Resveratrol, a key antioxidant compound well recognized in red wine, has been shown, in vitro, to hinder the maturation of immature fat cells into adult fat cells, this according to a study presented by a team of German scientists at the 90th Annual Endocrine Society Meeting in San Francisco in 2008.  The team, from the University of Ulm in Germany, reported that resveratrol may offer potential as a fat reducing supplement in the future through reduction of weight gain and indirect health impacts from obesity.  The German team conducted their research through preadipocytes or immature fat cells that mature into adipocytes or fat cells.

The scientists exposed the preadipocytes to varying doses of resveratrol and then observed the maturation progress of the cells.  Not only was the chemical transformation to mature cells slowed, but the production of some proteins linked to the development of fat related disorders was reduced as well; related diseases such as type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis.  As well, the metabolism regulating protein, adiponectin, was stimulated, decreasing the potential risk for a heart attack.  Adiponectin is secreted by adipocytes and helps to regulate the metabolism to lipids and glucose and influences the body’s response to insulin.  The protein hormone also reduces inflammation of cells lining the blood vessel walls.

However, don’t rush out expecting to gain all of these benefits through red wine consumption.  The amount of resveratrol necessary to reach such therapeutic levels would require consuming several bottles of red wine, a practice that clearly has its own adverse health risks.  In addition, the effects of resveratrol were dose dependent i.e., the more resveratrol consumed, the more effective the anti-obesity effects would be.  Thus far, there are no reliable studies on humans so caution is warranted in interpreting the results.  It is possible, however, that these studies will prompt further research into resveratrol containing supplements at some point in the future.