Written by Jessica Patella, ND. After 4 weeks of resveratrol supplementation, 10 type 2 diabetics demonstrated a significant improvement in blood sugar control compared to those who received no resveratrol.
Resveratrol has gained popularity as the key component in red wine that has health benefits (1). For the first time, in a human study, resveratrol has also been shown to improve insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetics (1).
Recent research included 19 males diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The study was a randomized placebo controlled study, meaning 10 participants randomly were chosen to receive resveratrol twice daily (5mg/cap = 10mg per day) and 9 were randomly chosen to receive placebo twice daily (1). The participants were instructed to abstain from food and drinks with high amounts of resveratrol (wine, red grapes, peanuts and berries) during the course of the study (1).
After four weeks of resveratrol supplementation, significant changes were recorded. After eating a test meal at baseline and week four, continuous blood sugar (glucose) readings were recorded every 5 minutes for 2 hours to give a close look at how the body responded to the meal. The placebo group remained unchanged from baseline to week four with blood sugar remaining in the higher range ( 7.5-9 mmol/l) for the entire 2 hours (1). However, after four weeks, the resveratrol group had a significant drop in blood sugar to (5.5 mmol/l), showing an improvement in blood sugar control (1).
The total time to reach maximum blood sugar levels also significantly differed in the resveratrol group from baseline to week four. The amount of time to reach maximum blood sugar (glucose) levels significantly increased (49.50 +/- 13.83 to 81.25 +/- 20.49 min; p=0.006) in the resveratrol group. There was no significant change in the placebo group (1).
The blood sugar levels between 23-35 minutes after the test meal were also significantly different between the two groups at week four. The resveratrol group had significantly lower blood glucose levels than the placebo group (6.79 +/-2.95 vs 8.64 +/-4.42 mmol/l; p=0.023) (1). These results all show an improvement in blood sugar control with supplementation of resveratrol.
In conclusion, resveratrol was shown to improve blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics. It is thought this is mostly due to resveratrol’s anti-inflammatory effects in the body (1). This study is the first of its kind to examine the effects of resveratrol in type 2 diabetics and lays the groundwork for future studies. Larger studies need to be conducted to confirm these results.
Source: Brasnyó, Pál, et al. “Resveratrol improves insulin sensitivity, reduces oxidative stress and activates the Akt pathway in type 2 diabetic patients.” British Journal of Nutrition 106.03 (2011): 383-389.
© The Authors 2011
Posted May 3, 2011.
References:
- P. Brasnyo et al. Resveratrol improves insulin sensitivity, reduces oxidative stress and activates the Akt pathway in type 2 diabetic patients. Brit J Nutr 2011 1-7. Doi:10.1017/S0007114511000316.
- Ray PS et al. The red wine antioxidant resveratrol protects isolated rat hearts from ischemia reperfusion injury. 1999, Free Radic Biol Med 27, 160-169.
