Our data suggest that high-dose RSV supplementation positively affects bone, primarily by stimulating formation or mineralization. Future studies of longer duration comprising populations at risk of osteoporosis are needed to confirm these results.

In this population of middle-aged men suffering from MetS, high dose resveratrol (1,000 mg daily) administration for 4 months significantly lowered serum levels of the androgen precursors androstenedione, DHEA and DHEAS, whereas prostate size and circulating levels of PSA, testosterone, free testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone were unaffected. The present study suggests that resveratrol does not affect prostate volume in healthy middle-aged men as measured by PSA levels and CT acquired prostate volumes. Consequently, we find no support for the use of resveratrol in the treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia.

Throughout the Western world obesity prevalence is steadily increasing, and associated metabolic co-morbidities are projected to rise during the years to come. As weight loss and weight maintenance remains a major problem, new strategies to protect against obesity-related morbidity are needed. There is a clear association between obesity, low-grade inflammation and obesity-associated diseases, thus, the development of new anti-inflammatory substances is urgently needed as these may ultimately pave the way for novel treatments of obesity and lifestyle-related diseases. A candidate molecule is the polyphenolic compound resveratrol, and in the present review, we provide an overview of the field, and discuss the future scientific perspectives. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Resveratrol: Challenges in translating pre-clinical findings to improved patient outcomes.

RSV treatment did not improve inflammatory status, glucose homeostasis, blood pressure, or hepatic lipid content in middle-aged men with MetS. On the contrary, RSVhigh significantly increased total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and fructosamine levels compared with placebo.

Resveratrol possesses several beneficial metabolic effects in rodents, while the effects of resveratrol in humans remain unclear. Therefore, we performed a non-targeted comprehensive metabolomic analysis on blood, urine, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle tissue in middle-aged men with metabolic syndrome randomized to either resveratrol or placebo treatment for four months. Changes in steroid hormones across all four matrices were the most pronounced changes observed. Resveratrol treatment reduced sulfated androgen precursors in blood, adipose tissue, and muscle tissue, and increased these metabolites in urine. Furthermore, markers of muscle turnover were increased and lipid metabolism was affected, with increased intracellular glycerol and accumulation of long-chain saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated (n3 and n6) free fatty acids in resveratrol-treated men. Finally, urinary derivatives of aromatic amino acids, which mainly reflect the composition of the gut microbiota, were altered upon resveratrol treatment. In conclusion, the non-targeted metabolomics approach applied to four different matrices provided evidence of subtle but robust effects on several metabolic pathways following resveratrol treatment for four months in men with metabolic syndrome—effects that, for the most part, would not have been detected by routine analyses. The affected pathways should be the focus of future clinical trials on resveratrol’s effects, and perhaps particularly the areas of steroid metabolism and the gut microbiome.

Low-grade inflammation negatively affects bone. Resveratrol is a natural compound proven to possess both anti-inflammatory and bone protective properties. However, it is uncertain if the bone effects are mediated though anti-inflammatory effects. Firstly, we investigated if resveratrol affects proliferation and differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Secondly, we investigated if inflammation negatively affects proliferation and differentiation, and if resveratrol counteracts this through anti-inflammatory effects. Mesenchymal stem cells were obtained from bone marrow aspiration in 13 healthy individuals and cultured towards the osteoblast cell lineage. The cells were stimulated with resveratrol, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), LPS + resveratrol, or vehicle (control) for 21 days. Compared to control, resveratrol decreased cell number by 35 % (p < 0.05) and induced differentiation (a 3-fold increase in alkaline phosphatase (p < 0.002), while P1NP and OPG showed similar trends). LPS induced inflammation with a 44-fold increase in interleukin-6 (p < 0.05) and an extremely prominent increase in interleukin-8 production (p < 0.05) relative to control. In addition, LPS increased cell count (p < 0.05) and decreased differentiation (a reduction in P1NP production (p < 0.02)). Co-stimulation with LPS + resveratrol did not reduce interleukin-6 or interleukin-8, but nonetheless, cell count was reduced (p < 0.05) and alkaline phosphatase, P1NP, and OPG increased (p < 0.05 for all). Thus, resveratrol stimulates osteoblast differentiation independently of inflammation.

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sCD36 levels increased with the level of intrahepatic lipid, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. The weak association with markers of obesity and the association with hepatic CD36 mRNA expression suggest that excess sCD36 in NAFLD patients is derived from the hepatocytes, which may support that CD36 is involved in NAFLD development. An unhealthy and unbalanced CD36 expression in adipose and hepatic tissue may shift the fatty-acid load to the liver.