Best Resveratrol Supplements of 2021
Resveratrol is a type of phenol found in more than 70 plant species, including the skin and seeds of red grapes. Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated that resveratrol has robust anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antifungal and even antitumor capabilities.
As a result, supplement makers are rushing to meet the exploding demand and everyday it seems another resveratrol supplement arrives on the shelf. But not all resveratrol supplements are all they’re cracked up to be.
We examined the supplement landscape and determined that the following are the best resveratrol supplements of 2021.
1. Doctor’s Best Trans-Resveratrol 600
Doctor’s Best has a well-deserved reputation for producing high-quality dietary supplements and they hit the nail on the head with their Trans-Resveratrol 600. This is a highly pure supplement gleaned from Japanese Knotweed, one of the most potent sources of resveratrol in the plant kingdom.
Doctor’s Best Trans-Resveratrol exhibits all the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities you expect in a resveratrol supplement. And it does so without burdening you with a bunch of unnecessary fillers or artificial ingredients. Every Doctor’s Best supplement is subjected to rigorous 3rd party testing at every stage of the manufacturing process. The result is a supplement you can trust.
2. Reserveage Resveratrol 500 mg
Reserveage uses trans-resveratrol, recognized by researchers as the more potent of the two types of resveratrol. It gets into your system fast and goes to work helping to fortify your bones, strengthen your heart, sharpen your mind and keep your weight in check.
The marketing for Reserveage Resveratrol leans heavily on the ‘fountain of youth’ idea. But, while it’s important you take that with a grain of salt, there is no denying this is a potent, high-quality supplement that provides the benefits of resveratrol in a vegan-friendly, paleo-friendly capsule.
3. NOW Supplements Resveratrol w/Red Wine Extract
Now Supplements’ Resveratrol w/Red Wine Extract uses high potency trans-resveratrol from two of the best-known sources: Japanese Knotweed and red grapes. And that’s it. No caffeine to fool you into thinking you’re being supercharged, no artificial flavors or preservatives that could compromise overall effectiveness.
The red wine extract in this supplement is rich in resveratrol but completely free of alcohol, so you get the benefits of this powerful natural compound without the downside of wine. All Now supplements are produced in the company’s GMP-certified facility in the US, under the watchful eye of the FDA and are free of gluten, soy, dairy and other common food allergens.
4. TruNature Resveratrol Plus
Resveratrol is found in abundance in the seeds and skins of red grapes. With that in mind, TruNature goes all-in by sourcing their resveratrol from red grape seeds and red wine extract. (Don’t worry. You won’t get drunk. Red wine extract is rich in resveratrol while being free of alcohol.) The result is a potent supplement that provides a wealth of benefits for your heart, mind, muscles and more.
Whether or not resveratrol will actually cause you to live longer is open to debate. But there is little argument among researchers that it can help you live healthier. TruNature Resveratrol delivers the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, mind, bone and muscle benefits you want from resveratrol without forcing you to ingest a bunch of artificial ingredients along the way.
5. Nutricost Resveratrol 500mg
When it comes to potency there are two sources of resveratrol that rise above the rest: red grapes and Japanese Knotweed. Nutricost provides 500 mg of high potency trans-resveratrol from these sources in each one of their capsules and just a bit of rice flour as a vehicle. That’s it. No artificial colors, flavors, or fillers. No superfluous vitamins or minerals.
Just 500 mg of resveratrol, ready to provide its numerous benefits. Nutricost Resveratrol is produced in the US in a GMP-certified facility and is free of common food allergens like gluten and soy, and totally free of genetically modified organisms. This is a simple, effective supplement that is highly pure and reasonably priced.
6. Nature’s Answer Alcohol-Free Resveratrol Reserve
Nature’s Answer Alcohol-Free Resveratrol Reserve provides all the benefits of resveratrol in an easy to take, surprisingly tasty, liquid form. 1 teaspoon per day provides an impressive 125 mg of resveratrol derived from a combination of red grape and Japanese Knotweed, the two most potent sources of this important compound.
The liquid form means the resveratrol gets to work fast and does not require you to choke down an oversized pill. Nature’s Answer Resveratrol is free of gluten, artificial preservatives and genetically modified organisms. If there is a downside here it’s that they have added sugar to make the product more palatable. But that should not be a problem for most people.
7. CurEase 100% Pure Trans Resveratrol Powder
Like Nature’s Answer, CurEase 100% Pure Trans Resveratrol Powder provides you with an alternative way to get the resveratrol you want without having to choke down capsule after capsule. This is a highly pure powder sourced from red grapes and Japanese Knotweed.
It mixes surprisingly well with most non-carbonated beverages, including your morning coffee, and the taste will not overwhelm them. There are no artificial fillers, flavors, or preservatives at work here. No food allergens like gluten or soy, and no genetically modified organisms. Just 4 month’s worth of highly potent trans-resveratrol.
8. Pure Synergy SuperPure Resveratrol
Pure Synergy SuperPure Resveratrol provides a generous 100 mg of resveratrol per capsule and nothing else. To put that 100 mg amount in perspective, you would need to drink more than 5 dozen glasses of red wine to ingest the same amount of resveratrol.
What makes this supplement ‘super pure’ is that no chemicals or solvents are employed in the process of extracting the resveratrol from the Japanese Knotweed they use as their source. That means there are no contaminants left behind for you to ingest. If you are looking for a pure, potent, affordable resveratrol supplement, you can’t lose with Pure Synergy.
9. Thorne Research PolyResveratrol-SR
Thorne Research is rigorous in their testing and the results are supplements of the highest quality and potency. That’s as true for their PolyResveratrol as it is for any of their other products. The ‘poly’ in the name refers to the fact that the resveratrol here is sourced from both grape seeds and Japanese Knotweed.
Thorne also includes 100 mg of trans-pterostilbene in the equation. Trans-pterostilbene is a chemical relative of resveratrol that has its own anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. What this product does not have are artificial ingredients, food allergens, sugar, or artificial color, flavor or preservatives.
10. Youtheory Resveratrol with Acerola
The last of our resveratrol supplements comes from Youtheory. Each of their capsules contains 75 mg of trans-resveratrol along with 10 mg of acerola, commonly known as vitamin C. The added vitamin C ramps up the antioxidant power of this supplement, and that can only be a good thing.
While we appreciate the potency and purity of this supplement, the reason it occupies the number 10 spot on our list is because it includes several other ingredients that don’t bring anything particularly valuable to the table. Beyond that, Youtheory Resveratrol with Acerola is a safe, effective resveratrol supplement whose small tablet size allows for a great deal of control over dosing.
FAQs
What Is Resveratrol?
Resveratrol is a natural polyphenol (1) that is present in more than 70 plants. It is found in abundance in the skin of grapes and grape seeds. As a result, it is often found in small amounts in red wine. In numerous clinical tests resveratrol has demonstrated antibacterial, antifungal, and even anticancer capabilities. It is also a potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotectant and much more. In recent years it has gained widespread popularity as a health supplement.
What are the Benefits of Resveratrol?
Resveratrol may be useful in lowering blood pressure. The powerful antioxidant properties of resveratrol make it a promising treatment for high blood pressure. Studies have shown that resveratrol can reduce systolic blood pressure (2). This is important since systolic blood pressure typically rises as people age and is a major risk factor for heart attack and other cardiovascular conditions.
Resveratrol may help extend life. The most controversial, yet undoubtedly the most widely talked about potential benefit of resveratrol is its ability to ward off aging. Not that it is a fountain of youth, but its potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antitumor capabilities mean that it reduces your odds of falling victim to a host of lethal maladies. It is believed that resveratrol achieves these impressive results by activating certain genes (3) that fend off many of the diseases that commonly afflict older individuals.
Resveratrol may help alleviate symptoms of hay fever. In limited clinical trials resveratrol has shown promise alleviating some of the worst symptoms of hay fever and other allergies (4). People with hay fever who used a nasal spray containing 0.1% resveratrol for several weeks all recorded significant improvement in the severity of their symptoms. More study is needed to verify these results, but these preliminary tests are encouraging.
Resveratrol may help fend off cognitive impairment. It has been hypothesized for some time that moderate consumption of red wine can help reduce cognitive decline. It is now thought that this protective effect may be the result of resveratrol in the wine. Alzheimer’s Disease in particular is characterized by the buildup of plaques in the brain, and resveratrol may block the action of certain protein fragments that form the basis of these plaques (5). Since resveratrol research is still in the early stages these findings need to be verified by further testing.
Resveratrol may inhibit the growth of cancer cells. During clinical tests resveratrol has demonstrated antitumor abilities and the ability to disrupt colon, skin, breast and prostate cancer cells (6). The exact mechanism by which resveratrol fights cancer cells is not yet completely understood, but it is thought that resveratrol inhibits or changes gene expression within the cells, thereby preventing their replication. Mind you, resveratrol is not a cure for cancer, but it is showing promise as a potential treatment.
Resveratrol may help prevent obesity. It is always difficult to prove that something didn’t happen. But resveratrol is beginning to look like it may be able to help prevent people from becoming obese. Researchers have found that resveratrol inhibits pre-fat cells from growing and maturing into full-blown fat cells (7). Resveratrol has also demonstrated an ability to prevent the body from storing fat cells.
Resveratrol can enhance your workouts. While the muscle-building abilities of resveratrol remain controversial, there are plenty of gym rats who are convinced that this polyphenol is helping them build larger, more powerful muscles than they would have if they did not take it. Their claims have actually been verified to a certain extent via animal testing (8).
Resveratrol has anti-inflammatory abilities. Inflammation is part of the natural immune system response to trauma. But in some cases inflammation can run off the rails and contribute to all kinds of problems from arthritis to heart disease, diabetes and more. Because the study of resveratrol is still in its relative infancy, the exact mechanism by which it works its anti-inflammatory magic has not yet been codified. But there is little doubt it exists.
Resveratrol is good for your heart. There were a number of reasons for researchers to suspect that resveratrol may provide cardiovascular benefits. First, because of its anti-inflammatory abilities. Second, because it is able to lower ‘bad’ cholesterol levels. And third, because it inhibits the formation of clots that can cause heart attack and stroke. Recent studies have confirmed many of these suspicions (9), opening the door to the potential use of resveratrol in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Resveratrol may help lower blood lipid levels. Blood lipids are a type of fat that either floats freely or is attached to other molecules in the blood. ‘Bad’ cholesterol is one type of blood lipid. For the average, otherwise healthy person, blood lipids are not a pressing concern. But in some cases they can accumulate in dangerous amounts and present a very real risk to the heart. Resveratrol has demonstrated an ability to control production of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol (10), which in theory, should reduce the risk of heart disease.
Resveratrol may help prevent type 2 diabetes. Animal studies strongly suggest that resveratrol may be a useful tool in preventing type 2 diabetes (11). All the evidence points to resveratrol being able to prevent the body from developing insulin resistance (12). It has also demonstrated an ability to stop the progression of diabetic neuropathy (13). There is little doubt in the minds of most researchers that resveratrol represents an important new treatment avenue in the quest to prevent and treat diabetes.
Resveratrol has anti-inflammatory properties. Arthritis is characterized by inflammation of the joints, and the associated pain, stiffness, and loss of mobility. Researchers have long been searching for effective ways to reduce the inflammation behind the worst symptoms of arthritis. Resveratrol is a latecomer to the arthritis fight, but is showing remarkable promise due to its anti-inflammatory capabilities. In addition, resveratrol has demonstrated the ability to prevent the breakdown of cartilage (14) that so often accompanies arthritis.
Resveratrol may help reduce acne. Researchers created a special gel containing resveratrol and gave it to 20 people with acne. They were instructed to use it every day for two months and report back. All reported some degree of improvement, with many claiming that the resveratrol gel reduced their acne by as much as 70%.
Resveratrol may help treat fatty liver disease. There is very little clinical data on this subject. But what there is strongly suggests that resveratrol can help improve bile flow in the liver and perhaps prevent fatty liver disease (15). It may also have the ability to prevent sepsis and other serious infectious episodes. To this point, most studies have been conducted on lab rats. But the data that has come from these limited tests is generating a lot of interest.
Resveratrol has pain killing abilities. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties resveratrol can help reduce the pain associated with osteo and rheumatoid arthritis (16). In animal studies it is said to mimic many of the painkilling abilities of NSAIDs. There is also talk of developing resveratrol creams that can be applied directly to painful areas and provide pain relief.
Resveratrol may be useful to those on a diet. Resveratrol has demonstrated the ability to block fat-generating enzymes. The net result is that it prevents new fat cells from being created (17), which should be music to the ears of anyone wanting to shed a few pounds. Resveratrol also reduces oxidative stress, the major cause of cell death, and by doing so helps protect cells vital to immune function.
Resveratrol is good for your bones. Resveratrol is an incredibly active compound, affecting various metabolic processes from head to toe. One of its many talents is to reduce fat storage by activating the SIRT1 fat-burning pathway. This has the knock-on effect of causing stem cells to turn their focus toward bone-building. Resveratrol also works with vitamin D to fortify bone integrity and buttress their complement of essential minerals (18).
Does Resveratrol Have Any Side Effects?
One of the many great things about resveratrol is that it is very low-impact. The vast majority of people can take it with impunity and should not suffer any adverse effects. That said, it is possible, though unlikely, that some folks may experience mild stomach upset or diarrhea. Especially during the first days of taking a resveratrol supplement. As always, if you are currently under a doctor’s care for any health condition you should discuss the matter with him or her before taking resveratrol or any type of dietary supplement.
Is Resveratrol Safe?
Resveratrol has undergone extensive clinical testing over the course of the past decade, and that testing continues at brisk clip as you read this. Researchers are beginning to understand the enormous potential of this compound, and it seems like a new potential benefit is uncovered every few weeks.
There are currently more than a dozen ongoing clinical human trials involving resveratrol. These come on the heels of animal studies that strongly suggested the compound is safe for human consumption. The FDA has also had a bright light fixed on resveratrol for several years and has found no compelling reason to order any particular warnings or regulations regarding its use. So yes, resveratrol is considered safe when used as directed.
Why Not Just Drink a Glass of Red Wine?
Since resveratrol is found in abundance in red grape seeds and skins, and has consequently been found in red wine as well, a lot of people wonder why they shouldn’t just drink a glass or two of wine every day instead of taking a resveratrol supplement. Any adult who chooses to can of course. But there are a few good reasons why many people are disinclined to obtain the resveratrol they need in this manner.
First of all, a person would need to drink several dozen glasses of red wine to get as much resveratrol as they can get in a single capsule. Second, a single 5 oz glass of red wine contains 125 calories. Multiply that by 20 or 30 glasses per day, 7 days a week and you will not only be drunk all the time, but you will be bearing a significant calorie load and flirting with type 2 diabetes in short order. But beyond that, not everyone likes red wine. And, good red wine is expensive. Especially if you are drinking 30 glasses per day!
The Bottom Line
Resveratrol has emerged as a potentially valuable tool in the fight against chronic disease. It has also shown great promise as a dietary supplement that prevents obesity, enhances workouts, alleviates pain and reduces the symptoms of hay fever. And that is just a partial list of its potential benefits.
The resveratrol supplements on our list are pure and potent, produced in Good Manufacturing Practices facilities and have a proven track record of effectiveness. Use the information in this product guide to help you determine which resveratrol supplement is right for you.
