Admin
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Apart from the good it does for your heart, now researchers have found that a compound contained in red wine helps you live longer! The study administered resveratrol to bees. After administration, the bees showed a decrease in food intake and showed a tendency to live longer. Resveratrol is an active compound found in red wine.
Previous studies have shown the positive effect of resveratrol on the lifespan of various organisms such as unicellular yeast, fruit flies and mice. Series of experiments were conducted by , a team of scientists from Arizona State University, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, and Harvard Medical School, to test the effects of resveratrol on the lifespan, learning ability, and food perception in honeybees. Their research showed that honey bees showed a 33-38 percent increase in lifespan. Another astonishing find was that the bees showed an increased inclination to make more judicious decisions about food when they eat.
Resveratrol, is an antioxidant, which helps to combat the affects of 'free radicals'. This phenomenon has urged scientists think about its anti ageing properties. Free radicals are believed to cause damage to cells, and have an effect on how we age. Resveratrol did not, however, prove to extend lives of bees living under stressful conditions. Even so , since the bees tested with the compound were living longer, researchers were eager to know exactly what was causing this effect. Scientists feel that what we eat is who we are, and since bees gorge on sweet, too much could be detrimental. This restriction in consumption of sugar could be the reason for their longevity. Interestingly, Amdam, Rascon, and their research team discovered that bees given the compound were less sensitive to sugar. By using different sugar solutions some very diluted and some with stronger concentrations they found that bees receiving resveratrol were not as interested in eating the sugar solutions unless the sugar was highly concentrated. The bees basically changed their perception about food.
In a final experiment, they measured how much food the bees would consume, if their food source was unrestricted. Surprisingly, the bees that received the drug were not as interested in eating as the ones that had not been given the drug. Scientists say it is possible that resveratrol may be working by some mechanism that is related to caloric restriction which is a dietary regimen long known to extend lifespan in diverse organisms.