However, only mice consuming resveratrol alongside a high-calorie diet were found to actually live longer, Health Day news reports.
Although daily consumption of the compound broadly improved the long-term quality of life of middle-aged mice, most mice did not end up living longer. They published their results in the July 3 online issue of Cell Metabolism.
Overall, the animals' health improved under all dietary conditions, as reflected by a reduction of osteoporosis, cataracts, vascular dysfunction and declines in motor coordination. Resveratrol is also found in the skin of grapes and the crust of peanuts and walnuts.
