Q. I read in a magazine to take hyaluronic acid and resveratrol for longevity.
A. Hyaluronic acid may sound like it belongs in a car engine, but it has many proponents, mainly to combat skin aging. However, there are no excellent, randomized studies to support its use. Plus, it needs to be injected to be effective; the pill form doesn't appear to work even in the poor-quality studies. Now, resveratrol is a different story. Resveratrol is the flavonoid in grape skins, and it's been shown to have anti-aging properties—in the form of three grapes a day or a glass of red wine. All grapes—especially ones grown in moist climates—have resveratrol, so you don't need red grapes. Larger doses are under study for its beneficial effects in preventing cancer. We'll gladly toast to that.
|
