Resveratrol, a polyphenol compound, was touted as an “anti-aging” therapy 20 years ago, but the science behind it has since been discredited.

Recently, a systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of Resveratrol on metabolic health and found no significant benefits compared to placebo. The proposed connection between resveratrol and metabolic health relies on three main concepts:

1) Resveratrol is bioavailable,

2) Resveratrol activates sirtuins, and

3) Sirtuin activation mediates the health and longevity benefits of calorie restriction.

However, these concepts are not supported by evidence. Resveratrol’s bioavailability is limited, its “sirtuin activating” effects are artificial, and lifespan extension with sirtuin activation in yeast is not reproducible in multicellular organisms.

In conclusion, the meta-analysis found no significant differences between resveratrol and placebo treatments in effects on triglycerides, total cholesterol, HbA1c, insulin, liver enzymes, or BMI. The results are consistent across the included studies, indicating that Resveratrol offers no evident benefits for metabolic health. Notably, the study’s findings exhibited high consistency across all included trials, reinforcing the validity of the results. The weight of evidence against Resveratrol as an effective treatment or prevention strategy for any indication continues to grow.

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