Dr. Maurizio Battino, director of the Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana (Iberoamerican University Foundation, FUNIBER) in Italy, in collaboration with Dr. Irma Domínguez, academic coordinator of the Health and Nutrition Area of the same foundation, analyzes the effects of resveratrol on vascular health.
Cardiovascular disease is a major global health concern, and dietary factors play a crucial role in its prevention and management. One of the bioactive compounds that has gained considerable attention is resveratrol, known for its potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Several studies have studied this substance and its impact on cardiovascular health, however, their findings have been contradictory. Now, a new perspective is emerging, suggesting that the key to unlocking resveratrol’s benefits lies in the gut flora.
Resveratrol, a polyphenol belonging to the stilbene family, is found in foods such as grapes, berries and red wine, and has captured the interest of researchers due to its molecular structure and potential health benefits. In the body, this substance exhibits properties that include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and modulation of cell signaling pathways, all of which could theoretically promote cardiovascular health.
This study has focused its attention on the gut microbiota, a community of microorganisms living in the gastrointestinal tract. It has highlighted a connection between these intestinal inhabitants and the way the body metabolizes resveratrol. That is, gut bacteria can influence how resveratrol is broken down and utilized in the body, ultimately affecting its health benefits. Understanding this complex relationship could be key to harnessing this molecule’s unique potential for optimizing vascular health.
Resveratrol contained in foods, usually present in its glycosylated form, is known as piceidin and polydatins. After ingestion, this substance travels through the gastrointestinal tract, being absorbed by 70%. However, once inside the intestine, it binds to different nutrients that affect its absorption capacity. The bioavailability of resveratrol in the blood is low, since it is mainly metabolized in the liver by glucuronidation and sulfation processes. Furthermore, the metabolism of this substance can give rise to other by-products, such as piceatannol and dihydroresveratrol, mainly through the action of intestinal bacteria. Therefore, the microbiota plays a crucial role in the metabolism of resveratrol.
On the other hand, in vitro and in vivo studies have investigated the effect of resveratrol-derived metabolites on cardiovascular outcomes. It has been observed that piceatannol has a potent vasorelaxant effect. Resveratrol supplementation has also been reported to reduce trimethylamine (TMA) and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) production, regulating bile acid metabolism and decreasing the size of atherosclerotic lesions in animal models. In addition, it has been shown that resveratrol-influenced microbiota causes beneficial changes in different markers, such as blood pressure regulation, glucose homeostasis, physical activation and prevention of cardiac hypertrophy in animals.
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