Between hype and reality: resveratrol in longevity research

The idea of stopping aging or extending lifespan has fascinated humankind since the beginning of time. A few years ago, resveratrol, a polyphenol found naturally in red wine, came into the spotlight. Scientists and the media celebrated it as a miracle molecule for aging and health. But what sounded like a groundbreaking discovery turned out to be scientifically questionable on closer inspection. In this article, we take a look at the promises, the reality and the consequences for use in longevity products.

The beginnings: hope through initial studies

In 2006, a study by David Sinclair on mice caused a worldwide sensation. It showed that resveratrol could extend the lifespan of mice fed a high-fat diet by activating enzymes called sirtuins. These enzymes are associated with the beneficial effects of calorie restriction, which has been shown to have life-prolonging effects in various organisms.

The results caused a stir not only in the scientific community but also in the pharmaceutical industry. In 2008, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) bought Sirtris, a company specializing in resveratrol, for $720 million – clear proof of the substance's commercial potential. Resveratrol products, from dietary supplements to skin creams, conquered the market and promised nothing less than the fountain of youth in a bottle.

Disillusionment: What studies really show

The euphoria was short-lived. Critical re-analysis of the original study showed that resveratrol helped mice with an unusual fat metabolism disorder, but had no effect on the maximum lifespan of healthy animals. The supposed “anti-aging effect” was therefore an artifact and not a scientific breakthrough.

Even more serious was the result of the Intervention Testing Program (ITP), one of the most rigorous programs for testing life-prolonging substances. In independent tests, resveratrol showed no effect on the lifespan of mice – neither in young nor in old animals. A meta-analysis of human studies also showed no significant benefits for metabolic health, body weight or blood lipid levels. In addition, the bioavailability of resveratrol in the human body proved to be extremely low, making effective dosing virtually impossible.

But resveratrol remains popular

Despite the growing doubts, resveratrol remained a popular dietary supplement, although it is scientifically untenable.

Peter Attia: “Are you surprised by how ubiquitous resveratrol supplements still are on the internet?”

Rich Miller: “Excuse me for being cynical, but people are very easily deceived. It's easy to find eight or ten things that people believe because they've read it on the internet or seen it on TV, and they're completely convinced, but people are very, very gullible.”

While companies like GSK have long since abandoned their resveratrol research, the market for resveratrol products continues to flourish. This discrepancy between science and marketing shows how strong the need for simple solutions is. It reminds us how important it is to base health-related decisions on sound evidence and not on marketing promises.

How we think about it

Resveratrol began its career as a beacon of hope in anti-aging research, but the scientific reality could not fulfill initial expectations. It has been shown that resveratrol neither extends lifespan nor provides measurable health benefits.

Based on current scientific knowledge, we do not use resveratrol in our ASPRIVA products. Our formulations contain only ingredients whose benefits for normal bodily functions are supported by high-quality studies in humans. Until new, reliable study results are available that clearly confirm the role of resveratrol in this context, we will refrain from using it.

Want to learn more about this?

• Doubt on Anti-Aging Molecule as Resveratrol Trial Is Halted - The New York Times (Jan. 10, 2011)
• Failure of resveratrol to improve metabolic health is another nail in the coffin for the alleged “anti-aging” compound, by Kathryn Birkenbach, Peter Attia (October 26, 2024)
• Baur JA, Pearson KJ, Price NL, Jamieson HA, Lerin C, Kalra A, Prabhu VV, Allard JS, Lopez-Lluch G, Lewis K, Pistell PJ, Poosala S, Becker KG, Boss O, Gwinn D, Wang M, Ramaswamy S, Fishbein KW, Spencer RG, Lakatta EG, Le Couteur D, Shaw RJ, Navas P, Puigserver P, Ingram DK, de Cabo R, Sinclair DA. Resveratrol improves health and survival of mice on a high-calorie diet. Nature. 2006 Nov 16;444(7117):337-42. doi: 10.1038/nature05354. Epub 2006 Nov 1. PMID: 17086191; PMCID: PMC4990206.
• Supported Interventions | National Institute on Aging
• Richard Miller, M.D., Ph.D.: The gold standard for testing longevity drugs: the Interventions Testing Program by Peter Attia (February 8, 2021)

• Zahoor, Hafiz Shahbaz § Arshad, Adina § Masood, Muhammad Abdullah & Qureshi, Muhammad Abdul Muqtadir & Iqbal, Javed. (2024). Effect of Resveratrol Supplementation on Metabolic Risk Markers and Anthropometric Parameters in Individuals with Obesity or Overweight: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Obesity Pillars. 10.1016/j.obpill.2024.100141.