Anti-Aging Benefits: Resveratrol vs. Pterostilbene | A Comparison of Bioavailability and Health Benefits
Randomized, controlled trials have shown that resveratrol supplementation supports healthy weight management, blood-sugar metabolism, cardiovascular function, mood, and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress. Resveratrol’s health benefits have also been confirmed in many other studies, and even meta-analyses. When it comes to pterostilbene, the evidence is much sparser. Aside from a safety study published in 2013, there have been very few trials conducted in humans. There was one study, conducted at the University of Mississippi in 80 adults, which found that pterostilbene supported healthy blood pressure and lipid metabolism. The vast majority of research on pterostilbene is in the experimental and preclinical phase. Researchers have found that pterostilbene supports many of the same cellular pathways as resveratrol—including supporting antioxidant defenses and modulating pathways involved in inflammation, apoptosis, and autophagy. Most experts agree that the molecular mechanisms of pterostilbene should be considered equivalent to those of resveratrol.
SELECTED REFERENCES 1. Almeida L, et al. Mol Nutr Food Res 53 Suppl 1 (2009): S7–15. 2. Asensi M, et al. Free Radic Biol Med 33, no. 3 (2002): 387–98. 3. Farzaei MH, et al. Pharmacol Res 128 (2018): 338–44. 4. Fogacci F, et al. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 59, no. 10 (2019): 1605–18. 5. Haghighatdoost F and Hariri M. Eur J Clin Nutr 73, no. 3 (2019): 345–55. 6. Hoshino J, et al. J Med Chem 53, no. 13 (2010): 5033–43. 7. Kapetanovic IM, et al. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 68, no. 3 (2011): 593–601. 8. Li YR, Li S, and Lin CC. Biofactors 44, no. 1 (2018): 69–82. 9. Liu K, et al. Am J Clin Nutr 99, no. 6 (2014): 1510–19. 10. McCormack D and McFadden D. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2013 (2013): 575482
WHICH SHOULD YOU CHOOSE? PubMed has indexed more than 12,000 research studies on resveratrol, but only 500 on pterostilbene. However, the sheer number of scientific studies on a compound doesn’t necessarily mean the compound is superior. It’s also important to note that pterostilbene research lags about 10 years behind resveratrol research. The slight difference in molecular structure between resveratrol and pterostilbene provides a sound rationale for the superiority of pterostilbene. Pterostilbene should be more stable and bioavailable in theory, and preclinical studies validate the assumption. We look forward to more research on pterostilbene in the years to come. For now, many experts believe that what we’ve already learned about resveratrol regarding its ability to support cardiovascular health, cellular health, and metabolism is also true for pterostilbene. Researchers are hedging their bets that pterostilbene will prove to be all the things resveratrol is— but in a more potent form..
BIOS: Lisa Murray, RDN is the Medical Education Manager for
Emerson Ecologics and Wellevate, and Medical Editor for Element magazine, an Emerson Ecologics publication. lmurray@emersonecologics.com
Sara Cook, ND, Medical Copywriter and founder of NDpen is Senior Writer for Element Magazine. sarah@ndpen.com
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ANTI-AGING MEDICAL NEWS
• SUMMER 2020
