The incidence of diabetes has increased dramatically over the last 10 years. In 2000 a W.H.O. study reported that there were 171 Million sufferers worldwide. In 2007, that figure rose to over 246 Million and it is expected to surpass 380 Million people by 2030. It is widely thought that diabetes type 2 is caused by lifestyle and diet factors.

Deficiencies in vitamins D and B3 may increase the likelihood of this disorder, and doctors recommend regular exercise as a means of prevention. Resveratrol also offers much promise in the prevention and treatment of this widespread disease.

A lack of exercise and diets with low nutritional content can contribute to the disease manifesting in adults and there are long suspected links between obesity and diabetes. In fact, 80% of adults with the disease are obese. Research indicates that a hormone named resistin, causes the body to resist insulin. Resistin is secreted by fat cells which may explain the link with obesity. In tests conducted on mice, Resveratrol was shown to prevent obesity even when the mice were administered a high fat diet.

Insulin is required to convert sugar in the blood into energy available in the bodies cells. A person with diabetes does not produce insulin in their body or does not properly respond to insulin. This results in abnormally high blood glucose levels with many resulting health complications including cardiovascular disease, blindness, stroke and nerve deterioration.

Although diabetes can damage blood vessels there is evidence that drinking red wine, a good source of Resveratrol, can limit this damage. A study of diabetics in 1999 showed that by drinking 2 glasses of wine a day, they could reduce vascular damage. Those in the medical community have also discovered that Resveratrol can offer relief to diabetic patients by increasing their insulin sensitivity. This study revealed early indications of the benefits for diabetics of taking Reveratrol.

More recently, in human clinical trials of a proprietary drug containing Resveratrol, a well-known pharmaceutical company was able to show an increase in insulin sensitivity in diabetics. This has lead many to believe that Resveratrol has the ability to not only prevent diabetes, but to treat the disease as well.

Resveratrol works by activating the Sirt1 gene, commonly known as an “anti-aging” gene. This increases the number of mitochondria in the bodies cells, improving their operation and boosting the bodies metabolism. Sirt1 also increases insulin sensitivity which assists the cells to absorb and utilize glucose from the blood. In this way, Resveratrol is believed to alleviate the symptoms of diabetes and helps to fight the illness.

Professor Brown of the University of Queensland echoes the results of modern research saying that Resveratrol reduces the risk of many diseases of old-age including Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

Diabetes patients often have high blood pressure and a high risk of cardiovascular disease. The findings that Resveratrol offers many cardiovascular health benefits are very welcome to those that have the diabetes. Resveratrol has been shown to improve heart health, cleanse the arteries and reduce the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

There are many good reasons to believe that Resveratrol offers the potential to prevent and cure diabetes. Those suffering from the disease would do well to investigate the health benefits of Resveratrol, and the numerous Resveratrol supplements that are available today.