Can Red Wine Supplements Slow Aging?

Resveratrol was in the headlines a lot in 2008. Sirtris, a company that had isolated a property of resveratrol, a substance in red wine, was purchased by GlaxoSmithKline for $720 million dollars. The company figured out how to activate a protein called SIRT1 (just like reveratrol) which should, in theory, slow aging. Newer studies, however, show that there were some errors in the original data.

Errors in Resveratrol Data?

The jury is still our on this, but new data does not show the same results as the original Sirtris data on ramping up the SIRT1 protein. In studies (sponsored by Glaxo's competitors), the compound used by Sirtris did not change the health of rats who were fed a high-fat diet. (In 2008, there was a report that it did).

No Longevity Drugs?

Of course, this is a set back for all of us waiting for a longevity pill. The new studies put a lot of doubt on the promise of resveratrol, but other longevity drugs are in the pipeline. This is just a reminder of how difficult it is to create a new class of drugs and see them through all the testing needed.

_Source:

_{Dirk Behe, et al. Resveratrol is Not a Direct Activator of SIRT1 Enzyme Activity. Chemical Biology & Drug Design, DOI: 10.1111/j.1747-0285.2009.00901.x}

_{Michelle Pacholec, et al. SRT1720, SRT2183, SRT1460, and resveratrol are not direct activators of SIRT1. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m109.088682}