September 2026
An article published in the FASEB Journal (Federation of Societies for Experimental Biology) reveals yet another benefit for that remarkable substance found most famously in red wine grape skins but far more abundantly in a Chinese medicinal herb, hu zhang. The research suggests that resveratrol could help protect against the adverse effects of weightlessness during spaceflight — as well as effects of a sedentary lifestyle, which can lead to cardiovascular disease, obesity, and other health conditions.
The research team tested the effects of resveratrol in rats undergoing simulated weightlessness. I would definitely like to have seen this! While animals that did not receive resveratrol experienced reductions in muscle mass, strength, bone mineral density, and resistance to fracture, and developed insulin resistance, treatment with resveratrol protected against these conditions.
“Long-term spaceflight induces (inactivity), which, along with (low gravity), results in a number of significant physiological alterations, such as muscle atrophy, insulin resistance, (a shift in how the body uses nutrients), and bone loss,” Stéphane Blanc of the University of Strasbourg writes.
Our bodies need physical activity, but getting enough isn’t always easy, especially for astronauts in low gravity. For the earthbound, barriers to physical activity are equally challenging, whether from disease, injury, or a desk job. Resveratrol may not be a substitute for exercise, but it could slow deterioration until someone can get moving again. No, this is not to enable you to avoid exercise but to aid those who can’t!
This is an admitted theoretical leap from rats to humans, but quite a few human trials are underway. Currently, resveratrol is the most actively researched plant substance worldwide, with curcumin (from turmeric) a close second. Resveratrol demonstrates an amazing array of favorable pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, cardioprotective, antidiabetic, anticancer, antiviral, antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory, and modulation of fat metabolism.
Resveratrol is a polyphenol produced by plants to protect themselves against fungi, weather, and insects. These types of ‘defensive’ substances in plants — things that make them hardy and tough — are called secondary metabolites and are often medicinally useful for us humans.
Resveratrol is found in berries and the skins of red wine grapes, with muscadines and the Pinot family having the highest concentration. But, sorry, not enough to be therapeutically useful!
The source of most resveratrol used in commercial nutritional supplements is a medicinal Asian herb called hu zhang, or Japanese knotweed (yes, the invasive plant). While nutritional supplements use only the polyphenol extracted from the root, Chinese medicine uses the entire root and all its very complex constituents.
Based on recent clinical trials, the appropriate adult dose of resveratrol is likely around 100-250 mg per day and is very safe to consume. There are no known drug interactions, but if you take a pharmaceutical, it’s always best to consult with a knowledgeable health professional before starting herbs or supplements.
Donna Rasplica, MSc, Dr. TCM (British Columbia), has 26 years of professional experience in botanical therapy.
