Resveratrol
Summary
Human results for resveratrol are inconsistent. Meta-analyses found no overall effect on blood pressure, glucose in people without diabetes, or memory, with some subgroup benefits at higher amounts. Plain trans-resveratrol reaches only low blood levels. Trials in older adults reported no significant adverse events, but long-term data are lacking.
Key facts
- Trans-resveratrol (the form in the pharmacokinetic trial); the pooled analyses do not break down the forms used[8][3]
- No head-to-head human outcome data between products in our sources; repeated doses gave low plasma levels with high person-to-person variation[8]
- Blood pressure: no overall effect, lower systolic at 150 mg/day or more (C); glucose: no effect without diabetes (C); memory and cognition: no effect (C)[1][2][4]
- In a review of 10 trials in older adults, no study reported significant adverse events; adverse events were mild in a short dose-escalation trial; long-term effects and drug interactions are not well studied[9][8][10]
- 4 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 9, 2026
How it works
ProposedAntioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging activities have been attributed to resveratrol, largely from laboratory and animal research, while human trial results have been conflicting (proposed). In people, repeated doses produced relatively low plasma trans-resveratrol, with a half-life of 2–5 hours.[10][8]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metabolic | Grade C | Mixed | Meta-analysis · n = 388 · 2014 | 2 rows |
| Heart | Grade C | Mixed | Meta-analysis · n = 247 · 2015 | 1 row |
| Focus | Grade C | No effect | Meta-analysis · n = 226 · 2018 | 1 row |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fasting glucose, insulin and HbA1c | Mixed | Grade C | Meta-analysis · n = 388 · 2014 Adults with and without diabetes in 11 randomized controlled trials Form: Resveratrol · Dose: Varied; results not affected by dose in subgroup analyses · Duration: Varied No significant effect on glucose measures in people without diabetes. In people with diabetes, fasting glucose, insulin, HbA1c and insulin resistance fell. | 24695890 (opens PubMed)Source [2] |
| Blood pressure | Mixed | Grade C | Meta-analysis · n = 247 · 2015 Adults in 6 randomized controlled trials Form: Resveratrol · Dose: Subgroups below and at or above 150 mg/day · Duration: Not stated in the abstract No significant overall effect on systolic or diastolic pressure. In the higher-dose subgroup (150 mg/day or more), systolic pressure fell by 11.9 mmHg; meta-regression showed no dose effect. | 24731650 (opens PubMed)Source [1] |
| Memory and cognitive performance; mood | No effect | Grade C | Meta-analysis · n = 226 · 2018 Participants in 4 randomized clinical trials Form: Resveratrol · Dose: Not stated in the abstract · Duration: Not stated in the abstract No significant effect on learning, delayed recall, retention or recognition (effect sizes near zero). Two mood-scale items (vigor and fatigue) changed significantly; other mood measures did not. | 28844841 (opens PubMed)Source [4] |
| HbA1c and fasting glucose (Cochrane review) | No effect | Grade C | Meta-analysis · n = 50 · 2020 Adults with type 2 diabetes in 3 randomized controlled trials Form: Oral resveratrol, not combined with other polyphenols · Dose: 10, 150 or 1,000 mg/day · Duration: 4 to 5 weeks Neutral effects on HbA1c, fasting glucose and insulin resistance (very low-certainty evidence). No adverse events were observed in the three trials. | 31978258 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trans-resveratrol (capsules, often from Japanese knotweed) | Varies[8] | Repeated doses of 25–150 mg six times a day gave peak plasma levels of 3.9–63.8 ng/mL, with over 40% variation between people; bioavailability was higher after morning doses.[8] | Adverse events were mild and similar to placebo in the dose-escalation trial.[8] | Blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, cognition |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 10 to 1,000 mg of resveratrol a day, in trials lasting from 4 weeks to at least 3 months.[3][7]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
None found in our sources.
Who should be careful
- People taking prescription medicines
- Data on interactions between resveratrol and other therapies are still lacking, according to a 2020 review.[10]
- High amounts
- In older adults with overweight, high amounts raised some blood markers of cardiovascular risk, according to a 2024 systematic review.[9]
- Before you start
- Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before adding this supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a chronic health condition.[9]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
Articles about Resveratrol
Plain-English answers to common questions, built on the evidence above.
Frequently asked questions
Does resveratrol lower blood pressure?
Not overall. A meta-analysis of 6 trials found no significant effect, though a higher-dose subgroup (150 mg/day or more) showed lower systolic pressure. Another meta-analysis of 10 trials found no effect.[1][5]
Does resveratrol lower cholesterol?
The meta-analyses disagree. A 2022 dose-response analysis found lower total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL, while a 2015 analysis found no change and a slight drop in HDL.[6][5]
Does resveratrol help weight loss?
A meta-analysis of 28 trials found very small reductions in weight (about 0.5 kg) and waist size (about 0.8 cm), with no change in fat mass.[7]
Is resveratrol well absorbed?
Repeated doses produced relatively low plasma levels with large differences between people. Levels were higher after morning doses.[8]
Does resveratrol add to nicotinamide riboside?
In a 6-month trial in people with leg artery disease, resveratrol did not add benefit to nicotinamide riboside for walking distance.[11]
Sources
- [1]Effect of resveratrol on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.. Clin Nutr, 2015. meta-analysis
- [2]Effect of resveratrol on glucose control and insulin sensitivity: a meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials.. Am J Clin Nutr, 2014. meta-analysis
- [3]Resveratrol for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2020. meta-analysis
- [4]Effect of resveratrol on cognitive and memory performance and mood: A meta-analysis of 225 patients.. Pharmacol Res, 2018. meta-analysis
- [5]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. meta-analysis
- [6]The Effect of Resveratrol on Blood Lipid Profile: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.. Nutrients, 2022. meta-analysis
- [7]Resveratrol supplementation significantly influences obesity measures: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.. Obes Rev, 2019. meta-analysis
- [8]Pharmacokinetic and safety profile of trans-resveratrol in a rising multiple-dose study in healthy volunteers.. Mol Nutr Food Res, 2009. RCT
- [9]Effects and safety of resveratrol supplementation in older adults: A comprehensive systematic review.. Phytother Res, 2024. systematic-review
- [10]Potential Adverse Effects of Resveratrol: A Literature Review.. Int J Mol Sci, 2020. review
- [11]Nicotinamide riboside for peripheral artery disease: the NICE randomized clinical trial.. Nat Commun, 2024. RCT
What changed
- First draft. Every evidence-row PMID checked with NCBI E-utilities (esummary + efetch abstract) and re-read in an independent adversarial pass.