Safety Precautions

Safety_Of_ResveratrolAlthough some safety precautions about resveratrol indicate a risk of toxic effects on the kidney, this has mostly been found in animal studies where extremely high doses of 3000 mg/kg of body weight have been given.34 In human clinical trials, resveratrol has been tested at doses as high as 270 mg/day and up to five grams in a single dose without serious negative side effects.29

A new, more potent form of resveratrol called resVida® was extensively tested by the company producing it in lab, animal, and worker safety studies (for safety from exposure during the manufacturing process). Independent review of these tests and others addressed the following concerns:33

Safety Studies on Resveratrol (including resVida®)
Pregnancy and Fetal Development Lab tests indicated that trans-resveratrol exhibited some effects similar to the hormone estrogen. However, multiple animal studies ranging in duration of five days to thirteen weeks and involving daily doses of 750-3000 mg demonstrated no negative effects on the pregnant female rats, fetal development, or their offspring.33
General, Cardiac, and Kidney Health Although some participants in one clinical study involving multiple myeloma patients and resveratrol experienced kidney failure resulting in the drug company suspending the trial, kidney disease is associated with the patients' underlying myeloma.35 Animal studies of dosages ranging from 200-3000 mg/day for 1-6 months in rats, rabbits, and dogs demonstrated no serious adverse effects.33
 

Potential Drug Interactions

Research indicates that resveratrol can help keep your heart healthy. However, lab studies have found that resveratrol blocks blood platelets from sticking together, which suggests that it may enhance the effects of anticoagulant drugs (e.g., warfarin) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin. You may not want to use resveratrol with these types of drugs without discussing the risks with your doctor. Also, be sure to stop using resveratrol 7-10 days before undergoing any invasive cardiovascular medical procedure (again, because of its anti-platelet activities, which could interfere with recovery).36

Theoretically resveratrol could also inhibit the activity of a certain enzyme (CYP3A4) in the body that many pharmaceutical drugs (e.g., HIV inhibitors, cardiovascular medications, immunosuppressants, antihistamines, depressants, and erectile dysfunction drugs) rely on to be metabolized. If CYP3A4 is inhibited, these drugs could stay longer in the body than intended and toxicity could be increased.25

On the other hand, resveratrol has been shown to help boost the effectiveness of some of these very same drugs. Animal and lab studies show that resveratrol synergistically increases the performance of erectile dysfunction drugs that work by improving the dilation of blood vessel walls (e.g., Viagra® and Levitra®).11

Lab Test Interference

Resveratrol can interfere with the accuracy of certain dye tests for amyloid fibrils (misfolded aggregated proteins found in Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions).37

Potential Disease Interaction

Results from a study published in 2010 suggest that people with hepatitis C should not take resveratrol, since it promoted replication of this particular virus in a dose-dependent manner under in vitro conditions.38

Disclaimer: This website is not intended to replace professional consultation, diagnosis, or treatment by a licensed physician. If you require any medical related advice, contact your physician promptly. Information at Resveratrol.com is exclusively of a general reference nature. Do not disregard medical advice or delay treatment as a result of accessing information at this site.
On diabetic rats.
Laboratory experiments not involving human or
animal subjects.
 

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