• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Who uses Resveratrol and where do you buy it from?

RYO

Senior Member
Messages
350
Location
USA
I tried resveratrol from Costco. I was tolerating ok for first few days then developed severe abdominal cramping and vomiting. There was an article published in NY Times that sent large number of supplements to independent lab for testing. Not surprisingly, quality was major issue. Amount of active ingredient can vary widely and numerous unwanted substances found. In my opinion, CFS / ME population tends to be "desperate" and may actually suffer from trying too many supplements. In many cases, there is very little science to warrant their use.
 

MeSci

ME/CFS since 1995; activity level 6?
Messages
8,231
Location
Cornwall, UK
I tried resveratrol from Costco. I was tolerating ok for first few days then developed severe abdominal cramping and vomiting. There was an article published in NY Times that sent large number of supplements to independent lab for testing. Not surprisingly, quality was major issue. Amount of active ingredient can vary widely and numerous unwanted substances found. In my opinion, CFS / ME population tends to be "desperate" and may actually suffer from trying too many supplements. In many cases, there is very little science to warrant their use.

Is Costco a supermarket? I am careful to choose brands that have a good reputation and/or that I have used before.
 

MeSci

ME/CFS since 1995; activity level 6?
Messages
8,231
Location
Cornwall, UK
Is Costco a supermarket? I am careful to choose brands that have a good reputation and/or that I have used before.

Replying to myself here - after a bit of searching I found reference to emodin, which makes up a large proportion of some resveratrol supplements because it is another major component of Japanese Knotweed, the source of many resveratrol supplements. Whilst emodin seems to have some positive effects that are relevant to ME, it may be unsuitable for some due to gut effects. I've stopped my resveratrol supplement as I was getting some worsened bowel function, and seem to be improving again, but it's only been a few days. I'm sticking to curcumin. I've referred to this in my blog.

You can get resveratrol supplements with little or no emodin. Unfortunately, it's not always clear from the label that the supplement contains emodin, but people say that the 50% strength ones are likely to contain it. The higher-strength ones seem likely to be better in that regard.
 

EtherSpin

Senior Member
Messages
257
Location
Melbourne , Australia
I use resveratrol but from a local supplier at this point. Its the one supplement I am never giving up, not for its affect on my ME, but for its improvement of my breathing issues. I have some kind of a lung hypersensitivity/bronchospasm issue, and it reduces the incidence and severity of that to almost zero. I suspect it has many other beneifits, but they are hard to demonstrate.
what triggers that ? I have a seemingly anomalous reaction to passive cigarette smoke, 30 seconds exposure (e.g. in the line to get cash out of a hole in the wall) will give me a dry spasm cough that lasts for over 3 weeks, coughing about once every 2-3 minutes. when i worked with patients who smoked I had that cough for 2 years. sound similar to what you mean? if so i might try Res
 

alex3619

Senior Member
Messages
13,810
Location
Logan, Queensland, Australia
@EtherSpin, I was talking about lungs seizing and being unable to draw any breath, similar to a severe asthma attack. However there are many levels of severity in these things.

Its my lemon rule, Rule 22: Most treatments for ME are lemons, they don't suit everyone - but you often wont know if it suits you until you suck it and see. If you see a soured look on my face you will know why.
 

EtherSpin

Senior Member
Messages
257
Location
Melbourne , Australia
yeah thats a good rule of thumb, I have no issue with smoke at the moment as Im housebound *WIN* :) so Ill keep trialling LDN,liposomal glutathione,MCT Oil, lithium Orotate and god knows how many other supps and meds!!
 

Wayne

Senior Member
Messages
4,300
Location
Ashland, Oregon
Whilst emodin seems to have some positive effects that are relevant to ME, it may be unsuitable for some due to gut effects.

MeSci, thanks for posting this information about emodin--I hadn't run across it before. I dug up some local JK roots, and drink JK tea regularly, so I'm happy to have this information. I haven't had any problems so far, but I'll be on the lookout for any side effects. It might be helping that I take a couple days off of drinking the tea per week so as not to be adversely affected, and/or to have my body habituate to it to the point where it's no longer effective. The following is from an article I ran across after doing a quick search. The potential side effects of emodin are in the last three paragraphs, which I bolded and italicized.

Best, Wayne
..................................................................................

Emodin is a resin that can be found in many plants, but is most often extracted from the rhubarb plant. Some of the many potential uses of this substance include its use as a laxative, its ability to mitigate the impact of diabetes, and as a part of anti-cancer therapy. The main side effects of emodin are nausea, diarrhea, and damage to the liver or kidneys.

This compound is a member of the anthraquinones family. Emodin looks like a yellow, crystallized powder after it is extracted and dried. Most often extracted from rhubarb, this medicine can also be obtained from Japanese knotweed, and buckthorn.

The traditional medical use of emodin is as a laxative. This compound is broken down into a substance known as aglycone by the natural flora in the gut. Aglycone acts as a laxative in the intestines in two ways. First, algycone helps to control the uptake and release of water in the gut. Second, this chemical intensifies the involuntary muscular contractions in the intestine that helps to move fecal matter through.

Another medicinal, but experimental, use of emodin is in controlling type 2 diabetes. This chemical may prevent the action of a diabetes-inducing enzyme. As a result, this rhubarb extract may help regulate the action of insulin.

Emodin has also been studied as an anti-cancer drug. Mortality in cancer is often the result of a localized cancerous tumor spreading throughout the body to other sites. This chemical has shown some initial success in preventing or slowing the spread of cancerous tumors. The mechanism that prevents tumors from spreading is thought to be based on this substance’s ability to interfere with the cell-to-cell adhesion needed in metastasis and the ability of thecancer cells to infiltrate other types of cells and be carried throughout the body.

There are some side effects associated with the use of emodin. One of the potentially dangerous side effects of this substance is also one of the uses of this medicine. Prolonged use or ingesting large quantities of emodin can transform this substance from a safe laxative into a chemical that can produce severe diarrhea. This compound should not be used long-term as a laxative.

Nausea and even vomiting are other side effects of this medicine. Long-term use, coupled with stomach problems, can also lead to a lowered appetite. The nausea can be decreased by taking this medication with a small snack or meal.

Long-term use of emodin, or any other anthraquinones, may elevate the danger of liver or kidney damage. The cause of the liver or kidney problems is not known. Whenever a patient undergoes prolonged use of this medicine, careful review of liver and kidney functions should be conducted periodically.
 
Last edited: