You can tell a lot about a person’s general health by looking at their face. Clear and smooth skin, bright eyes, no blotches, healthy glow, and reasonable color all lead people to believe that you are relatively healthy. Dry or, on the other end of the spectrum, greasy skin, blotches and blemishes, wrinkles, pasty coloring and a dull, leaden look all result in looking unhealthy and uncared for. Resveratrol supplements promise to rejuvenate your complexion by stopping the ravages of age in its tracks…but many of the supplements don’t exactly explain why. Let’s explore how this claim may be true.

Resveratrol is a type of antibiotic that is produced by certain plants when they are under-siege by bacteria or fungus. So far, tests with resveratrol have been conducted on mice have shown an improvement in their blood sugar levels, and have resulted in reduced incidents of cancer and inflammation which could lead to improved cardiovascular health. Tests on some fish, worms and flies have shown increased lifespan. Tests on humans have not been as favorable, but they show that with about 4 grams of Resveratrol, human blood sugar levels are reduced.

Why these clinical tests make resveratrol supplements manufacturers believe they have an anti-aging supplement that improves your skin and works on humans is unclear. Since no clinical studies have proven this, it seems they may be jumping the gun. Some manufacturers have even thrown in claims of weight loss boosting elements of Resveratrol, even though this was not found in experiments on mice or other animals. The Food and Drug Administration has yet to discuss the claims made by the manufacturers or make any statements about the trials on mice, flies and fish.

Even if some of the benefits found in Resveratrol do work in humans, you can be certain that you will need to find a pill that contains the right amount of Resveratrol in order to actually gain that benefit; especially considering that the only positive human sampling involved the use of 4 or more grams of Resveratrol. In 2007, USA Today ran a story that discussed several how Resveratrol supplements contained less than half of the amount of Resveratrol promised. Since many of the blends Resveratrol supplements use are proprietary, many manufacturer’s never even have to disclose the real amounts of Resveratrol that are contained within.

Lastly, it is important to consider all other ingredients used within resveratrol supplements. In order to “increase” the benefits of the supplement, it is possible that many manufacturer’s will include caffeine or other ingredients that could inadvertently make you feel unwanted side effects like nervousness, stomach upset, sleeplessness and more. Often when caffeine is added to a supplement, consumers think that it is no more dangerous than a couple of cups of coffee. In truth, the amount of caffeine in weight loss supplements can be so concentrated that it packs a heavy wallop and significantly impacts your health.

Before taking any supplements that contain resveratrol, it is a good idea to bring the supplement to your primary care physician’s office. By looking at the ingredients in the bottle and the claims made on the package, many primary care physicians will be able to determine whether or not the supplement is safe for you to take. Depending on your overall health, any preexisting conditions you have or medications you currently take, your doctor may advise against adding any Resveratrol supplements to you diet and exercise regimen. On the up side, he or she may have other ideas to help you get trim, be healthier and improve your quality of life without an over the counter supplement.