Health & Fitness

 

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There are several different health conditions that fall under the umbrella term cardiovascular disease.¹ Some are triggered by a process called atherosclerosis — colloquially called hardening of the arteries, a condition in which plaque builds up on the walls of your arteries. When the arteries become blocked, you are at risk of a heart attack or stroke.

When the heart muscle becomes too weak to provide enough blood and oxygen to meet your body's needs, it can lead to heart failure, and cause your kidneys to not function properly. This, in turn, can lead to congestive heart failure, when your body retains fluid and congests vital organs, including your lungs. According to the American Heart Association's 2019 update on heart disease, 6.2 million Americans were living with heart failure between 2013 and 2016.²

Different types of arrhythmias and heart valve problems are also included under the term cardiovascular disease. No matter which form it takes, however, heart disease affects a growing number of people in the U.S. each year.³ It's the leading cause of death for men and women, with one person dying from it every 37 seconds. The most common type is coronary artery disease, which is responsible for about 20% of deaths in adults younger than 65 years.

Small lifestyle changes can make a significant impact on those numbers. Even increasing your physical activity during midlife can reduce your risk of death from heart disease.⁴ Other modifiable risk factors⁵ include stopping smoking, actively controlling high blood pressure, aiming for a healthy weight, controlling blood sugar and reducing stress.

Fermented Soy Benefits Cardiovascular Health

What you eat is another significant part of preventing cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association says a "healthy diet is one of the best weapons you have to fight cardiovascular disease. The food you eat (and the amount) can affect other controllable risk factors: cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes and overweight."⁶

One nutritional choice I've supported for years is eating fermented foods. A recently published study in the BMJ found an association between eating natto — fermented soybeans — and a lower rate of death from cardiovascular disease in men and women.⁷

The researchers used data from 14.8 years of follow-up in 92,915 participants from age 45 to 74 years during the 1990s. Those participating in the study experienced a lower risk of mortality when they ate more fermented soy. However, data did not reveal a statistically significant association between the total amount of soy products the participants ate and all-cause mortality.

The researchers cautioned any association could be reduced by confounding factors that were not accounted for in the study. The participants reported their eating habits on a questionnaire over five years, which included eating fermented soy products such as natto and miso, and nonfermented products like tofu.

The researchers wrote in a press release⁸ that these types of soy products are popular in Asian countries. They hypothesized fermented soy may account for the association between eating natto and a lower risk of heart disease since they are higher in fiber and bioactive compounds than nonfermented products.

In a BMJ linked editorial⁹ scientists point out fermented soy is often eaten with other food products. For instance, miso is a high-salt seasoning. The editorial writer reported another study showed miso did not increase the risk of high blood pressure, suggesting that "the fermented soy in miso might protect consumers from adverse effects of a high salt content."

Fermented Soy Boosts Heart Health by Providing Vitamin K2

Another dietary component crucial to heart health is vitamin K2 MK-7. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin your body doesn't store well, so it's rapidly depleted when you don't regularly get it from your food. Common drugs can also deplete your stores.

There are two main forms of the vitamin and several subtypes that can make matters a bit confusing. I break down the basics in "Are You Getting Enough Vitamin K?" This is important to know because K2 plays an important role in bone and heart health — and is synthesized by bacteria in your gut. As I explain in the featured article, for heart health you need Vitamin K2 in the MK-7 form, which is found in fermented foods like sauerkraut, natto and certain cheeses.¹⁰

MK-7 is produced by the bacterial strain Bacillus subtilis, which is not found in every type of fermented food,¹¹ which means not every type of fermented food produces vitamin K2 MK-7.¹²

The MK-7 form has a major advantage in that it is bioavailable and stays in your body longer than another popular supplemental form of K2, MK-4.¹³ One of the reasons MK-7 is so important in heart health involves a complex biochemical reaction activating enzymes important in the transport of calcium from your arteries into your bones.

Without vitamin K2 your risk of arterial calcification rises, as does your risk of heart disease.¹⁴ To that end, one 2019 study¹⁵ proposed the possibility that a therapeutic supplementation of vitamin K2 could prevent or stop the growth of vascular calcification in those who with "excessive calcium intake."

The Rotterdam study was an analysis conducted nearly 30 years ago, looking at causes of diseases in the elderly.¹⁶ It determined that those who had the highest amount of vitamin K2 were less likely to experience severe calcification in their arteries and to die from heart disease. They also had a lower risk of all-cause mortality. This was a profound discovery, since a similar correlation did not exist for vitamin K1.

Avoid Eating Unfermented Soy

For many years, the question of whether soybeans are healthy or not has been a topic of controversy. The basis of the argument may have hinged on results like the featured study, finding those eating large amounts of soy have the lowest rates of heart disease.¹⁷

However, the difference is that in the West, most of the soy products sold and eaten are not fermented. Not only that, 94% of soybeans produced in the U.S. are genetically modified and sprayed with herbicides like Roundup, dicamba and glufosinate,^18,19 which means that, unless you specifically look for GMO-free soy, you'll be exposed to these herbicides when you eat Western soy.

This is significant since the second largest crop produced in the U.S. is soy; the U.S. is the second largest producer of soy in the world.²⁰

Additionally, eating unfermented soy may have a significant negative effect on your health because it has high levels of lectins²¹ — phytates that can prevent the proper absorption of crucial minerals such as calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron.²²

Another study of Japanese men compared dietary intake of soy products against arterial stiffness and found that those who ate more fermented soy had lower arterial stiffness that was not dependent on overall inflammation in the body.²³

Fermented Dairy Lowers Risk of Heart Disease

Fermented dairy products may have a similar inverse relationship with heart disease. In a study completed by the University of Eastern Finland, scientists engaged 1,981 men from 42 to 60 years.²⁴ At the start of the study none of the participants had coronary heart disease. During an average follow-up of 20.1 years, the researchers found 472 events occurred.

The types of food the men ate were assessed using food records. They found those who ate the highest amount of fermented dairy products experienced a 27% lower risk as compared to those who ate the most nonfermented dairy products who had a 52% higher risk.

A second study looked at women who ate fermented dairy products. The researchers included Australian women ages 45 to 50 years from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. The data collection began in 2001 and was completed in 2016.²⁵

The researchers were looking for self-reported cardiovascular disease and physician-diagnosed Type 2 diabetes. They found an inverse relationship between the amount of fermented dairy the women ate and their risk of developing cardiovascular disease. But the same relationship did not exist for Type 2 diabetes.

Results from both studies confirmed fermented dairy products may protect you against heart disease. Jyrki Virtanen, Ph.D., one author of the study from the University of Eastern Finland, told Newsweek:²⁶

"Our findings and those from other studies suggest that fermented dairy products may have health benefits compared to non-fermented dairy. Therefore, it might be a good idea to use more fermented dairy, such as yogurt, kefir, quark and sour milk."

Make Your Own Fermented Soy and Dairy

Many of the yogurts sold in the U.S. are sugar-sweetened and fruit-flavored. In other countries, yogurt is often paired with lemon, garlic and cumin. If you choose yogurt to optimize your gut flora, you'll want to steer clear of commercial brands that have more in common with candy than health food.

Look for organic yogurt made from 100% grass fed or pastured whole milk, rather than low-fat or skim dairy. You may want to consider making your own at home as it is a simple process.

You only need a high-quality starter culture and raw, grass fed milk. See "Benefits of Homemade Yogurt Versus Commercial" for step-by-step instructions and a few additional tips to help you get your desired consistency and preferred taste.

You can also make natto at home, which is one of the few soy products I recommend. The fermentation process removes the disadvantages of eating raw or cooked soy, so you're left with a dish that is filled with probiotics and nutrients that can help optimize your health. If you haven't tried natto before, I urge you to give this "Fresh, Homemade Natto Recipe" a try.

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Lutein — a carotenoid found in egg yolks, avocados, cruciferous vegetables and dark, leafy greens — is well-known for its vision-enhancing properties.¹ Research also suggests it has neuroprotective qualities,² improving memory³ and boosting intelligence.⁴ As reported in the Senior Resource Guide:⁵

“Lutein belongs in the subclass of xanthophylls, which have polar molecular structures that possess unique membrane properties, such as fluidity, communication between brain cells, ion exchange, diffusion of oxygen, membrane stability, and the prevention of oxidation and inflammation.

Like other xanthophylls, lutein accumulates in neural tissue. In fact, lutein accounts for most of the carotenoid accumulation in the human brain, and this high concentration of lutein in the brain may indicate its neuroprotective value.

Lutein accumulates in the brain and embeds in cell membranes. There, lutein protects the neuronal structure and function of brain cells. While lutein is distributed in the gray matter of the brain, researchers have detected its presence in the temporal cortex, the prefrontal cortex, and the hippocampus. Lutein accumulates in the brain over a person’s lifespan and may therefore provide lifelong benefits to brain health.”

Your body cannot manufacture lutein, so you need to get it from your diet. Unfortunately, many do not get enough lutein simply because they don’t eat enough vegetables and/or eggs.

How Lutein Protects Your Vision

As its name implies, lutein is found in high concentrations in your macula lutea,⁶ the small central part of your retina responsible for detailed central vision. It’s also found in your macular pigment (it’s responsible for the yellow hue of the macula⁷) and the lens of your eye.

Epidemiological research has found an inverse association between lutein and zeaxanthin levels in the eyes and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the primary cause of blindness in the elderly, and cataracts.^8,9

As explained in the 2013 paper,¹⁰ “The Role of Lutein in Eye-Related Disease,” lutein and zeaxanthin (another carotenoid present in high concentration in the eyes) help prevent age-related eye degeneration by ameliorating the damage caused by blue light and oxygen free radicals. Blue light is responsible for a majority of the damage to the eye, and lutein selectively absorbs blue light.

According to this paper, “Dietary concentrations between 6 and 20 mg per day of lutein have been associated with a reduced risk of ocular disorders such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.”

A more recent scientific review,¹¹ published in 2019 in PLOS ONE, found people who took 10 mg or 20 mg of lutein per day had greater macular pigment optical density (MPOD), and better visual acuity and contrast sensitivity than those who did not supplement.

Macular pigment, the yellow pigmented area found in the center of your retina, acts as “internal sunglasses,” protecting your macula from harmful blue light. The denser your macular pigment, the lower your risk of developing AMD. Greater MPOD is also associated with better visual performance overall.¹²

According to the authors of the 2019 PLOS ONE review, “The available evidence suggests that dietary lutein may be beneficial to AMD patients and the higher dose could make MPOD increase in a shorter time.” Lutein has also been shown to prevent cell death caused by retinal detachment, when administered in a timely manner,¹³ and can help improve night vision.^14,15

Lutein’s Role in Brain Health and Cognition

More recent research has also found lutein plays an important role in brain health, and may even help prevent neurodegenerative diseases.¹⁶ As noted in the 2012 paper,¹⁷ “Neuroprotective Effects of Lutein in the Retina,” lutein benefits your brain and cognition by preventing:

• DNA damage
• Depletion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is important for brain health
• Degradation of synaptophysin, a synaptic vesicle protein involved in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease

Lutein and zeaxanthin have also been shown to help maintain the integrity of your brain’s white matter,¹⁸ and this too can lower your risk of age-related decline.

Lutein Benefits Both the Old and the Young

In one 2017 study,^19,20,21 which involved 60 adults between the ages of 25 and 45, those with higher levels of lutein in middle-age had more youthful neural responses than those with lower levels.

Carotenoid status was assessed by measuring MPOD, which is also highly correlated with the lutein status in your brain. Most studies have focused on the effects of diet after cognitive decline has already set in.

Here, they wanted to evaluate whether lutein might have a preventive effect, as the process of cognitive decline has been shown to begin far earlier than typically expected. According to the researchers, you can start seeing cognitive deterioration as early as your 30s.

Indeed, the results suggest your diet, and in this case lutein-rich foods, does help keep your brain young. As noted by co-author Naiman Khan, professor of kinesiology and community health at the University of Illinois:²²

“Now there's an additional reason to eat nutrient-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, eggs and avocados. We know these foods are related to other health benefits, but these data indicate that there may be cognitive benefits as well.”

Lutein has also been shown to benefit younger people. In one such study,²³ healthy 18- to 30-year-olds exhibited better brain function after taking lutein and zeaxanthin supplements for a year. Significant improvements were seen spatial memory, reasoning ability and complex attention.

Cognitive Benefits Associated With Higher Lutein Levels

Several other studies support these findings. For example, in one University of Georgia study,²⁴ older adults (mean age 72) taking 10 mg of lutein and 2 mg of zeaxanthin daily for one year were able to maintain their brain function, whereas the placebo group’s verbal learning ability and word recall deteriorated over the course of the study.

The mechanism thought to be responsible for this protective effect was enhanced blood flow through the brain. A number of other studies looking at lutein’s influence on cognition have shown that higher lutein and zeaxanthin levels in the macula are associated with improved:^25,26,27

Other Health Benefits of Lutein

Lutein has also been found to promote health in other ways, beside optimizing vision and cognition. For example, studies have found:

Diets rich in the carotenoids beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene resulted in greater resistance against oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Higher plasma concentration of carotenoids was also associated with lower DNA damage.32

Lutein and zeaxanthin in combination with vitamin E appears to improve lung function and respiratory health.33

Plasma levels of antioxidants such as lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin E, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene are inversely correlated with congestive heart failure severity.34

Plasma carotenoid levels are also inversely correlated with prostate cancer.35

Lutein and lycopene enhance eye health by reducing your risk for oxidative stress-induced loss of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, and inhibiting the cell growth in undifferentiated RPE cells.36

Lutein has been shown to induce autophagy and may help shield your body against certain stresses.37

Lutein and zeaxanthin have also been shown to increase bone density in young, healthy adults.38 Lutein appears to stimulate bone mineralization and formation by suppressing bone resorption.

Lutein-Rich Foods

Lutein is primarily found in green leafy vegetables, with kale and spinach topping the list of lutein-rich foods. You’ll also find it in orange- and yellow-colored fruits and vegetables. The word lutein actually comes from the Latin word "luteus," which means “yellow.”

As a general rule, anywhere from 15% 47% of the total carotenoid content in dark green leafy vegetables is lutein.³⁹ Following is a list of foods that are particularly rich in lutein.^40,41,42 Most of these also contain zeaxanthin, albeit in lesser quantities than lutein.

• Egg yolks
• Kale and spinach
• Avocado
• Broccoli
• Green, red and yellow peppers

Ideally, you’ll want to buy the whole food and consume these foods as close to raw as possible, as the lutein (and other carotenoids such as zeaxanthin) are easily damaged by heat. Accessory micronutrients in the foods that enhance their action also tend to get easily damaged.

While there’s no recommended daily intake for lutein or zeaxanthin, studies have found health benefits for lutein at a dose of 10 milligrams (mg) per day and at 2 mg/day for zeaxanthin.

How to Optimize Lutein Absorption

Lutein and other carotenoids are fat-soluble, so to optimize absorption, be sure to add a little bit of healthy fat to your meal. For example, research^43,44 shows that adding a couple of eggs — which contain both lutein and healthy fats — to your salad can increase the carotenoid absorption from the whole meal as much as ninefold.

Ideally, opt for organically-raised, free-range pastured eggs. Not only do they tend to have a better nutritional profile, by opting for pastured eggs you’ll also avoid pesticide exposure and genetically modified organisms. I raise six chickens and typically eat five eggs a day — the yolks raw in my smoothie and the whites cooked with my meat.

The vast majority of commercially available eggs come from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), where the hens are not permitted to forage on pasture. Instead, they’re typically fed a diet of corn and soy, the vast majority of which are genetically engineered. CAFO eggs are also far more prone to cause foodborne illness caused by salmonella contamination

If you live in an urban area, visiting a local health food store is typically the quickest route to finding high-quality local egg sources. Your local farmers market is another source for fresh free-range eggs. Cornucopia.org also offers a helpful organic egg scorecard⁴⁵ that rates egg manufacturers based on 22 criteria that are important for organic consumers.

You can often tell the eggs are free-range by the color of the egg yolk. Foraged hens produce eggs with bright orange yolks, indicative of higher amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin. Another way to boost absorption of lutein from your vegetables is to add some raw organic butter or healthy oil such as olive or coconut oil to your salad.

Eat Right to Avoid AMD

To protect your vision over the long haul, aside from making sure you’re eating plenty of lutein-rich foods, you’ll also want to avoid a high-glycemic diet. As reported by Tufts University in 2017:⁴⁶

“Sheldon Rowan, a scientist in the Laboratory for Nutrition and Vision Research at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts, said there are plenty of indications that the types of carbohydrates we eat play a role in the development of AMD.

People who eat lots of simple carbohydrates, like those in white bread and sweetened beverages, are more likely to get the disease. This could be because simple carbs break down rapidly during digestion, creating a spike in blood sugar that can lead to widespread inflammation, a condition linked to AMD … If … blood glucose stays low over a long period of time, Rowan said, it can lower incidence of AMD.

To understand why, Rowan tested the two diets on laboratory mice. Over the course of a year, he fed one group of mice ‘high-glycemic’ foods — ones with lots of simple starches. A second group got a ‘low-glycemic’ diet, rich in complex carbs, but otherwise identical in calories and nutrients. In a third group, Rowan switched the mice’s diet from high- to low-glycemic foods halfway through the study.

Sure enough, mice with the low-glycemic diet did not develop AMD, while mice fed the high-glycemic diet almost all came down with the disease … In the mice that switched diets, though, Rowan saw something completely unexpected. Not only did they avoid AMD, but the existing damage to their retinas was reversed.

‘No one had ever seen that before,’ Rowan said of the findings, which were reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.⁴⁷ ‘The most common form of AMD doesn’t really have a treatment right now — but this suggests that just changing to a healthier eating pattern could have a huge impact.’”

Further exploration revealed that high-glycemic diets led to higher levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which Rowan points out are “toxic end products of sugars” that “can damage the proteins and lipids that a cell needs to function.”

In the retina, the damaged proteins accumulate forming drusen, yellow deposits that damage your retinal cells.⁴⁸ Elevated insulin levels also affect the development of your eyeball, making it abnormally long, thereby causing near-sightedness.⁴⁹

Following my nutrition plan will help normalize your insulin level by reducing, or eliminating, excess sugar and processed grains from your diet. To learn more about which foods can help safeguard your vision, please see my previous articles, “Eat Right to Protect Your Eyesight,” and “The Best Foods for Healthy Eyes.”

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Resveratrol, a phytonutrient naturally found in grapes, wine, peanuts, cocoa and many berry species including blueberries, bilberries, cranberries¹ and ligonberries,² offers a remarkable array of benefits.

Studies show that resveratrol has anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, antioxidant. antiaging and chemopreventive properties.³ Its therapeutic use has been explored in Alzheimer's disease,⁴ including Alzheimer's plaque buildup,⁵ Parkinson's disease and stroke,⁶ vascular dementia,⁷ depression⁸ and brain inflammation.⁹

Resveratrol has been studied for its use in improving learning, mood and memory.¹⁰ It has been found to have positive effects on environmental stresses¹¹ including pathogenic attacks, fungal infections and UV irradiation, on injuries¹² and to help improve high blood sugar in those with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.¹³

Now studies are revealing that resveratrol may boost your immunity as well.¹⁴ Resveratrol's immunomodulatory and immunoregulatory actions may be useful in treating chronic diseases like obesity, fatty liver disease, Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis and cancers, according to research in the journal Nutrients.¹⁵

Immune-Boosting Properties of Resveratrol

Resveratrol prevents chronic diseases or the progression of chronic disease through several immune functions, according to research in the journal Nutrients:¹⁶

" … resveratrol regulates immunity by interfering with immune cell regulation, proinflammatory cytokines’ synthesis, and gene expression … it targets sirtuin, adenosine monophosphate kinase, nuclear factor- κB, inflammatory cytokines, anti-oxidant enzymes along with … gluconeogenesis, lipid metabolism, mitochondrial biogenesis, angiogenesis, and apoptosis.

Resveratrol can suppress the toll-like receptor (TLR) and pro-inflammatory genes’ expression. The antioxidant activity of resveratrol and the ability to inhibit enzymes involved in the production of eicosanoids contribute to its anti-inflammation properties."

One of the most exciting outgrowths from research into resveratrol's effects on the immune system would be its possible effect on cancers. This is what the Nutrients researcher writes:¹⁷

"Resveratrol possesses therapeutic potential in boosting NKs [natural killer] activity against aggressive cell leukemia and lymphomas …

In lung cancer cells resveratrol treatment decreases the activity of STAT3 [an immune system factor] and inhibits lung cancer progression by suppressing the pro-tumor activation of TAMs. In addition, in a mouse lung cancer xenograft model, resveratrol significantly inhibits the tumor growth, decreasing cell proliferation and expression of p-STAT3 in tumor tissues …

Remarkably, isolated spleen NK cells of rats pre-treated with resveratrol displayed an enhanced killing efficacy … Low doses and non-cytotoxic doses of resveratrol prevents progression of B16 melanoma and of 4T1.2 breast cancer and abrogates lung metastasis."

Other Research Reveals Resveratrol Benefits

Research in Rejuvenation Research found resveratrol may exert positive improvements in older rats including in their longevity:¹⁸

"These observed changes in antibody responses in aged rats fed a resveratrol-supplemented diet are indicative of improvements in antigen-driven responses because total antigen nonspecific IgG levels were not affected. These results suggest that dietary resveratrol supplementation is able to modulate immune responses."

The journal Antioxidants also finds an important resveratrol role:¹⁹

"Resveratrol has antitumor activity in different human cancers such as hepatocellular carcinoma and ovarian carcinoma … Zhong and colleagues investigated the anti-tumoral effect of resveratrol in vivo in a rat orthotopic ovarian cancer model reporting that its intraperitoneal administration halted cancer cell proliferation without affecting normal tissues.

In greater detail, the blockade of glycolysis and inhibition of AMPK/mTOR signaling induced by resveratrol were responsible for its antitumor activity in ovarian cancer cells. Recently, Zhang and colleagues reported for the first time that resveratrol promoted not only apoptosis but also immunogenic cell death of human and murine ovarian carcinoma cells.

In addition, resveratrol has been extensively investigated for its ability to enhance cell killing by radiation and ionizing radiation mediated apoptosis in cancer cells."

Resveratrol Could Have a Role in Fighting Coronaviruses

After the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 and before the "new" coronavirus of 2019/2020, another serious coronavirus surfaced: Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, which was described in Saudi Arabia in 2012.

According to the World Health Organization, of 2,442 people infected with MERS in May 2019, 842 died — giving the virus a case-fatality rate of approximately 35%.²⁰ Like SARS and the 2020 coronavirus, MERS was thought to be zoonotic or caused by an animal disease jumping species — with bats the prime suspects.²¹

Yet research published in BMC Infectious Diseases in 2017 presents some positive news for addressing MERS:²²

"Resveratrol significantly inhibited MERS-CoV infection and prolonged cellular survival after virus infection. We also found that the expression of nucleocapsid (N) protein essential for MERS-CoV replication was decreased after resveratrol treatment.

Furthermore, resveratrol down-regulated the apoptosis induced by MERS-CoV in vitro. By consecutive administration of resveratrol, we were able to reduce the concentration of resveratrol while achieving inhibitory effectiveness against MERS-CoV."

There existed some previous scientific evidence that might have suggested the effects that emerged in the study, write the researchers. Resveratrol had previously shown the ability to decrease the production of nitric oxide and inflammation in tissue and inhibit the Epstein-Barr virus, enterovirus, herpes simplex, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus in studies.

Resveratrol also constrained the bacteria Helicobacter pylori, Staphylococcus aureus and Toxoplasma gondii. Still the study findings on MERS, in cells placed in cultures with growth media, were impressive:²³

"To determine whether resveratrol inhibits the entry or a post-entry step of MERS-Cov infection, we added resveratrol together with MERS-CoV immediately for 3 hours or after the infection has been initiated. We measured the cell proliferation and determined the viral titers in the supernatants …

The results demonstrated that even when resveratrol was given after MERS-CoV infection, it still reduced the viral titer. The same observations were made when cell proliferations and viral titers were measured, suggesting that resveratrol inhibits MERS-CoV infection after entry …

This data suggests that resveratrol treatment suppressed MERS-CoV RNA replication, although it requires relatively high concentrations of resveratrol to deliver persisted antiviral effects … Our results suggest that resveratrol reduced the MERS-CoV-mediated apoptosis."

The study of resveratrol could not come soon enough. Antimicrobial agents like ribavirin, lopinavir/ritonavir and type I interferon used against the SARS virus were ineffective and even caused renal dysfunction and other side effects, write the researchers.²⁴

Resveratrol also proved effective against chikungunya, a mosquito-spread virus endemic to Africa, Asia, Europe and the Indian and Pacific Oceans.²⁵ The researchers write:²⁶

"Resveratrol not only inhibited MERS-CoV viral production but also reduced the production of chikungunya virus at concentrations of 250 and 125 μM. Altogether, our data suggests that resveratrol might be a lead candidate for further pre-clinical assessments of antiviral activity for MERS-CoV and additional emerging RNA viruses."

Immune-Boosting Actions of Resveratrol

Just as the human immune system is very complicated, so are the mechanisms resveratrol may exert to alter the immune system. Here is a summary of some of the mechanisms from research in the journal Nutrients.²⁷

Inhibits inflammation — Resveratrol inhibits the production of inflammatory factors through the activation of a substance involved in metabolism, cancer and embryonic development called Sirt1.

Counteracts macrophage inflammation — Resveratrol causes anti-inflammatory actions in macrophages, which are white blood cells that can “eat” bacteria, viruses, fungi and other invaders.28

Reduced effects of mitochondrial damage — Resveratrol prevents the increase of acetylated α-tubulin caused by mitochondrial damage from stimulated macrophages making it a candidate for the treatment of NLRP3-related inflammatory diseases like Crohn's, ulcerative colitis and inflammatory bowel disease.29

Reduces production of GM-CSF — Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that is a marker for scar tissue and fatty deposits in artery walls, which pose a thrombosis risk.

Combats tumor-evoked regulatory B cells (tBregs) — Resveratrol can inhibit the generation and function of tBregs, which are elevated in cancers and can thwart protective anti-tumor immunity.30,31

Inhibits the actions of STAT3 — Resveratrol diminishes STAT3, signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 that increase tumor cell proliferation, invasion and survival and suppresses anti-tumor immunity.32

Diminishes abnormal T cell activation — Resveratrol can inhibit T cell activation associated with insulin-dependent diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and multiple sclerosis and possibly prevent their progression.

Boosts natural killer cells (NK) — Resveratrol can boost NK activity by inhibiting STAT3, an action seen in cases of cell leukemia and lymphomas.

Clearly, according to the research, resveratrol modulates immune behavior including modifying "cell morphology, gene expression, ligand-receptor interactions, signaling pathways, and foam-cell formation."³³

A Resveratrol Drawback That Needs Exploring

The immune-enhancing properties and other benefits of resveratrol are very encouraging. But there is one obstacle to finding the correct dosages for health treatments based on resveratrol: bioavailability. Here is how research in the journal Antioxidants explains the bioavailability problem:³⁴

"As reported by several in vivo studies conducted in animals and humans, resveratrol is characterized by a low oral bioavailability due to a very limited intestinal uptake of the molecule. This leads to minimum amounts in the bloodstream because of the extensive metabolism occurring in the gut and liver.

The short initial half-life of the primary molecule is essentially caused by its rapid metabolism. The bulk of an intravenous dose of resveratrol is processed in sulfate conjugates in just 30 minutes in humans …

The substitution of the hydroxyl groups with methoxyl groups meaningfully enhances resveratrol bioavailability by boosting its intestinal absorption and increasing hepatic stability. For this reason, different methoxylated analogues of resveratrol have been formulated with the purpose of obtaining novel agents for cancer chemoprevention."

Research in the journal Nutrients also considers the resveratrol bioavailability challenge and what can be done:³⁵

" … the pharmacokinetic analysis reveals that resveratrol undergoes rapid metabolism in the body. Its bioavailability after oral administration is very low, despite absorption reaching 70%, this impacts the physiological significance of the high concentrations used in vitro studies …

some official systematic clinical trials using resveratrol treatment in humans had some disappointing outcomes and the difficulties of the clinical application of resveratrol are enormous, such as its poor water solubility, bioavailability, and dosage.

Therefore, various strategies are being implemented, which include the development of resveratrol analogues and formulations such as adjuvants, nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles, and phospholipid complexes, to improve its bioavailability.

In addition, several other approaches have been employed to enhance its bioavailability, which include altering the route of administering resveratrol and obstructing the metabolic pathways via co-treatment with other agents.

In fact, since resveratrol has multiple intracellular targets, additional data is needed to determine the consequences of the interaction or the synergistic effects between other polyphenols and vitamins, amino acids and other micronutrients or ordinarily used drugs."

Still, with the research about resveratrol's immune-enhancing properties, this phytonutrient shows promise for being very useful in the prevention and treatment of many autoimmune and inflammatory chronic diseases.

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Significantly reducing dietary levels of the amino acid methionine could slow onset and progression of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis in high-risk individuals, according to new findings.

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It's going to be a huge year of surprising pregnancy announcements and births from our most loved celebrities.

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Significantly reducing dietary levels of the amino acid methionine could slow onset and progression of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis in high-risk individuals, according to new findings.

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Scientists devised a novel single-cell genomic sequencing technique that enables detailed, functional analysis of uncultured bacteria and identified bacterial responders of dietary fiber inulin in mouse gut microbiota. This technique could be applied to predict the metabolic fermentation of dietary fibers based on the presence and ability of specific responders and be exploited to improve human and animal health in the future.

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Scientists have identified a key molecule involved in the development of cerebral malaria, a deadly form of the tropical disease. The study identifies a potential drug target and way forward toward alleviating this condition for which few targeted treatments are available.

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Researchers used computational chemistry, biochemistry and virology to uncover new information on how viruses such as West Nile, dengue and Zika replicate.

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Scientists devised a novel single-cell genomic sequencing technique that enables detailed, functional analysis of uncultured bacteria and identified bacterial responders of dietary fiber inulin in mouse gut microbiota. This technique could be applied to predict the metabolic fermentation of dietary fibers based on the presence and ability of specific responders and be exploited to improve human and animal health in the future.

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After identifying a molecular pathway that allows nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to progress into liver cell death, researchers were able to use these pathways to halt further liver damage.

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The best and worst almond milks on the Australian market ranked by dietitian Melissa Meier - because they’re not all that they’re cracked up to be.

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In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, hand sanitisers have been flying off supermarket shelves with some retailers heavily increasing their prices. But are we splashing our cash for nothing?

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Researchers found exercise to be a protective factor in a study where participants in a weight loss program, who were following a reduced-calorie diet, engaged in exercise in their real-world environments.

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