Resveratrol levels not linked with decreased mortality (InCHIANTI Trial)

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1. Amongst older adults in the Chianti region of Italy, increased urinary resveratrol metabolite levels were not associated with a decrease in all-cause mortality during a 9-yr follow up period. 

2. In addition, urinary resveratrol metabolite concentrations were also not associated with inflammatory biomarkers, cardiovascular disease, or cancer. 

Evidence Rating Level: 2 (Good)           

Study Rundown: Resveratrol, one of the polyphenols found in grapes, wine, and chocolate has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties in in vitro studies, and has been shown to increase lifespan if supplemented in the diet of mice fed a high-calorie diet. This study, which followed the total resveratrol urinary metabolite concentration in a community of older-adults in Italy, did not show any relationship between the metabolite concentrations (used as surrogate marker for resveratrol levels) and inflammatory biomarkers, cardiovascular disease, cancer, or all-cause mortality.

The strength of this study was its population based nature. However, since it was conducted in the Chianti region of Italy, the results are not necessarily generalizable to the American population. While resveratrol is the main polyphenol that has been studied to date, there are many other polyphenols found in the above mentioned foods that may have health benefits. Additional strengths in this study include the long follow up period, low use of resveratrol supplements amongst the study population (which would confound the results), and the multiple biomarkers of inflammation examined.

Click to read the study in JAMA Internal Medicine

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In-Depth [prospective cohort]: The Invecchiare in Chianti (InCHIANTI) study followed 783 men and women aged 65 years or older from 1998 to 2009. Data on demographics, lifestyle, and health history were collected from each of the participants, and they were examined in a standardized manner by a study geriatrician. Total urinary resveratrol metabolite levels were determined from 24-hr urine collections. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality, and secondary endpoints were biomarkers of inflammation, and the development of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

The mean (95% confidence interval, CI) log of urinary resveratrol metabolite concentrations were 7.08 (6.69-7.48) nmol/g of creatinine. The percentage of participants who died from all-cause mortality, in order from lowest to highest quartile of baseline urinary resveratrol metabolites, was 34.4%, 31.6%, 33.5%, and 37.4% (P=0.67). After controlling for a number of possible confounding factors, participants in the lowest quartile had a hazard ratio for mortality of 0.80 (95% CI, 0.54-1.17) compared to the highest quartile. The metabolite concentrations had no significant association with CRP, IL-6, IL-1β, TNF, or the development of cancer or cardiovascular disease.

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