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Latest News

Red wine compound could treat diabetes, obesity

January 14, 2008
By Panos Kakaviatos

A compound found in red wine may eventually treat age-related diseases such as obesity and diabetes.

A Massachusetts-based drug company, Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, has found that a reformulated version of resveratrol, a compound found in red wine, improved the body's ability to break down sugar - and prevented mice from becoming obese.

In trials Sirtris's SRT501 drug was showed that those taking resveratrol improved their score on an oral glucose tolerance test, which measures the body's ability to break down and use sugar, a fundamental problem for diabetics.

According to Sirtris spokesman John Lacey, trials in November 2006 with rodents indicated that SRT501 prevented lab mice on a 'Western diet' from becoming obese. Control mice on the same diet which were not given the drug became obese.

Like the pre-clinical trial where treated mice showed improved glucose levels, the now completed human trial also showed improved glucose levels.

The 28-day test of 98 diabetes patients in India concluded in January is 'the first known human trial to target the genes associated with aging,' Lacey said. The testing was done in India because of the availability of people with diabetes who are not being treated.

Lacey told decanter.com that people with diabetes or those suffering from obesity should not see red wine as a cure, as resveratrol in wine is 'unstable' and not easily absorbed into the blood stream.

'You would have to drink 1,000 bottles to get an effect,' he said.

Have your say...
To post your comment on this story, email us at news@decanter.com, making sure the relevant headline is in the subject field

'You would have to drink 1,000 bottles to get an effect,'
No time to lose, then.
Dan Friedman, NYC, USA


Red wine has great health benefits and a wide range of polyphenols which means you should always drink red wine.
But drinking too much has some negative side effects, especially 1000 glasses/day. A better approach is to the drink red wine and take Resveratrol Supplements so says Dr. Oz who is Oprah.s doctor. Resveratrol Supplements can increase your energy, decrease appetite, moderate blood sugar which reduces cravings and make it easier for natural weight control. I have been taking resveratrol for 6 months from biotivia bioforte and the results have been amazing.
The first month I did not notice any changes but since then I have had much greater energy throughout the day, less appetitie so I am losing weight, and I have been sleeping straight through the night. My quality of life has improved dramatically. Now I learn that there are possible anti-aging benefits and possibly anti-cancer and anti-diabetes effects as well.This is icing on the cake
Anon

Wine savour = fat saver.
Another good reason to enjoy great wines!
Elmari Swart, Cpt, South Africa

1000 bottles? If I start now, and limit myself to 1 bottle at lunchtime and 1 bottle in the evening...it will take some time before I see the effect. However, I am more than happy to offer myself for research purposes - at least it will keep my mother-in-law off my back!
Mitch, France

The other day in a “health food store” while purchasing some antioxident/antinflamatory mineral complex I noticed a shelftalker that said “equal to the resveratrol content of six glasses of wine”. I thought that the perspective and selling point in that enviornmet was a clear indication that wine has finnaly become an acceptable beverage in American culture.
Larry, Babylon, New York, USA


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