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High-dose resveratrol supplementation in obese men: an investigator-initiated, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of substrate metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and body composition

Poulsen MM, Vestergaard PF, Clasen BF, Radko Y, Christensen LP, Stodkilde-Jorgensen H, Moller N, Jessen N, Pedersen SB, Jorgensen JOL
Diabetes 2013 62(4):1186-1195

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 23193181
PubMed Central
PMC3609591
DOI
10.2337/db12-0975
Funding
Investigator-initiated trial; not stated as industry-sponsored in the abstract.
Competing interests
Not stated as a specific conflict in the abstract.

Study snapshot

DesignRandomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial
ModelHuman — obese but otherwise healthy men
Sample24
InterventionHigh-dose oral resveratrol vs placebo, 4 weeks
Duration4 weeks
EndpointsPrimary: insulin sensitivity (hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp); Secondary: endogenous glucose production and turnover; Secondary: blood pressure; Secondary: resting energy expenditure; Secondary: lipid oxidation rates; Secondary: ectopic and visceral fat content; Secondary: inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers

What the study showed, in plain terms

This trial tested high-dose resveratrol in obese men for four weeks and found no meaningful effect on anything it measured — insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, fat metabolism, body fat, or inflammation markers all stayed essentially unchanged. The authors concluded this raises real doubt about resveratrol's value as a metabolic supplement in humans, despite promising results in animal studies.

Key findings

Insulin sensitivity, the trial's primary outcome, did not significantly improve with resveratrol versus placebo. No significant effect was found on endogenous glucose production, blood pressure, resting energy expenditure, lipid oxidation, ectopic or visceral fat content, or any inflammatory or metabolic biomarker measured. The authors state explicitly that this lack of effect disagrees with promising rodent data and raises doubt about resveratrol's justification as a human nutritional supplement for metabolic disorders.

What this study can and cannot tell us

A genuinely null trial across every outcome measured. Should not be cited as evidence of a positive metabolic effect — it is direct evidence of the opposite in this population and dose regimen. Contrasts with the smaller, lower-dose Timmers 2011 trial, which did find positive effects; the reasons for the discrepancy (dose, population, duration) are not resolved.

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Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability