How to pick the best Resveratrol supplement
The exponential increase in demand for natural products that produce health effects comparable to pharmaceuticals, but without the often serious adverse effects and high cost, has spawned a huge natural products industry focusing on functional dietary supplements such as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents and other products with medical applications.
Unfortunately, whenever something becomes popular it attracts a flood of dubious and outright unscrupulous characters who prey on the uninformed consumer or misrepresent the quality and benefits of their products making it very difficult for buyers to distinguish between genuine, high quality supplements and the lower quality brands from newcomers to the market who have virtually no quality control, no scientific resources and little if any experience.
Resveratrol, buyer beware.
One product in particular that is really under the spotlight is a molecule found in grapeskins, nuts, fruit and some other plants called Resveratrol.
Resveratrol is a chemical compound called a phytoalexin and is what plants naturally produce as their defense system to combat environmental stresses, viruses, bacteria and fungi.
Resveratrol appears from hundreds of scientific studies to have similar beneficial health properties in animals. Recent research by Dr Sinclair of Harvard University on mice found that it increased longevity by 31% and prevented all of the usual diseases normally associated with aging.
On the back of this research, many companies have sprung up claiming to have the best and most potent forms of Resveratrol, making many health claims that have not been certified by the FDA or by any testing government bodies. Furthermore, many of these companies try to sign up customers for long term delivery without disclosing important terms of their offers.
A little investigation into some of these companies, and the ingredients that they use, show that many of them sell inferior products, sometimes containing as little as 2% of the claimed ingredients.
Furthermore, often the ingredients in these products are not of high quality, or are cheap synthetics, and have little bio-availability, making them a waste of money and useless for those who seek the benefits Resveratrol may offer in an otherwise reputable supplement.
Fraudulent claims
To compound the problem, there are many unscrupulous companies who are claiming endorsements by respected celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Dr Oz, Barbara Walters and Dr Sinclair himself. Resveratrol supplements have been a big topic of discussion on these shows due to its beneficial qualities and hopes for its potential to cure disease. Neither Dr. Oz nor Oprah Winfrey or her company, Harpo Productions endorse any brand of resveratrol.
In fact, claims by unscrupulous marketers have led to a wide ranging lawsuit and criminal investigations of more than 50 Resveratrol sellers behind marketing scams and illegal use of copyrighted and trademarked images and other intellectual property.
This lawsuit is being prosecuted by attorneys for Oprah Winfrey and Dr Oz as these “deceptive and fraudulent practices have harmed their clients and thousands of consumers who have been influenced by these false claims.
Here is the Link to Federal Complaint filed by Oprah and Dr. Oz against over 50 unethical resveratrol suppliers.
How the scammers lure innocent buyers
Deceptive offers of “Free trial offers” is a common tactic. These companies offer a free two week trial and claim “if you are not happy with the results then you are not obliged to pay for the product.” The reality of it is that you will be asked to submit your credit card details, for ‘the shipping costs only’, then when the buyer receives the supplement they find that is it back dated by over two weeks so they have no “right” to return it. When the aggrieved attempts to communicate with the company, they discover that there is no valid email address, phone number or other way to contact them to cancel an order or obtain a refund.
To make matters even worse, buyers often find that their personal details and credit card information are being given out to other third party companies without their consent, and these companies are trying to sell products to the consumer.
Here is one of the many complaints that are circulating in the media:
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/rez-v-pure-and-pure-rez-v-pro-c217355.html
So how do you know what resveratrol supplement company is reputable?
There are some common sense things the consumer can do to protect themselves from these frauds.
Deal with reputable well established firms only.
All of the firms charged in the lawsuit but Dr. Oz and Oprah are companies that were formed for the express purpose of taking advantage of the popularity of resveratrol. None of them existed even two years ago. Almost all also had numerous complaints filed against them with the Better Business Bureau. Do a bit of research before making a purchase.
Ethical labeling:
Many resveratrol supplement suppliers do not disclose the exact form of resveratrol or the quantity which is contained in their supplement. You want to pick a supplement whose active ingredient is trans-resveratrol. This should be clearly stated on the label. There are other types of resveratrol, including cis-resveratrol, that are worthless. Consumer Lab, an independent testing organization, rates dietary supplements. Consulting their web site before selecting a supplier is a good way to avoid problems later.
Capsules and packaging:
- No animal products should be contained in either the capsule or its contents.
- Resveratrol is highly susceptable to deterioration by oxidation and exposure to ultraviolet light. A quality supplement will be protected from oxidation during manufacture through the use of nitrogen gas filled processing lines and an oxygen scavenging sachet in the bottle.
- The minimum amount of trans-resveratrol should be 250mg if you are looking to replicate the health benefits shown in recent animal and human trials.
- No extraneous ingredients, such as quercetin, should be contained in the product.
Natural versus synthetic Resveratrol
Synthetic resveratrol can be produced using one of two methods, fermentation and chemical engineering. In the case of fermentation a yeast or bacteria is genetically modified to produce resveratrol. Chemically engineered resveratrol is constructed from a broth of compounds using organic chemistry to engineer the molecule. Both processes result in a lower quality compound which more often than not contains impurities.
Quercetin
Quercetin is a potent antioxidant in its own right, however it should not be combined with resveratrol or even taken within at least 8 hours of taking a resveratrol supplement. The reason, which was only recently discovered, is that quercetin blocks the metabolites of resveratrol from entering your blood stream. Quercetin also down regulates sirtuins, precisely the opposite effect of resveratol.
The credentials of your supplier
The media coverage of the studies demonstrating the potential benefits of resveratrol has attracted a flood of new and clearly disreputable resveratrol sellers to the market. These companies have no experience in producing a food or health supplement, no scientific staffs, labs or other technical resources, no established quality control standards and no history by which one can judge their reliability and integrity. Many of these companies use a form of the word resveratrol in their names and sell only via a web site.
The company you select as your supplier should have passed Consumer Lab’s recently updated evaluation of resveratrol brands, and its web site should provide easy methods to contact the company if you have any questions, complaints or a request for a refund. If the company offers a monthly recurring order program a clear and convenient means of canceling your subscription should be offered. If the company’s products are not available in brick and mortar stores such as GNC, The Vitamin Shop and other reputable resellers it should probably be avoided.
Don’t opt in for a free trial
As the old adage goes; “you don’t get something for nothing”, this couldn’t be more true in the case of free trials. Always read the terms and conditions very carefully before opting in for a free trial as you will always find something in the small print that can most likely trip you up in the future.
If you would like to read more about Resveratrol supplements that really do what they say then please visit http://www.biotivia.com/testimonials.html
