Resveratrol, a natural compound present in peanuts, pistachios, grape skin, red wine, raspberries or cocoa, is capable of activating estrogen receptors, a hormone that protects against certain age-related diseases.
- Wine and some other foods contain a natural compound that activates estrogen receptors
- This compound could eventually replace hormonal treatments against the effects of menopause
What if the French had it all figured out? A new study supports the theory that a small glass of wine a day may help you age well. Indeed, according to work published in the journal Scientific Reports, in small doses, resveratrol, a natural compound present in peanuts, pistachios, grape skin, red wine, raspberries or even cocoa, is capable of activating estrogen receptors. It is a steroid hormone that both men and women produce naturally. If most people have already heard of it because it regulates reproduction, it also protects against certain diseases linked to aging such as type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s or osteoporosis.
Estrogen receptors activate proteins called sirtuins in the body. These help control mitochondrial biogenesis, promote DNA repair and regulate metabolism. This is why biologists consider sirtuins to be excellent potential drug targets.
“Numerous animal studies have suggested that these proteins may extend healthy lifespan by preventing or slowing the onset of disease.explains Henry Bayele, doctor in molecular biology at University College London (United Kingdom). However, the development of effective drugs or dietary interventions has been impeded by the lack of common understanding of how exactly they work in the cells of the body”develops the researcher.
“plant estrogens”
To find out more, Bayele and his colleagues exposed in vitro liver cells to a variety of food compounds that activate sirtuins: resveratrol and isoflavones, such as daidzein, found in soybeans and some other legumes. These compounds are collectively known as dietary sirtuin activating compounds or dSTACs.
They then discovered that at low doses, resveratrol increased sirtuin signaling in cells by mimicking estrogen. At high doses, on the other hand, it would reduce the signaling of sirtuins. But isoliquiritigenin, present in licorice, would be even more effective in activating sirtuins.
Thus, dSTACs could be considered “plant estrogens,” Bayele argues. Able to perform functions normally reserved for estrogen, they could therefore benefit the brain, liver, skeletal muscles and bones.
The question of the “French paradox”
This study therefore supports the theory that one glass of red wine a day, and no more, would promote good ageing. According to Bayele, this could explain “the French paradox”. It has been proven that despite a diet high in fat, certain populations in France experience low rates of cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.
“Regular low doses of resveratrol, for example through moderate consumption of red wine as part of a healthy diet, may be able to provide the benefits of estrogen. This would apply to both men and women of all ages, but postmenopausal women may be the ones who feel these benefits the most, as they have lower estrogen stores than men of the same age.”, says Henry Bayele. Ultimately, these discoveries could therefore make it possible to develop alternatives to hormone replacement therapy (HRT), used to counter the symptoms of menopause, because HRT is notably known to be heavy in side effects: it would increase the risk of stroke, heart attack and certain cancers.
However, clinical studies will be necessary before reaching this point: the effects of dSTACs on cells in vitro may not reflect their effects in humans, Bayele cautions. So, if the body can digest the compounds in the intestine, they could be poorly absorbed in the blood, for example. In conclusion, more studies will need to take place to confirm whether people can use dSTACs as estrogen replacements for healthy aging.
The eternal controversy surrounding the daily glass of red wine
This study is not the first to focus on the benefits of resveratrol on the body. Last summer, a study carried out on rats and published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology showed that this compound could preserve the muscle mass and strength of astronauts sent to Mars. “Resveratrol has been shown to preserve bone and muscle mass in rats during full unloading, analogous to the microgravity of spaceflight. We therefore hypothesized that a moderate daily dose would also help alleviate muscle deconditioning in a severity similar to that experienced on Mars.”the researchers noted.
According to other work carried out beforehand by the University of New Brunswick (Canada), resveratrol, could be “an effective alternative to medication to treat patients with depression and anxiety disorders”.
As for the effect of the daily glass of red wine on cardiovascular health, it has been controversial for years. While French researchers showed in 2004 that a very moderate consumption would improve blood pressure and cholesterol, thereby reducing the risk of certain cancers, last July a British study published in The Lancet contradicted these results. According to the researchers, drinking a glass of wine every day would have no beneficial effect, quite the contrary. Indeed, according to them, this habit would increase the risk of stroke by 10 to 15%.
In doubt, the National Association for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Addiction recommend to “limit its consumption to two glasses per day maximum and not to consume alcohol every day: maximum 2 glasses per day and not every day.
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