Resveratrol has received a substantial amount of media attention in the last several years – and for good reason! This compound has significant anti-inflammatory effects, and studies indicate it can increase heart health, lung function, and overall well-being when consumed in moderate amounts. And now, a new European study shows that it may play a role in reducing the risk of developing Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, two debilitating gastrointestinal illnesses that cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, and intestinal bleeding. Ulcerative colitis was recently in the spotlight after Casey Abrams of American Idol missed performances to be treated for the disease.
Details of the Study
In this study, researchers divided mice into two groups: one group received a resveratrol supplement in their diets (the experimental group), and one group did not (the control group). The experimental group received 20mg of resveratrol per kilogram of food. Both groups were fed their respective diets for 30 days.
The researchers then induced colitis in both groups by using a compound known to inflame the intestinal walls. The resveratrol group experienced less severe and less frequent symptoms than the group with the standard diet. The mice on the standard diet experienced dehydrating diarrhea, severe weight loss, and significant rectal bleeding, and 40% of them died. In contrast, none of the mice in the resveratrol group died.
The resveratrol group experienced the symptoms of colitis, but on a much smaller scale. Even though they lost weight, they lost signficantly less weight than the control group. They experienced diarrhea, but it was less severe than the the mice in the control group. The same effect was observed on the intestinal bleeding—the resveratrol mice had significantly less bleeding than the control mice.
The effects of the resveratrol were also long lasting. The mice who received the resveratrol dietary supplement of 20mg were better able to recover from the colitis than their normal-diet counterparts.
These findings suggest that resveratrol may be an effective treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Resveratrol’s long lasting effects may even help to prevent these diseases altogether, a finding that is exciting for Gastroenterologists worldwide.