Resveratrol Benefits: What Trials Show

Quick answer

Resveratrol benefits, in short: Resveratrol is a plant compound found in red grape skins that became famous after exciting results in lab animals. In people, the picture is much less exciting. One review found small improvements in blood sugar markers [1], but others found no effect on inflammation, cholesterol or blood pressure [2], and a well-run trial in obese men found no metabolic benefit at a high dose [3]. We rate the evidence C: mixed, with little proof it does much for healthy aging in people.

What is resveratrol?

Resveratrol is a natural “polyphenol”, a type of plant chemical. It is found in the skin of red grapes, some berries and peanuts, and is made into supplements, often from a plant called Japanese knotweed. Interest took off because it seemed to switch on the same pathways as eating much less food in animals. People take it hoping for similar aging-related effects, but those results have not been shown clearly in human trials.

Resveratrol benefits: what might it help with?

Possible benefit	Rating	In plain words
Blood sugar and insulin resistance	Mixed	Some improvement in a review of 30 studies, but results varied a lot between trials [1]
Inflammation (CRP), cholesterol, blood pressure	No clear benefit	A review of 10 trials found no meaningful change [2]
Metabolic health in obese men	No clear benefit	A 4-week placebo-controlled trial found no effect on insulin sensitivity, blood pressure or body fat [3]
Lifespan and “anti-aging” effects	Early (animal or lab only)	Strong signals in animals and lab dishes, not shown in people

Ratings describe how good the research is, not a promise that it will work for you.

What the research says

• Blood sugar review (30 studies). Around 60% of the studies found at least one favorable effect. Pooled together, insulin resistance and long-term blood sugar (HbA1c) were lower, and fasting glucose was lower only in people who already had diabetes. But the studies disagreed strongly with each other, so the result is shaky [1]. PubMed · DOI
• Heart-risk markers review (10 trials). Resveratrol did not change CRP (a blood marker of inflammation), total or LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose or blood pressure. It slightly lowered “good” HDL cholesterol [2]. PubMed · DOI
• High-dose trial in obese men. In 24 obese but otherwise healthy men, 4 weeks of resveratrol did not improve insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, energy use, body fat or inflammation markers compared with placebo. The authors said the lack of effect “disagrees with persuasive data obtained from rodent models” [3]. PubMed · DOI

The main limits: many trials are small and short, use different doses and products, and often study people who already have a health condition rather than healthy adults.

Amounts and how people take it

These are amounts used in studies, not recommendations.

• Trial amount: see the next section.
• Forms: supplements usually list “trans-resveratrol”, the form used in research. Red wine and grapes contain only small amounts.
• Timing: the sources we checked don’t give a firm rule.
• Absorption: reviews note that how much reaches the bloodstream is a recurring question [4].

Resveratrol dosage: what trials used

The trial in obese men used 500 mg of trans-resveratrol three times a day (1,500 mg a day) for 4 weeks [3]. Other studies use a wide range of doses, which is one reason their results are hard to compare. We haven’t extracted verified dose figures from the other reviews, so we don’t list a dose table. These are amounts used in studies, not recommendations.

Resveratrol with NMN or NAD+ supplements?

We found no trial in our sources testing resveratrol together with NMN or other NAD+ products, so we can’t say whether the combination does anything extra. This was not an exhaustive search. See our NMN entry.

Side effects, interactions and who should check first

A 2020 review of the safety research found that toxicity and side effects have been reported with resveratrol, that long-term human data are limited, and that information on how it interacts with other treatments is still lacking [4]. In plain words: it is not well studied for long-term use, and we can’t tell you which medicines it might clash with.

Who should check with a doctor or pharmacist first

Check with a doctor or pharmacist first if you:

• take any regular medicine, especially blood thinners or diabetes medicine, because interaction data are lacking [4]
• have a hormone-sensitive condition or are being treated for any serious illness
• are pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning to be
• are thinking of high doses or long-term use, where we have the least evidence [4]

Where to buy

Availability varies by country; in Great Britain, trans-resveratrol food supplements for adults (capsules or tablets) are authorized up to 150 mg a day [5].

Look for the active form and amount (trans-resveratrol, in mg per serving), a stated third-party testing certificate you can check, and work out the price per daily dose rather than comparing pack prices. Our resveratrol buying guide explains how we choose products.

FAQ

What is resveratrol?

Resveratrol is a plant compound found in red grape skins, some berries and peanuts, and it is made into supplements, often from a plant called Japanese knotweed. It became famous after exciting results in lab animals, but human results are much more mixed.

Does resveratrol work?

In animals it had strong effects, but in people the picture is mixed. One review found small improvements in blood sugar markers [1], while others found no effect on inflammation, cholesterol or blood pressure [2]. We rate the evidence C, so it is not proven to help with any health goal.

How much resveratrol per day?

The obese-men trial used 500 mg of trans-resveratrol three times a day (1,500 mg a day) for 4 weeks [3]. Other studies use a wide range of doses. These are amounts used in studies, not recommendations.

Who should not take resveratrol?

Check with a doctor or pharmacist first if you take any regular medicine (especially blood thinners or diabetes medicine), have a hormone-sensitive condition, are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning to be, or are thinking of high doses or long-term use, where there is the least evidence [4].

Can you take resveratrol with Eliquis?

A 2020 safety review found that information on how resveratrol interacts with other treatments is lacking [4], so we can’t say it is safe with blood thinners such as apixaban (Eliquis). Ask a doctor or pharmacist before combining them.

Related pages

• NMN
• Quercetin: another plant polyphenol
• Fisetin: another plant polyphenol
• Our resveratrol buying guide
• Longevity supplements for beginners: where this fits in a beginner’s routine
• All supplements A-Z

Talk to your doctor

This page is for general information and is not medical advice. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before starting any supplement, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take any medicine, or have a health condition.

References

We cite only studies and official pages we checked against PubMed, the publisher or the agency’s own site. The A to E evidence grades are explained in our editorial policy. See also our medical disclaimer and affiliate disclosure.

1. Delpino FM, Figueiredo LM. Resveratrol supplementation and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2022. PubMed · DOI
2. Sahebkar A, Serban C, Ursoniu S, et al. Lack of efficacy of resveratrol on C-reactive protein and selected cardiovascular risk factors—Results from a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Int J Cardiol. 2015. PubMed · DOI
3. Poulsen MM, Vestergaard PF, Clasen BF, et al. High-dose resveratrol supplementation in obese men: an investigator-initiated, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of substrate metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and body composition. Diabetes. 2013. PubMed · DOI
4. Shaito A, Posadino AM, Younes N, et al. Potential Adverse Effects of Resveratrol: A Literature Review. Int J Mol Sci. 2020. PubMed · DOI
5. Food Standards Agency. Authorised Regulated Food and Feed Products for Great Britain: NOVEL-138, Trans-resveratrol (food supplements for adults in capsule or tablet form, maximum 150 mg/day; status date 31 December 2020; applies in England, Scotland and Wales). FSA register (accessed 1 November 2026)