Natural Compound Found in Wine Could Improve Arterial Stiffness
Resveratrol may reduce arterial stiffness in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.
Resveratrol is a natural compound found in red wine, the skin of red grapes, berries, and peanuts, and has been shown in animal studies to delay the development of various diseases.
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Researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study including 57 adult patients with type 2 diabetes (52% female, 67% African-American, age 56±8 years, body mass index 31.7±4.4 kg/m2). Patients randomly assigned to receive resveratrol consumed 100 mg/d the first 2 weeks and 300 mg/d the following 2 weeks, with a 2-week wash-out period between treatments. Patients in the control group consumed a matched placebo for the same intervals. Aortic stiffness was measured using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (CFPWV) and venous endothelial cells were collected from 7 patients for a subset analysis of SirT1 activity.
The researchers found a trend toward lower CFPWV in patients consuming resveratrol. In patients with high arterial stiffness at baseline, resveratrol was associated with lower CFPWV without changes in systemic blood pressure, which is consistent with reduced central aortic stiffness.
However, there were no changes in brachial artery flowmediated dilation, reactive hyperemia, and pulse amplitude tonometry.
“Our findings suggest that resveratrol supplementation may reverse arterial stiffening in patients with [diabetes] potentially through activation of endothelial SirT1 activity,” the researchers concluded.1
“This adds to emerging evidence that there may be interventions that may reverse the blood vessel abnormalities that occur with aging and are more pronounced in people with type 2 diabetes and obesity.”2
—Melissa Weiss
Reference:
1. Zhang JY, Holbrook M, Inagaki E, et al. The effects of resveratrol treatment on vascular function in type 2 diabetes. Presented at: American Heart Association’s Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology | Peripheral Vascular Disease 2017 Scientific Sessions; May 4-6, 2017; Minneapolis, MN. Abstract 164.
2. Can the antioxidant resveratrol reduce artery stiffness in diabetics? [press release]. Minneapolis, MN: American Heart Association; May 4, 2017. http://newsroom.heart.org/news/can-the-antioxidant-resveratrol-reduce-artery-stiffness-in-diabetics.