Are Superfoods Really Super?

Walking through my friendly neighborhood warehouse megastore over the weekend, I saw or heard the word “superfood” at least 20 times.  On one aisle a guy was handing out samples of a juice blend that contained a superfood that was supposed to have twenty times the health benefits of the açaí berry.  From smoothies to diet formulas to various other sorts of concoctions, there was a seemingly endless number of products that boasted some sort of superfood contents (often if the superfood is a fruit, you will hear it called a “superfruit”).  As I’m taking it all in, I realized that I really couldn’t tell someone what the difference between a superfood and any other sort of fruit, other than the superfoods typically have a high concentration of some substance that seems to help the body.  Not being satisfied with this definition, I decided to do some research.  So just what is a superfood?  What are some of the more popular superfoods and why?

What is a “Superfoods”?

 The term has been in used for almost 100 years at least, to refer to a food that has an unusually high nutritional value or some other benefit, real or alleged, to the human body.  Nutritionist Elizabeth Somer adds that “every superfood is going to be a 'real' (unprocessed) food,” pointing out that “you don't find fortified potato chips in the superfood category."  The word ‘superfood’ is really just a term used in advertising, it is not scientific.  This means that you can use this word fairly loosely when promoting a product.  The problem is that this means that research is required before buying superfoods.  Products promoted with this mark tend to be expensive so you want to know that what you are buying will benefit you personally.

When I was in the warehouse store over the weekend, there were samples being given out of a new superfood juice blend.  The human billboard promoting the product was telling everyone who passed by that it had “twenty times the health benefits of the açaí berry.”  This statement needed explanation that the human billboard could not provide.  It turns out that he was referring to the ORAC value (Oxygen radical absorbance capacity, a scale for quantifying the amount of antioxidant a substance contains) of açaí versus that of the coffee cherry (the fruit that surrounds the coffee bean as it grows that is used in this beverage).  But açaí has several other benefits that the coffee cherry does not claim; point being that you usually can’t take promotional statements at face value, even if they are scientific claims (however if you are looking for a great antioxidant, coffee cherries are quite amazing).  Additionally, for every scientific claim that you see, you will probably find another study that discredits it.

The list of superfoods has recently greatly increased, now including several common foods that have long acknowledged health benefits.  When there is money to be made off of some new fad, people take advantage; and superfoods are no exception.  Foods promoted under the moniker now include various green vegetables, other brightly colored fruits and vegetables, teas, berries, nuts, legumes, dark chocolate, citrus fruits, some fish and whole grains, just to name a few categories.  Now we come to the million dollar question, which superfoods should you be eating?  Let’s talk about some of the more popular superfoods and why they gained popularity.

What are some of the More Popular Superfoods and Why?

There are several foods that are commonly referred to as superfoods, which you probably already eat.  But some of the more popular ones among the health food community are not so common to outsiders:

Açaí Berry – You will see this used as an ingredient in just about everything now days, but most commonly in health promoting beverages.  It serves as food for many Brazilians and is a staple to those who live in the Amazon jungle.  Very dense in nutrition, it can be referred to as a superfood for several reasons.  It contains good fatty acids, protein, vitamins and polyphenols.  The polyphenols are the most promoted property of the superfruit; you will often hear about the antioxidant properties of açaí provided by the polyphenols.  From personal experience, I can tell you that açaí helps digestion.  Concentrated açaí pills have settled my upset stomach several times.

Blueberry – These are one of the more common and revered superfoods out there.  Rich in many vitamins, minerals and fiber, while low in fat and relatively low in carbohydrates, they are a great food to eat on that basis alone, but there’s more.  The dark pigment of the blueberry contains a few different chemicals that are believed to potentially prevent some diseases, including cancer and reduce inflammation.  They also contain resveratrol in their skin (see my article on resveratrol), which is renowned as an anti-aging and fat loss supplement that may also prevent many diseases.

Pomegranate – These tasty fruits are becoming more and more popular as people are becoming more health conscious.  There are several benefits that the pomegranate may bestow upon the human body.  The fruit has been used in traditional Indian medicine for millennia for various purposes.  The juice has been used as a heart and throat tonic, and preliminary lab studies support the idea of a heart tonic.  These studies have shown that it reduces some of the major risk factors associated with heart disease.  It is currently being studied to combat various other diseases, including obesity, prostate cancer, kidney disease, the common cold and infant brain injury.  Additionally, they are rich in vitamins, mineral and antioxidant phenols.

Greens – No I’m not talking about collard greens specifically; I’m grouping various green superfoods into one category, because there are so many good ones.  I personally take a scoop of a green supplement every day, instead of eating the various members in this category by themselves.  If you choose to do the same, do your research and get a good one, I take Garden of Life Perfect Food. The green part of this superfood concoction contains young cereal grasses (wheat, barley, oats and alfalfa), spirulina, chlorella, kelp and other sea vegetables.  Broccoli, kale and collard greens are examples of greens that you can also try if you want the real thing (the darker green the better, generally).  These have been shown to give you energy, help you maintain a healthy weight, control appetite and possibly prevent some cancers, reduce inflammation and speeding up the healing of wounds.

Teas – For thousands of years human have consumed teas for their health benefits.  They are rich in antioxidant, flavanols, flavonoids, and polyphenols, all of which may reduce your risk for various diseases, including cancer.  It has also been tied to reduced risk of strokes and osteoporosis, improved immune system, lowered cholesterol and blood sugar, as well as many other health benefits.   A great alternative to coffee, you get the caffeine (typically in lower levels than coffee) along with a chemical called L-theanine, which has been known to have a calming effect and improve focus.

Sweet Potatoes – I grew up on sweet potatoes.  Having a mother from Mississippi, I have actually never tried pumpkin pie, but sweet potatoes, in various forms, were a staple desert from mom’s kitchen.  The sweet potato is high in vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, iron and potassium.  In fact, the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the nutritional value of various vegetables. Because of the fiber, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value among all vegetables tested.  It ranked more than twice as nutritious as the second place winner in this study (the common potato).

Yogurt – An excellent source of protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamins B6, B12 and potassium, this tasty snack has been consumed by humans for thousands of years.  In addition to the standard benefits of dairy, yogurt is often also enriched with various probiotics, which give you a healthy balance of bacteria in your gut, critical for digestion.  It can also be consumed by people who are lactose intolerant because the yogurt culture, which makes yogurt thick, also feeds on the lactose and converts it into other sugars.  For most of us, it is best to stick to the low fat or fat free version of yogurt for obvious reasons.  If you are carb conscious, you can get plain yogurt and add your own fruit, if desired.

Nuts – Like greens, I will group this into a category instead of speaking about a specific nut.  They are dense packs of nutrition, the sort of food that you want when you are doing any sort of strenuous activity.  Though high in fat, much of the fat is good for you and includes essential fatty acids omega 3 and omega 6.  It also contains high amounts of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals and antioxidants, rounding off the nutrition found in nuts nicely.  They have been shown to promote weight loss and lower LDL cholesterol, when small amounts are consumed.  They are very filling, so not a lot is needed to satisfy your cravings.  They also have a low glycemic index, making them great for people with high blood sugar and type-2 diabetes.  A simple yet effective addition to any diet and there are several varieties to choose from.

Conclusion

There are many great superfoods out there to choose from to add to your diet.  Do your research before buying a superfood that you aren’t familiar with, you may save a lot of money if you do so.  There seems to be one or more superfoods to assist with just about every sort of common problem that we face with our bodies.  Antioxidants seem to be the most promoted property of various superfoods, and though research into the effects of antioxidants on the body is still new, the preliminary data show promising results in disease prevention.  The best thing about many of the superfoods that you will try is that many of them are quite tasty!  This is just another of the many benefits that you will find in the world of superfoods.

Gym Etiquette Violators

Fit is in. Society has put increasing pressure on people to look better, especially as we age. The increasing divorce rate, for instance, has caused people who have never worked out a day in their lives to hit the gym. Men and women alike, who have recently been divorced, suddenly find themselves competing with people much younger and fitter than themselves in the dating market. This causes far more people who were never into working out to come to the local gym. It’s really wonderful to get into physical fitness at any age, but there can be a problem. Age isn’t the factor; it breaks down to experience. Many inexperienced gym goers are completely unfamiliar with gym etiquette. You may ask, what is gym etiquette?! Some may think this sounds oxymoronic! But this is not a fantasy of mine; this is something that people who frequent the gym take very seriously. So, I will briefly explain what it is, why it’s important to have and list out some of my least favorite gym etiquette violations that you will see at the gym.  

What is Gym Etiquette?

I believe the answer to this is kind of obvious. Simply put, etiquette is a set of rules and conventions that govern what is expected, acceptable and polite behavior within society. This changes based on where we are, of course. At home we are expected and allowed to act differently than we do at work, at school, or even the gym.

Why Should One have Gym Etiquette?

 I’m glad you asked! For starters, you won’t irritate me when I’m raging through a high impact workout! That was a joke… but seriously. I go to the UFC Gym in Torrance, CA and at any given time, you will notice about a third of the people in the gym are legitimate fighters. Some big, some small, some male, some female, but all could kick a gym newbie’s butt. That being said, these aren’t the sort of people whose workout you want to ruin. When I am going through a well-planned workout, I have specific muscle groups that I will work on that day. When a machine that I want to use is being used, I will often just move on to the next exercise and come back to the machine when it frees up, because my time is limited. Sometime I will finish one, then two, then three exercises waiting for the machine to free up, but for that entire 20 minute period the same girl has been sitting on the machine with the same goofball guy hitting on her. This is a very frustrating situation for me. I don’t want to interrupt a guy possibly meeting his soul mate at the gym. But this is a blatant desecration of basic gym etiquette. The fact is that their conversation, which could have happened anywhere else in the gym, has now ruined my workout. My body is cooling down as I’m waiting, I’m getting tired and now I may have to have a slightly uncomfortable conversation with a couple of people who should probably be at a bar and not the gym. But this is just one of several examples of bad gym etiquette, let’s talk about a few more problematic nuisances that you find in the gym.

My Least Favorite Gym Etiquette Violations 

Though these are in no particular order, I have already listed my very least favorite gym etiquette violation – Violator: The distracted equipment hog. They can be distracted by the person who is hitting on them, by getting caught up in a conversation on the cell phone, a text message war with a couple of friends, talking with a workout partner about how much better they looked than their ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend last night or even stretching in front of a machine with their towel laying on it for several minutes (in gym etiquette, putting a towel on a piece of equipment reserves that machine for you, even if you go get a drink and leave the machine unattended), and the list goes on. Proper Etiquette: If you become distracted with any of these situations and you realize that there is no end in sight, get off the machine and continue what you were doing in some of prime real estate over near the cardio equipment (or any other place you won’t be in the way). Additionally, it is always a good idea to look around when you’re at the gym. You will notice that people who are waiting on the machine you are using will often be standing near you and even trying to make eye contact with you to let you know they’re waiting. Don’t forget that the water fountain is an essential piece of equipment in the gym. Conversations are a no no there too. And that brings me to my next gym etiquette violator.

Violator: The water fountain abuser. These people often fill a large bottle with the higher of the two fountains. Sometimes they take a minute long head shower in the water fountain. Or some drink, then gasp for a few second, drink and gasp and continue this process for what feels like 10 minutes as a line accumulates behind them. And I already mentioned those that have conversations or stretch in front of the water fountain. Proper Etiquette: Water fountains are to be used to take a drink, not for showering. You can fill a bottle at the water fountain; some fountains have a nozzle specifically for that. However, you should either use the nozzle or the lower of the two fountains, if there are two, because most people go for the higher of the fountains. And if there is someone behind you panting and desperate for a drink and there is only one fountain, let them get a quick drink and then proceed with filling your bottle. While we’re talking about water, did you know that your body secretes water when it gets hot? Of course you did, we all sweat.

Violator: The self-righteous sweater. These people often feel that they don’t need a towel, even though every gym I have ever been to requires that you use a towel and most even sell them at the check-in desk. Other people seem to not know how to use their towels, wearing it in their pocket like a janitor instead of protecting their head from whatever is on the equipment. Both of these groups have many members who simply refuse to use the disinfectant spray and paper towels offered at most gyms. Your sweat can carry many infections away from your skin, to be passed on to the next person who uses the equipment. Proper Etiquette: Always bring your own clean towel to the gym. If possible, bring a towel that is different on each side and always try to put the same side against the headrest, keeping your head as clean as possible. Always use your towel, don’t bring it if you’re not going to use it. It protects you and other as well. Then look at the machine when you finish with it. If your sweat is glistening on the machine, at very least wipe it with a dry section of your towel; but really you should get a piece of paper towel and the disinfectant spray and clean the area where your sweat is, especially if these are parts that every person who uses the equipment will come into skin contact with. There is another group of gym pests who operate with a similar carelessness.

Violator: The chronic un-racker. These people use the equipment, often loading the equipment up with more weight than they can actually control, then after a few poorly executed reps, they get up and leave the weights on the equipment. The worst is when I see a small person who wants to use the machine next have to rack all of the 45 pound plates themself before they are able to use it. It’s kind of sad, and when I’m not in the middle of a set, I always try to help. But that could have been avoided. Proper Etiquette: For starters, stop trying to impress your friends; if you weigh 150 pounds and you have more weight on the equipment than the muscular 200 plus pound guys use, you’re over doing it. Only lift as much weight as you can control, jerking until the weight moves a bit doesn’t count. But regardless, you have to rack the weights you use at least to a reasonable degree. If you leave one 45 pound plate on each side of the leg press, that’s excusable. It often is the same ones who leave the weight on the machines who will violate again in the next category.

Violator: The set interrupter. This is the guy who just can’t wait to ask, “how many more you got?” The question is not a violation in itself; it’s the timing that makes this a violation. Never ever interrupt someone during their set unless they are in imminent danger. You annoy or even infuriate the person you are interrupting. People who are serious about their workouts have monk-like focus during a set, trying to push and control as hard as they can to get the most out of each set. Disturbing this process can even be dangerous for the lifter and ultimately for the interrupter. Proper Etiquette: Wait! Always wait for someone to finish their set and take a few breaths. Once they have finished, you are free to ask anything you would like. But be careful there too, you may end up seeing the guy in the locker room later, but hopefully not like the next peeves.  

Violator: The locker room nudist. I hear that the problem is just as prominent in the women’s locker room as it is in the men’s. The creepiest looking people you come across in the locker room like to bear it all – and not as they are quickly getting in and out of their clothes, no. These people like to walk out of the shower, dry off in the midst of the locker room and then seem to want to air-dry for a good 15 minutes before ever thinking about putting on their clothes. Proper Etiquette: Wear clothes as often as possible around strange people. If you must get naked to change quickly, no big deal; but please don’t put on a show that no one cares to see!

Conclusion 

Etiquette is important in all social situations. The gym is no exception. Please practice good gym etiquette. It’s good for you and it’s good for the other members of the gym also. I’m sure this list will continue to grow as more and more people start to come to the gym. I will continue to update the list as I see more poor etiquette in the gym. Please feel free to add you least favorite gym etiquette violations below so that we can educate others to allow everyone to have the best experience at the gym possible.

Raspberry Ketone - The Miracle Fat Burner?

Raspberry ketone has recently exploded onto the scene as the latest “miracle fat burner,” ever since it appeared on The Dr. Oz Show.  I tend to be skeptical anytime I hear about any ‘miracle’ supplement, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t substances that can have miraculous effects on our bodies.  So what is raspberry ketone?  How does is it supposed to reduce body fat?  And does it work?  Let’s talk about it.

What is Raspberry Ketone?

Chemically speaking, raspberry ketone is a naturally occurring phenol; you may have heard the term ‘polyphenols’ used in a health food store from time to time.  Phenols are often found in berries, teas, olive oil, chocolate, coffee and various other fruits, vegetables, nut, herbs and spices.  They are commonly used as a selling point for many of these to consumers.  They have been found to have antioxidant properties in some studies, but when consumed in food, the vast majority of the antioxidant is not absorbed in the body.  In controlled studies, they have been found to have antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory effects, but when consumed by humans, these effects are not so clear.  Phenols have been shown to have cancer preventing properties, while also having the opposite in controlled studies.  When actually consumed by humans they do not appear to cause cancer, but they have been shown to prevent it.

Raspberry ketone is the key chemical that makes raspberries smell like raspberries.  It is used in perfumes and as a food additive for this reason.  It takes something like 50-200 pounds of raspberries to get you one 100mg dose of the substance, so clearly the stuff you buy for $20 or so per bottle is not made from raspberries.  The artificially produced raspberry ketone has been deemed safe by the FDA and there are no known side effects.  However, people with diabetes, heart conditions or other pre-existing health problems should consult their physician before taking this as a supplement.

How does Raspberry Ketone Reduce Body Fat?

Raspberry ketone appears to have a few different effects on the body that may reduce body fat.  Raspberry ketone has been shown to prevent increases in body weight by helping metabolize fats by increasing the breakdown of lipids within fat cells through norepinephrine.  This can increase thermogenesis, increasing body temperature resulting in increased fat burning.  It has also been shown to reduce the body’s production of pancreatic lipase.  This is a digestive enzyme needed to break down fats in our foods preventing the body from absorbing fats altogether.  Furthermore, raspberry ketone is believe to help control your bodies use of adiponectin, a protein hormone that in turn regulates various metabolic processes such as glucose regulation and fatty acid breakdown.  This should allow your body to breakdown the fat within the fat cells more efficiently; resulting increased fat burning (this is the effect discussed on The Dr. Oz Show).

Does Raspberry Ketone Work?

This is the million dollar question.  There is a high level of confidence that this is a healthy supplement with no side-effects, but should we spend the cash on it as a “miracle fat burner”?  The answer is unclear from a clinical standpoint because there are no clinical studies on humans that I can find.  But testimonies have come from far and wide saying that there are noticeable effects on body fat when the supplement is taken, along with a healthy diet and exercise.  For those of you looking to lazily lose your belly, simply by taking a new pill, this product probably isn’t for you.  But if you are already living a healthy lifestyle and don’t have any pre-existing medical conditions, I can’t think of any reason not to add this to your routine.  Many people swear by the stuff and that usually doesn’t happen for most “miracle fat burners.”  Most are shown to either be unhealthy for various reasons or they simply don’t work.  You can find the supplement for a very reasonable cost online and at local health food stores.  I’m buying some today and I will update this article soon with my personal results and thoughts.

Why Women Need to Work Out with Weights

A pet peeve of mine is when I hear ladies say that they don’t want to work out with weights because they don’t want to look like a bodybuilder.  My brother has been bodybuilding for many years now and he now trains bodybuilders, fitness models, figure models, etc.  at his studio.  When he hears this he cringes, then usually tells the person that they don’t have the genetics, tenacity or knowledge to ever look like a bodybuilder, which is usually true for the ones who say this.  With the exception of a few genetic freaks, most people who have tried to put noticeable amounts of muscle on their frame know just how hard the process is.  Let’s discuss a bit more in depth why women tend to avoid working out with weights, why they need to work out with weights.

Why Women Avoid the Weights

I always point out that if you look at the ladies with the best bodies at your local gym, with few exceptions, they all use weights.  Given, after the first few weeks of weight training (the point at which most people give up and stop working out with weights), you may notice your muscles grow a bit because your body is recruiting and activating muscle fiber that have been sedentary for most or all of your life.  And if you are already overweight and you haven’t lost much fat yet, you may get a little more “bulky” at first.  The major misconception is thinking that this will continue as you keep working out.  Or some women, who are naturally blessed with nice bodies, believe that they will end up looking like a body builder if they train with weights, citing a few women at the gym who they see lifting heavy weights.  The fact is that women who do bodybuild or powerlift diet and train in very specific ways and usually also have the genetics of a bodybuilder.  They train in ways that would probably be counterintuitive to most people, often lifting weights less often than many of the women who lift weights in the gym.

Why Women Need to Work Out with Weights

Muscle is more dense than fat is by far.  This being the case, at the same body weight if you have a higher muscle to fat ratio you will look slimmer.  More so than just looking slimmer, you will develop a shape and tone to your body that absolutely can’t get from the treadmill or elliptical.  I see women in the gym all the time who do cardio only and they tend to be slender, but they look soft and not in shape.  Often, they even look unhealthy because they are starving their bodies with ridiculous diets and burning additional calories during the cardio, ultimately catabolizing their muscle tissue.  Your body will actually burn muscle in addition to fat for energy when it needs it and this also causes another issue.  Your metabolic rate is higher if you have more muscle.  So burning muscle will cause your loss in fat to be less sustainable because your metabolic rate slows.  That is why many people will lose fat with a strict diet and cardio, but soon after they get too busy to work out as frequently as they were, they quickly put the fat back on.  That is also why you will see rail thin ladies trying their hardest to burn that last bit of fat off doing cardio, but they can’t do it.

People who were overweight most of their lives tend to look the worst after this sort of behavior because they often naturally have larger frames and more skin.  When you burn most of the fat and muscle off of such a frame, you’re left with very little other than this frame, which now shows through more than ever.   With no muscle to fill in the gaps and give your body a healthy looking structure, this can look awkward.  You will see the hip bones, but no glutes; a thinner core and legs, but they have no muscle tone.  If you have small shoulders, arms and chest, this will exaggerates the “pear-shaped” look as well.  If weight training and a healthy, high-protein diet are incorporated into the workout, this can be avoided.

What about women who naturally have nice bodies?  Some women have nice bodies by nature, but weight training still will significantly improve posture and increase the tone of any body.  For example, I see women all the time who have large breasts, but because of a lack of back strength, they slump forward, which is not attractive and can lead to more serious problems later in life.  Joints and bones also get tougher with weight training, which can decrease likelihood of injuries and even increase bone density, even preventing osteoporosis, which is a common problem as people, especially women, age.

If this isn’t enough reason to train with weights, how about a healthy sex-drive?  Weight training increases the amount of testosterone produced by the body (in both men and women), which will increase your sex drive and overall vitality.  Who wouldn’t want that?  If you have been married for a while, this benefit can have significant positive effects on your marital happiness!

Conclusion

Everyone who works out should incorporate some weight training into their workouts.  I’m not recommending any specific workout to you, but I am stressing the need to work out with weights.  To sustain the increased work load, you can eat less salad and more of the high protein foods that you actually enjoy.  You will not look like a bodybuilder or get bulky if you train with weights unless you really know what you’re doing.  As I mentioned earlier, it is much harder to bulk up than people think.  After a few months of weight training and a healthy diet, your frame will tighten up and look more toned and attractive than it ever has.  The increase in muscle mass, joint and bone health will have long lasting benefits, preventing injury and even osteoporosis.  And a healthy sex life is important, especially for married couples, and energy and vitality are important for everyone in this fast paced world.  Give it a try!  What do you have to lose but your gut and a lack of self-esteem?

Why Resveratrol?

I have been taking resveratrol (let’s sound this out ‘res – vera – trol’) on and off for some time now and I definitely notice a difference when I take it.  But most people that I have talked to have no idea what it is or what it does.  Let’s discuss what it is, what it does, and potential drawbacks to taking it.

What is Resveratrol?

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring chemical found in the skin, stems and seeds of grapes and other fruit.  It is produced by several plants when they are under attack by things such as bacteria or fungi.  It is commonly derived from Japanese knotweed when sold as a supplement.  Resveratrol can be found in various chemical forms, but the trans-resveratrol has the greatest effect on humans and animals.  It is a powerful antioxidant and shown to increase cellular energy.

What does Resveratrol do?

Resveratrol has been shown to have some pretty amazing effects on some species, greatly extending the life of some simple species (such as worms and fruit flies), though this is not seen in humans in preliminary studies.  It also decreases the risk of cancer, improves cardiovascular health, has anti-inflammatory effects, blood-sugar lowering effects, anti-viral effects (including inhibiting the formation of the flu, herpes simplex and has been shown to improves the effects of drugs on HIV-1) and it has been shown to reduce brain plaque in mice (which can lead to Alzheimer's disease).  It also has been shown to increase testosterone in mice, which has led to it being marketed it as a bodybuilding supplement.  When tested on humans, the effects are less pronounced and because research on resveratrol is in its infancy, more time is needed to evaluate the benefits.

From personal experience, I can tell you that it gives a unique energy boost.  I simply don’t get tired as quickly when I work out at the gym.  It allows my muscles to work at a higher intensity level with reduced aching during and after the workout.  I take resveratrol every morning with my coffee and between the caffeine and resveratrol, it really gets me going – much more so than coffee alone.  Coffee seems to awaken my mind, while resveratrol seems to awaken my body.  Additionally, I lost about 10 pounds in the first couple of months of taking resveratrol, while maintaining the same diet as before and increasing my strength and muscularity over that period.  Whether it is working as an anti-aging supplement or having any other effects described above, I’m really not sure.  But it definitely has some positive and noticeable effects on my body.

Potential Drawbacks

This is a very new supplement and, like I said, the research on it is still in its infancy, but there have been very few potential drawbacks or side effects found from taking resveratrol.  It has been theorized that due to its chemical structure, it may stimulate the growth of breast cancer, but in several studies it has been shown to do the opposite, inhibiting the growth of breast cancer.  There are also unknown effects on human fetuses and for this reason I do not recommend any woman who is pregnant or may become pregnant use resveratrol.

Conclusion

If you aren’t pregnant or planning to become pregnant, I highly recommend the use of resveratrol, especially in the trans-resveratrol form.  Your energy levels will increase, body fat will decrease, antioxidant levels will increase and there are various other benefits that you may get from taking the supplement – including but not limited to anti-aging effects, decreasing the risk of cancer, improved cardiovascular health, anti-inflammatory effects, blood-sugar lowering, anti-viral effects and reduced brain plaque formation.  Additionally, there are no know long-term side effects to taking the resveratrol, so why not give it at try?