What Do Resveratrol and Tomatoes Have In Common?

June 17, 2015 By RHP Staff

Stroke-related news for both men and women that can potentially save your life...

Below are some noteworthy facts from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's website.(1)

• Stroke kills nearly 130,000 Americans each year.
• More than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke every year.
• About 87% of all strokes are ischemic, which result when blood supply to the brain is cut off.
• Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability.

It's also important to know the risk factors. Topping the list are high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, and smoking. 49% of Americans have at least one of these three risk factors.

In addition, there are several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices that can put you at a higher risk for stroke including diabetes, obesity, poor diet, lack of physical activity and excessive alcohol use.

OK... now that you're armed with some facts, let's look at some recent research that may help you reduce your risk of getting a stroke.

"I'll Take Another Helping of Spaghetti, Please!"

Next time you're at an Italian restaurant, consider ordering the spaghetti. That's because a recent study published in the journal Neurology found that eating tomatoes, in particular cooked tomatoes, may help reduce your risk of stroke.

Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio tested the level of lycopene in the blood of more than 1,000 Finnish men aged 46 to 65, starting in 1991. The men were followed on average for more than a decade to record the number who had strokes.

The study found that those with the highest levels of lycopene in their blood were 55% less likely to have a stroke than their counterparts who had the lowest amounts.(2)

The author of the study, Jouni Karppi, suggests that lycopene helps protect the brain by soaking up free radicals that can damage cells. "A diet containing tomatoes... a few times a week would be good for our health" Karppi goes on to say.

While the research is not 100% conclusive, it's one more reason to eat more fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, as part of your regular diet.

Resveratrol May Help Shield the Brain From Stroke Damage

A study published in the journal Experimental Neurology reports how resveratrol may help shield the brain from stroke damage.

Researchers suggest that resveratrol increases levels of heme oxygenase, an enzyme already known to shield nerve cells in the brain from damage. When the stroke hits, the brain is ready to protect itself because of elevated enzyme levels.

Resveratrol appears to jump-start the protective enzymatic system that is present within the cells.

"Our study adds to evidence that resveratrol can potentially build brain resistance to ischemic stroke," says lead author Sylvain Doré, Ph.D., an associate professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.(3)

Taking a resveratrol supplement like Revatrol... as well as adding more tomatoes to your diet... are simple steps you can take to help reduce your risk of stroke and potentially limit the damage a stroke might cause.

Combined with the additional antioxidants Alpha Lipoic Acid, Acetyl-L-Carnitine and Quercetine, Revatrol is designed to give your body what it needs for optimal health.

References

(1) http://www.cdc.gov/stroke/facts.htm

(2) ttp://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/08/tomatoes-may-put-the-brakes-on-stroke/

(3) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100421133118.htm