Resveratrol improves health of mice on high-calorie diet

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http://snipurl.com/fatmice

Abstract from the Advanced online publication of Nature. This says

mice could eat a high calorie diet and stay healthy as long as they

received resveratrol. However, one of the principle authors,

Sinclair, has a company that sells resveratrol.

-Diane

Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) extends the lifespan of

diverse species including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Caenorhabditis

elegans and Drosophila melanogaster. In these organisms, lifespan

extension is dependent on Sir2, a conserved deacetylase proposed to

underlie the beneficial effects of caloric restriction. Here we show

that resveratrol shifts the physiology of middle-aged mice on a

high-calorie diet towards that of mice on a standard diet and

significantly increases their survival. Resveratrol produces changes

associated with longer lifespan, including increased insulin

sensitivity, reduced insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) levels,

increased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and peroxisome

proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1alpha (PGC-1alpha)

activity, increased mitochondrial number, and improved motor function.

Parametric analysis of gene set enrichment revealed that resveratrol

opposed the effects of the high-calorie diet in 144 out of 153

significantly altered pathways. These data show that improving general

health in mammals using small molecules is an attainable goal, and

point to new approaches for treating obesity-related disorders and

diseases of ageing.

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