According to a study conducted by the Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology, mice given oral doses of resveratrol were able to run 100% farther than mice not given the resveratrol. The resveratrol dosed mice also displayed a reduced heart rate and energy charged muscles - physical characteristics associated with highly trained athletes. According to the study's lead scientist, Johan Auwerx,
"Resveratrol makes you look like a
trained athlete without the
training". Will these results translate in
to humans? According to Mr. Auwerx, the
same reaction will likely occur in
humans based on his analysis of the
gene that is influenced by
resveratrol in a group of Finnish
subjects.
What could be causing the increased
endurance?
According to Mr. Auwerx, resveratrol
alters muscle fibers to make them
more like muscle fibers of a trained
athlete.
Another exciting result from the
study!
Resveratrol significantly increased
the number of mitochondria in the
muscles cells of the mice
(mitochondria are responsible for
generating cells' energy). The
increased mitochondria allowed the
mice to burn more calories and thus
avoid weight gain. The mice also did
not experience decreased sensitivity
to insulin (a symptom of being
overweight and a cause of
diabetes).
