Doc Falsified Red Wine Anti-Aging Data, But Resveratrol’s ‘Superfood’ Status Is Still Safe

Most of red wine’s supposed anti-aging or disease-fighting effects come from resveratrol, a compound found in the skin of grapes. But a leading researcher on resveratrol and aging was just outed by the University of Connecticut for committing ‘more than 100 acts of data fabrication and falsification.” Does this mean everything we’ve heard about red wine and resveratrol is wrong?

It doesn’t look that way. While the data fraud does cast doubt on much of what the researcher, Dipak K. Das, found, there’s enough other research on red wine, resveratrol and health benefits that its impact won’t be far-reaching.

“There are many investigators who are working on resveratrol,” said Dr. Nir Barzilai, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “That doesn’t mean we know the whole truth. But Rome wasn’t built on Dr. Das.”

Das’ case does, however, present the kind of intrigue conspiracy thriller movies are made of. In 2008, an anonymous tip led U. Conn to launch an investigation. The university found Das committed 145 counts of “fabrication and falsification of data,” and isn’t sure whether others in Das’ lab were involved. But Das said (by way of a 2010 letter to the university) the investigation was a “conspiracy” against him. So, big deal—the politics of academia, right? But according to Reuters, there’s a lot of drug company money tied up in resveratrol’s future (or lack thereof) as a superfood.

Although many scientists have been skeptical of various claims made about resveratrol, it has garnered significant commercial interest. GlaxoSmithKline bought Sirtris, a company that worked on the compound in 2008 for $720 million, but later discontinued work on one version of a drug that mimics its activity because of disappointing results.

A Las Vegas resveratrol maker called Longevinex has promoted Das’ research, and he appears in a lengthy video touting the nutrient as the next aspirin.

Das also shared a 2002 patent on the use of another compound in grape skins called proanthocyanidin to prevent and treat heart conditions.

So, yeah—science drama. But it doesn’t significantly alter the story on resveratrol and red wine, others in Das’ field say.

And just what is that story? Well, resveratrol may help in fighting breast cancer: An October 2011 report found it can stop breast cancer cells from growing by blocking the growth effects of estrogen. Some studies have found resveratrol may mimic calorie restriction and promote longevity, but results in that realm have been mixed. Much of Das’ research focused on red wine and heart health, but there’s plenty of other (credible) research on resveratrol’s heart-protective potential (in fact, this is thought to be the reason behind the so-called ’French paradox’). And resveratrol-containing grape seed extract could help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and promote brain health.