Resveratrol Improves Insulin Sensitivity in Humans
Low-dose supplementation of resveratrol daily may reduce oxidative stress and improve the body's sensitivity to insulin, a study from University of Pecs in Hungary suggests. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the British Journal of Nutrition , Hungarian researchers report observations that people with type 2 diabetes who take 5 milligrams of resveratrol twice daily improved their sensitivity to insulin after only our weeks. "The present study shows for the first time that resveratrol improves insulin sensitivity, which might be due to a resveratrol-induced decrease in oxidative stress that leads to more efficient insulin signaling via the Akt pathway," the authors concluded. The Akt pathway is a pathway involved in cellular uptake of glucose in response to insulin—it induces glucose transport, particularly into muscle cells. When working properly, insulin stimulates cells to take in glucose from the blood stream, thereby lowering circulating glucose...