Resveratrol Fights Fat

New research finds that red wine chemical

can limit growth of fat cells;

could help fight diabetes and heart disease

Jacob Gaffney

Posted: Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Resveratrol, the chemical compound found in red wine
and an increasing target of medical research, can limit
obesity by preventing the development of fat cells,
according to a study presented Monday at the Endocrine
Society's 90th-annual meeting in San Francisco. A team of
scientists from the University of Ulm, located in southwest
Germany, report that resveratrol shows potential as a
fat-fighting supplement, by both preventing weight gain
and stopping some of the health problems caused by obesity.

The findings echo previous research where resveratrol
supplements helped keep obese mice healthy.

"Resveratrol has anti-obesity properties by exerting its
effects directly on the fat cells," said Pamela
Fischer-Posovszky, a pediatric endocrinology research
fellow at the university's diabetes and obesity unit.
"Resveratrol might help to prevent development of
obesity or might be suited to treating obesity."

During their research, Fischer-Posovszky and her team
isolated human stem-cell lines, called preadipocytes.
These fibrous tissues eventually mature into adipocytes,
which store energy and insulate the body in the form of fat.

The scientists exposed the preadipocytes to various doses
of resveratrol and observed that the chemical hindered the
maturation of the cells into adipocytes. The resveratrol also
reduced the cells' production of certain proteins linked to
the development of obesity-related disorders, such as
type 2 diabetes and clogged arteries. Furthermore, the
resveratrol stimulated the production of a
metabolism-regulating protein, called adiponectin, which
decreases the risk of heart attack. People who are obese
are typically adiponectin deficient.

The dosage of resveratrol used in the study is equivalent
to consuming several bottles of wine, suggesting that
supplements would be more effective than wine
consumption in fighting fat. And the effects of the
resveratol were dose-dependent, meaning the more
resveratrol used, the better the results.

Fischer-Posovszky is pleased with the results but warns
that "you have to keep in mind that there might be
adverse effects," she said. "So far, there are no
reliable studies on resveratrol in humans."