Resveratrol-rich diets fail to live up to hype

A DIET rich in resveratrol — the compound found in red wine, dark chocolate and berries – may not be as good for longevity after all. A study of Italians who consume resveratrol finds they live no longer than and are just as likely to develop cardiovascular disease or cancer as those who eat or drink smaller amounts of the antioxidant.

“The thinking was that certain foods are good for you because they contain resveratrol. We didn’t find that at all,”says Richard D. Semba, M.D., M.P.H of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and leader of the study described May 12 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Despite the negative results, Dr. Semba says studies have shown that consumption of red wine, dark chocolate and berries does reduce inflammation in some people and still appears to protect the heart. “These are complex foods, and all we really know from our study is that the benefits are probably not due to resveratrol,”he says. (Photo © Ed Isaacs | Dreamstime Stock Photos)