Dietary Resveratrol Supplements: Do They Mimic the Effects of Endurance Exercise?

Resveratrol is a polyphenol whose best dietary sources are red wine, red grapes, and peanuts. It has become a popular dietary supplement because it has been suggested to be responsible for the cardioprotective effects of red wine, and it may also mimic the effects of calorie-restricition to increase longevity. Resveratrol is thought to exert its effects primarily by activating a class of proteins called sirtuins. These proteins are NAD+-dependent deacetylases that potently regulate metabolism and gene expression. A further increase in the popularity of resveratrol supplements occurred following reports that it may also function as an exercise memetic, inducing some of the same physiological adaptations in skeletal muscle that are observed with endurance exercise training. This review will explore the mechanisms by which resveratrol exerts its cellular effects and critically evaluate the potential for dietary supplementation with resveratrol to function as an exercise memetic.