If you have been reading the articles on the site, you know more than just a little bit about resveratrol, its functions, origins, and what it can do within the human body. But, how much do you know where all of the excitement surrounding resveratrol came from?
Well, the major buzz came from a series of articles published in the scientific journal Nature. These articles were written in part by a man named David Sinclair. Resveratrol’s newfound popularity in the popular vernacular is largely due to the work of this scientist.
The Work of David Sinclair
David Sinclair is holds a PhD in biology, and his specific area of expertise is the ageing process. Through his work in the labs at Harvard Medical University’s biology department, Sinclair has conducted several studies on ageing and what causes it.
The studies in themselves are unique. Many scientists and other researchers rejected the idea of studying the ageing process as it seemed natural, the processes to ingrained within our molecular structure to change it. Sinclair and his team began to study the different chemical reactions which take place during the ageing process, with some significant results.
The results of Sinclair’s studies
Dr. Sinclair and his team were the first to identify the role of the hormone SIRT1 in the ageing process. Explicitly, SIRT1 releases fat from the body and potentially increases life span as well.
Sinclair began to study how SIRT1 is activated within the body. He found that SIRT1 had elevated activity when a calorie restricted diet took place, as well as when resveratrol was taken.
Sinclair and resveratrol
Sinclair’s interest in resveratrol came about as he isolated different compounds within red wine, finding resveratrol to be the most effective when it came to kicking in the SIRT1 hormone.
Armed with this knowledge, Sinclair started up his own company, Sirtris. The company produces resveratrol extracts and continues to test the results of resveratrol use on human beings. Although Sinclair has since sold the company, he continues to work with the company as well as in the research departments at Harvard.
Not only that, Sinclair has thrown his own biological chips on the effectiveness of resveratrol. He currently takes a dose of 500mg daily, as do his parents and most of his research team. For many, it’s proof enough that resveratrol has a legitimate place within the vernacular of the medical community.
