Grape, scientifically known as vitis vinifera, is one of the oldest fruits with more than thousand varieties 1 , mentioned in the Gilgamesh epic, one of the oldest writings of humankind . It is a fruit for which the wine produced as a result of fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae is praised (or banned), drinking a glass of wine a day is said to be beneficial to health, or a vinegar made from fermentation with different yeasts and from which we expect a miracle.
As a result of research on the low incidence of heart diseases in the people living in the Bordeaux region, despite the French cuisine containing high amounts of saturated fat and high cholesterol, known as the French paradox, it has been noticed that red wine, drunk 1-2 glasses a day, has the feature of preventing heart diseases 2.
Since, as a physician, I do not find it right to recommend a drink containing ethyl alcohol, no matter how beneficial it is said to be, I think that the miracle should be sought in the essence of the matter, in the most powerful known antioxidant side of grapes, namely resveratrol. Resveratrol is a substance produced in the skin of black grapes to protect them from cold weather conditions and fungus 3 .
Is resveratrol antioxidant?
Therefore, resveratrol is the grape component that is most researched about its effects on human health, as it is 50 times more antioxidant than vitamin E and 30 times more antioxidant than vitamin C. It has been shown to moderately lower systolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients and blood sugar in diabetic patients 4 . If it can be enriched, it is thought to be a hope for cancer treatment 5 . It has been shown to be beneficial for anti-aging, wound healing, and scar tissue removal 6 . Again, its anti-aging mechanism has been shown to be by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, improving mitochondrial function and regulating apoptosis 7 .
The biochemical targets modulated by resveratrol are shown in the table below 8 .
AP-1, activator protein 1; CAT, catalase; CDK, cyclin-dependent kinase; COX, cyclooxygenase; CRP, C-reactive protein; CYP, cytochrome P450; ER, estrogen receptor; ERK, extracellularly regulated kinase; GPx, glutathione peroxidase; HIF, hypoxia-inducing factor; hTERT, human telomerase reverse transcriptase; ICAM, intracellular adhesion molecule; IAP, inhibitor of apoptosis proteins; iNOS, inducible nitric oxide; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase; MMP, matrix metalloproteinase; NFκB, nuclear factor kappa B; PI3K, phosphoinositide-3 kinase; Rb, retinoblastoma; SOD, superoxide dismutase; STAT, signal transducer and activator of transcription; SPARC, acidic and cysteine-rich secreted protein; TNF, tumor necrosis factor; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor.
In addition to all the benefits of resveratrol, it is also necessary to take a look at the study that specifically mentions its dose-related potential side effects, showing that it is cell protective at low doses, but can cause cell damage at high doses 9 .
In the light of this information, it is necessary to answer the question of how much and in what way we should use resveratrol, which can benefit us from reasonable amounts and cause harm from excessive use.
Generally speaking, when we look at the current preparations on the market, it is seen that 1 tablet contains 100-200 mg of resveratrol. Since side effect levels are generally higher in daily resveratrol intake than 1 gram and resveratrol is also found in foods such as peanuts, blueberries and strawberries, a daily intake of 200 mg seems sufficient and safe.
There is not much resveratrol in white grapes, 0.3-14 mg per gram of fresh black grapes, 9-78 mg per gram of dried black grapes contain resveratrol 10 . 5-10 piece of Antep black raisins with seeds a day we can get about 200 mg of resveratrol from it.
- Genetic structure and domestication history of the grape ↩︎
- Longevity nutrients resveratrol, wines and grapes ↩︎
- Resveratrol ↩︎
- Resveratrol and Its Effects on the Vascular System ↩︎
- Resveratrol for cancer therapy: Challenges and future perspectives ↩︎
- The impact of resveratrol on skin wound healing, scarring, and aging ↩︎
- Effects and Mechanisms of Resveratrol on Aging and Age-Related Diseases ↩︎
- Moderate Wine Consumption and Health: A Narrative Review ↩︎
- Potential Adverse Effects of Resveratrol: A Literature Review ↩︎
- Health From Grapes with Resveratrol ↩︎
Dr. Osman Ertürk
He graduated from Ege University Faculty of Medicine in 2004. After 8 years of emergency medicine, he worked as a flight physician and occupational physician at the Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport Portclinic Health Unit for 12 years. He is currently working as a research assistant at ALKU Training and Research Hospital, Department of Chest Diseases. He founded the website CureAsk.com with the aim of alleviating the anxiety of patients, especially in cases requiring specific treatment, and enabling them to meet with relevant specialist doctors in another city or even another country.