Resveratrol
Resveratrol is a natural antioxidant compound found in grape skins and other foods and widely available as a supplement. It is linked to body terrainthe internal conditions of your body, including nutritional status, fitness, blood sugar balance, hormone balance, inflammation and more that is less favorable to cancer growth and spread.
Resveratrol at a glance
Resveratrol is a polyphenol that can reduce oxidative stressan imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in your body in which antioxidant levels are lower than normal; this imbalance can cause harmful oxidation reactions in your body chemistry. Resveratrol is found in grape skins and seeds, peanuts, blueberries, cranberries, and cocoa but is usually taken as a supplement. Supplements are generally low-cost and widely available.
Resveratrol’s main contribution regarding cancer is in optimizing your body terrain, especially reducing inflammation that is known to support cancer development and growth. Use also leads to lower body weight, blood sugar, and insulin resistancea condition in which cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don’t respond well to insulin and can’t efficiently take up glucose from your blood for energy among people with diabetes or other metabolic imbalances, and preliminary evidence shows some effects on other body terrain factors important in cancer: coagulation, hormone balance, and levels of vascular endothelial growth factora substance made by cells, including cancer cells, that stimulates new blood vessel formation (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1a substance made by cells, including cancer cells, that stimulates new blood vessel formation (HIF1). Resveratrol is used widely in integrativein cancer care, a patient-centered approach combining the best of conventional care, self care, and evidence-informed complementary care in an integrated plan programs.
Before using resveratrol, note cautions about interactions with a few prescription drugs. Consult your oncology team about interactions with other treatments and therapies. Also make sure resveratrol is safe for use with any other medical conditions you may have.
Resveratrol is a main phytochemical in grape seeds and skins. Also see our review of Grapes and Grape Extracts.
CancerChoices ratings for resveratrol
We rate resveratrol on seven attributes, with 0 the lowest rating and 5 the highest. We rate the strength of the evidence supporting the use of resveratrol for a medical benefit, such as improving treatment outcomes or managing side effects.
See how we evaluate and rate complementary therapies ›
Improving treatment outcomes
See More- Preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of higher levels of a markera chemical or substance, such as certain proteins or genetic material, that are associated with the presence of cancer or a change in status or prognosis; these markers can be detected in blood, urine, or tissue. Tumor markers are not direct measures of clinical outcomes such as survival or metastasis, and if a therapy or treatment shows an impact only on tumor markers, we cannot surmise that it will affect survival. of programmed cell death in cancerous liver tissue from people with colorectal cancer and liver metastases treated with resveratrol
Optimizing your body terrain
See MoreGood or modest evidence of benefit
- Modest evidencesignificant effects in at least three small but well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs), or one or more well-designed, mid-sized clinical studies of reasonably good quality (RCTs or observational studies), or several small studies aggregated into a meta-analysis (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of smaller waist circumference among people with metabolic syndromea cluster of conditions that occur together, including increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels treated with more than 500 mg resveratrol for 10 or more weeks
- Good evidencesignificant effects in one large or several mid-sized and well-designed clinical studies (randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with an appropriate placebo or other strong comparison control or observational studies that control for confounds) (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of lower markers of blood sugar and insulin resistancea condition in which cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don’t respond well to insulin and can’t efficiently take up glucose from your blood for energy among people with diabetes or other metabolic imbalances treated with resveratrol
- Good evidence of lower markers of inflammation among people with metabolic disorders treated with resveratrol
Preliminary evidence of benefit
- Preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of lower fasting insulin and insulin resistance index among healthy postmenopausal women treated with resveratrol
- Preliminary evidence of less coagulation among people with or at high risk of cardiovascular disease treated with resveratrol
- Preliminary evidence of higher levels of adiponectina hormone and signaling protein involved in regulating glucose levels and fatty acid breakdown—which contributes to the control of glucose uptake and lipid metabolism—among people at high risk of cardiovascular disease treated with resveratrol
- Preliminary evidence of lower glucagon responses but no evidence of an effectoverall, one or more studies did not demonstrate that a treatment or intervention led to an expected outcome; this does not always mean that there is no effect in clinical practice, but that the studies may have been underpowered (too few participants) or poorly designed. Larger, well-designed studies provide more confidence in making assessments. on glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide after a meal among obese men treated with resveratrol
- Preliminary evidence of lower serum levels of androgen precursors but no evidence of an effect on testosterone, free testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone among middle-aged men with metabolic syndrome treated with resveratrol
- Preliminary evidence of altered markers of endoplasmic reticulum stress among women with polycystic ovary syndrome treated with resveratrol
- Preliminary evidence of higher levels of adiponectin—which regulates insulin sensitivity and inflammation—plus lower body mass index and waist-hip ratio among obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome treated with resveratrol and myoinositol
- Preliminary evidence of lower levels of inflammatory cytokines during treatment with high-dose melphalan after transplant among people with multiple myeloma treated with resveratrol and copper
No evidence of benefit
- No evidence of an effectoverall, one or more studies did not demonstrate that a treatment or intervention led to an expected outcome; this does not always mean that there is no effect in clinical practice, but that the studies may have been underpowered (too few participants) or poorly designed. Larger, well-designed studies provide more confidence in making assessments. on blood sugar among people treated with resveratrol in a combined analysis of studies (not specific to people with metabolic imbalances)
- No evidence of an effect on body mass index among people with polycystic ovary syndrome treated with resveratrol in a combined analysis of studies
- No evidence of an effect on a marker of inflammation among people treated with resveratrol or with higher resveratrol levels from diet in a combined analysis of studies (not specific to metabolic disorders)
Managing side effects and promoting wellness
See MoreGood or modest evidence of benefit
- Modest evidencesignificant effects in at least three small but well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs), or one or more well-designed, mid-sized clinical studies of reasonably good quality (RCTs or observational studies), or several small studies aggregated into a meta-analysis (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of higher markers of bone density among people treated with resveratrol (not specific to cancer)
- Good evidencesignificant effects in one large or several mid-sized and well-designed clinical studies (randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with an appropriate placebo or other strong comparison control or observational studies that control for confounds) (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of lower blood pressure among people with type 2 diabetes treated with resveratrol (not specific to cancer)
- Modest evidence of markers of blood flow to the brain but insufficient (conflicting) evidencepreclinical evidence only OR clinical studies with such poor or unclear methodology that no conclusion can be drawn OR conflicting findings across clinical studies with no preponderance of evidence in one direction; conflicting evidence occurs when studies find conflicting effects (positive effect vs no effect or negative effect) with the same treatment and the same general study population (same cancer type, for example) (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of an effect on cognitive performance (not specific to cancer)
Preliminary evidence of benefit
- Preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of more favorable red blood cell deformability after a heart attack (post-infarction) among Caucasians treated with resveratrol (not specific to cancer)
- Preliminary evidence of higher flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery—a biomarker of endothelial function and cardiovascular health—among overweight/obese men or postmenopausal women with untreated borderline hypertension treated with resveratrol (not specific to cancer)
- Preliminary evidence of less hair loss among women with polycystic ovary syndrome treated with resveratrol (not specific to cancer)
- Preliminary evidence of lower composite pain scores, especially among overweight women, among healthy postmenopausal women treated with resveratrol (not specific to cancer)
No evidence of benefit
- No evidence of an effectoverall, one or more studies did not demonstrate that a treatment or intervention led to an expected outcome; this does not always mean that there is no effect in clinical practice, but that the studies may have been underpowered (too few participants) or poorly designed. Larger, well-designed studies provide more confidence in making assessments. on systolic and diastolic blood pressure among people treated with resveratrol in a combined analysis of studies (not specific to cancer or metabolic disorders)
- No evidence of an effect on measures of hormonal migraine headaches among people with hormonal migraines treated with resveratrol in a small study (not specific to cancer)
Reducing cancer risk
See More- No evidence of an effectoverall, one or more studies did not demonstrate that a treatment or intervention led to an expected outcome; this does not always mean that there is no effect in clinical practice, but that the studies may have been underpowered (too few participants) or poorly designed. Larger, well-designed studies provide more confidence in making assessments. on risk of cancer as a whole among people without cancer at baseline with the highest levels of urinary resveratrol from diet in a mid-sized study
- Preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of one lower markera chemical or substance, such as certain proteins or genetic material, that are associated with the presence of cancer or a change in status or prognosis; these markers can be detected in blood, urine, or tissue. Tumor markers are not direct measures of clinical outcomes such as survival or metastasis, and if a therapy or treatment shows an impact only on tumor markers, we cannot surmise that it will affect survival. of cancer development but no evidence of an effect on other markers among women at increased breast cancer risk treated with trans-resveratrol
- Preliminary evidence of lower vascular endothelial growth factora substance made by cells, including cancer cells, that stimulates new blood vessel formation (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1a substance made by cells, including cancer cells, that stimulates new blood vessel formation (HIF1), which promote development of the blood supply for tumors, among people with polycystic ovary syndrome or lymphangioleiomyomatosis treated with resveratrol
- No evidence of an effect on prostate size or circulating levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) among middle-aged men with metabolic syndromea cluster of conditions that occur together, including increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels treated with resveratrol
Use by integrative oncology experts
See More- Used in several (at least 4) of our program sources
- Not mentioned in integrative cancer clinical practice guidelines
Safety
See More- Generally well tolerated, although high doses can cause mild to severe side effects
- May inhibit enzymes that are necessary to metabolize some drugs and so may interact with the function and safety of those drugs
- Should not be used in conjunction with a few prescription drugs
Affordability and access
See More- Widely available without a prescription at drug stores and online retailers
- Low cost (under $500 US/year)
Keep reading about resveratrol
Author
Ms. Hepp is a researcher and communicator who has been writing and editing educational content on varied health topics for more than 20 years. She serves as lead researcher and writer for CancerChoices and also served as the first program manager. Her graduate work in research and cognitive psychology, her master’s degree in instructional design, and her certificate in web design have all guided her in writing and presenting information for a wide variety of audiences and uses. Nancy’s service as faculty development coordinator in the Department of Family Medicine at Wright State University also provided experience in medical research, plus insights into medical education and medical care from the professional’s perspective.
Reviewer
Andrew Jackson, ND, serves as a CancerChoices research associate. As a naturopathic physician practicing in Kirkland, Washington, he teaches critical evaluation of the medical literture at Bastyr University in Kenmore, Washington. His great appreciation of scientific inquiry and the scientific process has led him to view research with a critical eye.
Last update: May 7, 2024
Last full literature review: February 2024
CancerChoices provides information about integrative in cancer care, a patient-centered approach combining the best of conventional care, self care and evidence-informed complementary care in an integrated plan cancer care. We review complementaryin cancer care, complementary care involves the use of therapies intended to enhance or add to standard conventional treatments; examples include supplements, mind-body approaches such as yoga or psychosocial therapy, and acupuncture therapies and self-care lifestyle actions and behaviors that may impact cancer outcomes; examples include eating health-promoting foods, limiting alcohol, increasing physical activity, and managing stress practices to help patients and professionals explore and integrate the best combination of conventionalthe cancer care offered by conventionally trained physicians and most hospitals; examples are chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy and complementary therapies and practices for each person.
Our staff have no financial conflicts of interest to declare. We receive no funds from any manufacturers or retailers gaining financial profit by promoting or discouraging therapies mentioned on this site.