Two recent research studies on humans indicate that resveratrol, a chemical found in red wine and peanuts, increases insulin sensitivity in older and obese people. A third study, done on mice, shows that resveratrol may someday become a powerful tool in therapies directed at macular degeneration and other retinal maladies.
The two studies on people, conducted by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University in New York City, involved overweight or older (average age 72) subjects. People often develop resistance to the effects of insulin as they age or put on weight. This resistance, called impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), is a precursor to diabetes and often shows up in people who have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes.
