A red-wine plant compound whose most reliable human effect is improved artery flexibility; signals for blood sugar, blood pressure, inflammation, and — in postmenopausal women — bone and memory are weaker and inconsistent. The longer-life promise fails in mammals. Benefits are modest and mainly help those with something to fix. Inexpensive and low-risk in moderation. (Full Review)

Protocol

Dose

150–500 mg/day

Some protocols up to 1,000 mg/day; start at the low end

Form

trans-isomer

Micronized or absorption-enhanced; not the cis-isomer

Timing

With a fatty meal

Once daily with the largest fat-containing meal to aid absorption

Time to effect

Artery flexibility

Hours

Acute vascular effect after a single dose

Metabolic & inflammatory

Weeks to months

Measurable at ~8–12 weeks of daily use

Bone density

~12 months

In postmenopausal women, over longer trials

Benefits

High: Improved endothelial function

Medium: Improved glycemic control in type 2 diabetes; reduced systolic blood pressure

Low: Reduced systemic inflammation; cognitive and cerebrovascular support; bone mineral density in postmenopausal women; lipid modulation

Speculative: Lifespan extension; exercise-mimetic and muscle benefits; cancer chemoprevention

Contraindications

Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Hormone-sensitive cancers

Significant kidney disease

Within ~2 weeks of scheduled surgery

Key Interactions

Anticoagulants & antiplatelet drugs (warfarin, apixaban, clopidogrel, aspirin)

CYP3A4 substrates (statins, calcium-channel blockers, immunosuppressants)

NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen), fish oil

Quercetin, pterostilbene

Blood-pressure-lowering supplements, grapefruit products

Estrogen therapy or hormone-driven cancer history

Risk & Side Effects

High: Gastrointestinal distress

Medium: Drug interactions and bleeding risk; estrogenic and hormonal effects

Low: Blunting of exercise adaptations; renal adverse signal at very high doses

Speculative: Pro-oxidant effects and chemotherapy interference

Monitoring

Marker	Target	Why
Fasting glucose	70–85 mg/dL	Main metabolic target
Hemoglobin A1c	Below 5.4%	Average blood sugar over ~3 months
Fasting insulin	2–5 µIU/mL	Insulin sensitivity and metabolic response
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein	Below 1.0 mg/L	Systemic inflammation, an anti-inflammatory target
Systolic blood pressure	Below 120 mmHg	Primary vascular benefit endpoint
LDL cholesterol	Below 100 mg/dL	Detects the modest lipid effect
Liver enzymes (ALT/AST)	ALT & AST below ~25 U/L	Safety check; confirms no hepatic strain

Cadence: Baseline before starting, then ~8–12 weeks after starting, then every 6–12 months

Qualitative Assessment

Energy and exercise tolerance across the day
Cognitive clarity and short-term memory, especially in older users
Sleep quality and daytime alertness
Any gastrointestinal discomfort or unusual bruising, which signal side effects

trans-Resveratrol for Health & Longevity

Protocol

Benefits

Risk & Side Effects

Monitoring

Qualitative Assessment