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In a feature article appearing in Australian Life Scientist entitled “The Science of Longevity: Resveratrol and Beyond,” Harvard biologist and longevity researcher David Sinclair PhD, whose research studies involving the activation of the Sirtuin1 longevity gene by the red wine molecule resveratrol have been recently called into question, now says he will soon reveal a “protein partner that is part of the mechanism,” a protein which explains why resveratrol works in some laboratory studies and not in others.

The article in Life Scientist says Sinclair is keeping the details of this protein partner “close to his chest,” he will be revealing it at the Australian Health & Medical Research Congress now underway.  Sinclair says “We’ve found the missing piece to the puzzle that will make sense of all the data they’re arguing about, a piece people haven’t realized was missing…. People didn’t know you need to add it for it to be physiologically relevant.”

Sinclair may be pointing to the detoxification carrier molecules that conjugate with resveratrol in the liver of mammals (sulfate and glucuronate), or may be pointing to the methylated form of resveratrol, pterostilbene (pronounced “tero-STILL-bean”), which is found in nature.

But this assertion of a mystery protein companion to resveratrol is a bit mystifying because trans resveratrol has been shown to exhibit profound effects over the human genome (library of genes) by itself, and even more so when combined with other non-protein small molecules.

Another incongruent assertion made by Dr. Sinclair, which he has maintained for some time now, is that a person “would have to drink so much wine each day to see the benefits of resveratrol that the negative effects of the wine would more than compensate for them.”

Yet Dr. Sinclair’s assertion doesn’t stand up to population studies which show the French produce the most centenarians per capita in the world, which is attributed to their consumption of dark aged red wine, about 3 to 5 glasses a day.  Furthermore, recent studies both in animals and humans now indicate resveratrol in relatively low doses can produce profound health benefits in lab animals and humans.

Dr. Sinclair is quoted in The Economic Times to say that his work to activate the Sirtuin1 gene, which controls ageing, ”could expand lifespan by five to 10 healthy years.”  ####  – Copyright 2010 Bill Sardi, Resveratrol News.com  November 19, 2010  Not for posting on other websites