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VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS · GUIDE

Resveratrol: Evidence for Heart, Blood Sugar and Aging Claims

What systematic reviews found when resveratrol supplements were tested for heart risk factors, blood sugar and older adults' health, and why red wine and aging claims go further than the evidence.

Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.

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Quick answer
Resveratrol is a stilbene, a type of polyphenol, found largely in grapes; red wine also contains a significant amount. [1] Reviews of supplement trials show a mixed picture. Some lab-style measures of artery function improved, but reviews of cholesterol, inflammation, blood pressure and blood sugar mostly found no clear benefit, and a 2021 umbrella review concluded that current evidence does not support resveratrol for managing cardiometabolic risk factors. [2] Proper evidence not found that resveratrol slows human aging; the longevity research is covered on resveratrol and longevity.

Evidence labels are explained on Antioxidants Explained. "Antioxidant" is a lab property, and biomarker changes (a blood test or an artery measurement) are not the same as fewer heart attacks or longer life.

Absorption: why capsule amounts and blood levels differ

A review of human studies reported that about 75% of an oral dose is absorbed, but the body metabolizes resveratrol so extensively in the intestine and liver that oral bioavailability is considerably less than 1%. [3] Results from lab cells exposed to resveratrol therefore may not apply to people who swallow it. Related compounds are compared on resveratrol vs pterostilbene.

What the reviews found

Study amounts are not advice. Where a source did not list the dose, none is given.
7 findings · 3 mixed · 4 limited or unclearThe colour follows the evidence label on each card.

  1. Artery function

    Biomarker only

    A 2022 meta-analysis (17 studies, 21 trial arms) found flow-mediated dilation (an ultrasound test of artery widening) improved by about 1.4 percentage points; VCAM-1, fibrinogen and PAI-1 did not change significantly. [4]

  2. Cholesterol, inflammation and blood pressure

    No good evidence of benefit

    A 2015 meta-analysis of 10 trials found no significant change in C-reactive protein, total or LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose or blood pressure, and slightly lower HDL cholesterol; the authors concluded it does not suggest benefit on these risk factors. [5]

  3. Type 2 diabetes, Cochrane review

    Insufficient evidence

    Only three trials (50 people; 10 mg, 150 mg or 1,000 mg daily for four to five weeks) were eligible. Results for HbA1c, glucose and insulin resistance were neutral, and the reviewers said research is insufficient to judge safety or benefit. [6]

  4. Type 2 diabetes, other meta-analysis

    Mixed

    A 2017 meta-analysis of nine trials (283 people) found lower fasting glucose and insulin but negligible change in HbA1c. [7]

  5. Diabetes, metabolic syndrome and fatty liver

    Mixed

    A 2021 umbrella review found some beneficial effects but mostly trivial in size, with very low to low certainty or too few trials; it concluded current evidence does not support resveratrol for these risk factors. A short-term HbA1c effect (under 12 weeks) was rated moderate certainty. [2]

  6. Older adults

    Mixed

    A 2024 review of 10 trials: benefits in some groups (with exercise, in Alzheimer's disease studies), no better than placebo in older adults with diabetes or peripheral artery disease, and some cardiovascular risk markers rose at high doses. [8]

  7. Red wine as a source

    Insufficient evidence

    Proper evidence not found. We read no trial that compared wine with a supplement, and no source that gave a health benefit for drinking wine to get resveratrol.

The reviews pooled small, short trials that used different amounts, products and groups of people, which is one reason results differ.

Aging and longevity claims

The older-adult review above did not test whether resveratrol slows aging itself; it looked at physical function, cognition and health markers. Its authors said optimal dosage, long-term effects and interactions with medications still need study in well-designed trials. [8] Longevity claims, comparisons with NMN and the research on cells and animals are handled elsewhere: resveratrol and longevity and NAD, NMN, resveratrol and longevity claims.

Official intake levels

No recommended intake or upper limit for resveratrol is described in the sources we read, and it is not an essential nutrient.

Frequently asked questions

Does resveratrol lower blood sugar?

Results are mixed. A 2017 meta-analysis found lower fasting glucose; a Cochrane review of three small trials could not tell; a 2021 umbrella review did not support use for cardiometabolic risk factors. [7][6][2]

Does resveratrol protect the heart?

It improved one artery-function test in a meta-analysis, but another found no benefit on cholesterol, inflammation or blood pressure. [4][5]

Does resveratrol slow aging?

Proper evidence not found in humans in the sources we read; results in older adults were mixed. [8]

Is red wine a good way to get resveratrol?

Red wine contains resveratrol, but Proper evidence not found that drinking it gives a health benefit. [1]

Does resveratrol interact with medicines?

Yes, it may. It can raise bleeding risk and affects several liver enzymes. Ask a pharmacist. [9]

More details: evidence, limits and cautions

The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.

Safety
  • Side effects: Memorial Sloan Kettering lists nausea, gas, abdominal pain and diarrhea as possible side effects of high doses. [9] A 2020 review found relatively few reports on toxicity and said long-term effects need more study. [10]
  • Medicines: MSK says resveratrol may raise bleeding risk, so people taking warfarin should talk to their provider. [9] In healthy volunteers taking 1 gram daily for 4 weeks, it inhibited CYP3A4, 2D6 and 2C9 and induced 1A2, so it can affect levels of medicines processed by those enzymes. [9] Data on interactions with other therapies are lacking. [10] See medication interactions.
  • Hormone-sensitive conditions: MSK says resveratrol shows estrogen-like properties and that patients with hormone-sensitive cancers should use caution. [9]
  • Foods versus supplements: MSK says it is generally safe to eat foods with resveratrol, and advises talking with your healthcare provider before taking resveratrol supplements. [9]
  • Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, kidney and liver conditions: Proper evidence not found in the sources we read. Ask a clinician or pharmacist.
  • Before surgery: because of the bleeding caution, tell the surgical team; see supplements before surgery.

Full safety information is on resveratrol side effects, interactions and safety. Product quality is covered on reading supplement labels. For the wider group see polyphenols, quercetin and resveratrol.

References
  1. Pandey KB, Rizvi SI. Plant polyphenols as dietary antioxidants in human health and disease. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2009. Read 2026-10-23.
  2. Resveratrol in type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and NAFLD: umbrella review. Am J Clin Nutr 2021. Read 2026-10-23.
  3. Walle T. Bioavailability of resveratrol. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2011. Read 2026-10-23.
  4. Mohammadipoor N et al. Resveratrol supplementation and endothelial health: systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytother Res 2022. Read 2026-10-23.
  5. Resveratrol, C-reactive protein and selected cardiovascular risk factors: systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Cardiol 2015. Read 2026-10-23.
  6. Resveratrol for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020. Read 2026-10-23.
  7. Resveratrol, glucose control and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Metab 2017. Read 2026-10-23.
  8. Yadegar S et al. Effects and safety of resveratrol supplementation in older adults: systematic review. Phytother Res 2024. Read 2026-10-23.
  9. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Resveratrol (updated February 2023). Read 2026-10-23.
  10. Shaito A et al. Potential adverse effects of resveratrol: a literature review. Int J Mol Sci 2020. Read 2026-10-23.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.