The results of a large-scale clinical trial called RESHAW (Resveratrol Supporting Healthy Aging in Women) have now been published, indicating that the phenol, which is present in a number of berries, appears to wield remarkable health benefits in a study population comprised of post-menopausal women.
 
Significant improvements were achieved through resveratrol supplementation in areas of quality of life, and, specifically, cognition, which saw improvements measuring at 33% after a battery of cognitive tests.
 
“What’s really powerful about these results is that the reseaerchers also reported that 88% fo the women stated that they would be likely to continue with resveratrol supplementation after the conclusion of the study,” Clare Panchoo, VP of health for Evolva, a company which markets a resveratrol supplement called Veri-te. “The RESHAW exit survey details that more than half the women in the study reported that their perceived memory, mood, and other aspects of living were improved with the supplementation. We can foresee that these significant health outcomes observed in postmenopausal women, after supplementation with 75 mg of resveratrol twice a day, will be quickly translated into new product development and ultimately fulfill the gap in this underserved market segment.”
 
The two-year study, which was published in the journal Clinical Nutrition recruited a total of 125 postmenopausal women, making it the largest, longest-running study of its kind on resveratrol. The first two peer-reviewed publications from the RESHAW study found statistically significant cerebrovascular and cognitive benefits, as well as bone mineral density improvements.
 
The study specifically recruited postmenopausal women between the ages of 45 and 85, as cognitive function is known to be especially effected through the combination of aging and menopause, specifically due to endothelial dysfunction which causes impaired cerebral perfusion, researchers said. They were randomized to take either 75 mg of resveratrol or a placebo twice daily for 12 months, before crossing over to the alternative treatment for an additional 12 months. During each period, the authors evaluated individual differences in measures of cognition, cerebrovascular function in the middle cerebral artery, and cardio-metabolic markers. In addition to the 33% improvement in overall cognitive performance, women 65 years and older showed a 76% improvement in verbal memory with resveratrol, which was even larger than the improvements seen in those who were under the age of 65.
 
Furthermore, some secondary improvements were observed in resting mean cerebral blood flow velocity, cerebrovascular responsiveness to both hypercapnia and cognitive stimuli, fasting insulin, and insulin resistance index.
 
“Regular supplementation with low-dose resveratrol can enhance cognition, cerebrovascular function, and insulin sensitivity in postmenopausal women. This may translate into a slowing of the accelerated cognitive decline due to aging and menopause, especially in late-life women,” the authors concluded.