Resveratrol reduces fat and boosts endurance by activating SIRT1

Massachusetts, USA-based Sirtris Pharmaceuticals and the University Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France, note that, in an article published in the journal Cell, entitled "Resveratrol improves mitochondrial function and protects against metabolic disease by activating SIRT1 and PGC-1a," Lagouge et al, Cell 2006; 127: 1-14, SIRT1 was shown for the first time in a human population to accelerate metabolic rate.

In a human population in Finland, SIRT1 was linked to increased energy expenditure as demonstrated by genetic studies of three variants of the SIRT1 gene. The study also showed that treating mice with resveratrol increased mitochondrial biogenesis leading to greater exercise endurance and protection from diet induced obesity.

Activation of SIRT1, the best characterized of the recently-discovered family of sirtuin enzymes, was shown to be the mechanism by which these therapeutic benefits occur. Mice were dosed with 200mg/kg or 400mg/kg of resveratrol daily in either normal chow or high fat chow. The mice on resveratrol lost weight due to decreased fat, and this was attributed to an increase in the number and function of mitochondria.