How do experts use resveratrol? - CancerChoices



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.

How do experts use resveratrol?

Integrative experts provide recommendations for resveratrol in treating people with cancer. Learn more about the approaches and meanings of recommendations ›

Published protocols, programs, and approaches

These protocolsa package of therapies combining and preferably integrating various therapies and practices into a cohesive design for care, programs, and approaches by leaders in integrative cancer care use or recommend resveratrol.

We do not recommend specific integrative protocols or programs but provide information for you to evaluate with your healthcare team.

Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, and Karolyn Gazella

These books describe approaches for certain cancer types, or along with certain conventional therapy treatments, or for particular conditions such as insulin resistance.

Keith Block, MD

Block KI. Life over Cancer: The Block Center Program for Integrative Cancer Care. New York: Bantam Dell. 2009.

The integrative Block Program has recommendations to people who are at different places along the cancer continuum:

  • Those who’ve been recently diagnosed
  • Those in treatment
  • Those who’ve concluded treatment and need to remain vigilant to prevent recurrence

Gerald M. Lemole, MD; Pallav K. Mehta, MD; and Dwight L. McKee, MD

Lemole GM, Mehta PK, McKee DL. After Cancer Care: The Definitive Self-Care Guide to Getting and Staying Well for Patients with Cancer. New York, New York: Rodale, Inc. 2015.

These doctors present easy-to-incorporate lifestyle changes to help you “turn on” hundreds of genes that fight cancer, and “turn off” the ones that encourage cancer, while recommending lifestyle approaches to address each type.

Uses of resveratrol:

  • Breast cancer
  • Colorectal cancer
  • Lung cancer
  • Prostate cancer
  • Lymphoma
  • Melanoma

Neil McKinney, BSc, ND

McKinney N. Naturopathic Oncology, Fourth Edition. Victoria, BC, Canada: Liaison Press. 2020.

This book includes descriptions and uses of many natural and complementary protocols for cancer in general and for specific cancers. It also includes information on integrative support during conventional cancer treatment.

Uses of resveratrol for anti-cancer activities:

  • Protectant/healer of radiation therapy injury
  • Stem cell modulation
  • Promote apoptosis
  • Activate mitochondria
  • NF kappa B inhibitor
  • COX 2 inhibitor
  • Immune modulation
  • EGF and EGFR Inhibitor
  • Anti-angiogenic
  • Anti metastatic
  • PTK signal inhibitors
  • MMP Inhibitor
  • Collagenase inhibitor
  • TGFBeta inhibitor
  • BCL-2 inhibitor
  • TNF inhibitor
  • Hormone modulation
  • Anti-coagulant
  • PTEN Progrector (tumor suppressor gene)

Uses of resveratrol for specific cancer protocols:

  • Brain cancer (glioma)
  • Breast cancer
  • Colorectal cancer
  • Leukemia
  • Lung cancer
  • Lymphoma
  • Melanoma
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Myelodysplastic syndrome
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Prostate cancer
  • Stomach cancer
  • Thyroid cancer

Cautions:

  • Don’t mix with taxanes, as it may reduce their efficacy
  • Don’t mix with n-acetyl-cysteine

Part of the Jonathan Treasure Protocol, which includes curcumin, green tea EGCG, grapeseed oligomeric proanthocyanidins, resveratrol, licorice, rosemary, and ginger.

Nasha Winters ND, FABNO, LAc, DiplOM, and Jess Higgins Kelley, MNT

Winters ND, Kelley JH. The Metabolic Approach to Cancer. 2017. Chelsea Green Publishing.

This book’s metabolic approach to cancer is a “naturopathic nutrition program that uses the medicinal powers of traditional foods, therapeutic diets and non-toxic lifestyle approaches as cancer counteragents and preventives.“ The program focuses on 10 terrain elements and how to assess them and bring them into balance.

Uses of resveratrol:

  • Antioxidant/anti-inflammatory (from organic red wine) 
  • Activate CYP1A1 gene involved in detoxification and metabolism of estrogen (from food)
  • Activate adaptive stress response (food such as red grapes and pistachios)

Other expert assessments

Donald Abrams and Andrew Weil

Resveratrol is listed as an agent that reduces cancer risk (chemopreventive) and is reviewed for use in prostate cancer in chapter 22.

Moss Reports

The Moss Reports conclude that resveratrol has anticancer properties.

Dosing

Dosage has not been standardized for use in cancer care.

General information about dosing

Find general dosing guidelines regarding natural products and supplements in Dosing Guidelines ›

Keep reading about resveratrol

Author

Nancy Hepp, MS

Lead Researcher
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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.

Nancy Hepp, MS Lead Researcher

Reviewer

Andrew Jackson, ND

Research Associate
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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.

Andrew Jackson, ND Research Associate

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.

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