Clue to elixir of life

Substances found in food and wine may be able to extend human life, according to new scientific research.
Scientists in the United States found that the substances - called polyphenols - can prolong the life of yeast cells significantly.They seem to work inside human cells too.

Polyphenols are produced by many plants - perhaps the best known is resveratrol, found in red wine.

Scientists have been interested in them for a long time because they seem to reduce a person's chances of developing heart disease and cancer.

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The article goes on to say that resveratrol can increase the lifespan of Flies and worms. It certainly seems that an Anti-ageing pill could be very feasible within the next decade.

well its been known for awhile that having A glass of red wine at the dinner table has been known to lower ones chacnes of heart related problems as what you have said confirms this once again.

not a secret to me but i'm not a fan of red wine or any wine for that matter.

good article though.

The September/October 2003 issue of Herbs for Health has the following blurb on page 56:

"The French Paradox. Ever hear of the French paradox? French people have a relatively low rate of heart disease despite a high-fat diet, replete with cream sauces and croissants. Investigators believe the secret lies in the intake of wine, which contains high amounts of proanthocyanidins. These compounds, which belong to the flavonoid family, are found in bilberries, cranberries, black currants, green tea, black tea, grape juice and wine. They are also available as supplements, derived from pine bark or grape seeds. The main functions of proanthocyanidins are as antioxidants, and they serve to stabilize the walls of our blood vessels."

I guess I would have to get mine in either pill form or by drinking green tea. I don't like red wine except as a minor ingredients in some of my Italian recipes such as my home made tomato sauce.

I've seen some studies on the French Paradox awhile back, and it was reasonably convincing. I think the key ingredient is the high amount of antioxidants in the diet (grape seed oil, etc, as Herblady mentioned.)

And green tea! (great stuff!)

Many people can't drink red wine because the tannins produce headaches.