Fermenting Fortitude- The Magic of Red Wine

Whenever most of us think of endurance, we thinkmice who were not given the compound (even after
of a variety of things. We think of an athletethe weight gains were taken into account).
crossing the finish line after a ten mile run. WeWhether this will work the same way in humans is
imagine mountain climbers sopped in sweat reachingstill the root of much speculation. To begin, the mice
the apex of a steep grade. We think of lungwere given so much reservatrol that a human, in
capacity, we think of willpower and we think, with aorder to receive the same amount, would have to
bit of envy, of the Energizer Bunny. When it comesconsume nearly 100 glasses of red wine in a 24 hour
to endurance, we think of all sorts of things, butperiod. Though some people might think this a great
wine isn't usually one of them. Drinking paper cups ofidea, most would probably find such excess only
Chianti during a race seems pointless, crossing theresults in the world's biggest hangover or - as
finish line and immediately chugging a glass of ShirazGatorade likes to call it - "job security."
seems weird, and pouring a bottle of Merlot overReservatrol is believed to help endurance because it
yourself in a celebratory shower seems downrightjumpstarts the body's mitochondria, which provide
ridiculous: that stuff will stain your workout clothes.cells with energy. When the body consumes
Despite the fact we might not equate endurance andreservatrol in large amounts, the passage that
wine - or really wine and athletics - recent studies areprovides cells with more mitochondria is activated,
proving there may be a strong relation between aand the body is suddenly consumed with much larger
red wine compound and your body's ability toamounts of energy. This also leads to an enhanced
produce energy.metabolism and an ability to burn fat at an increased
Now Gatorade, don't worry. PowerAde, stop pouting.rate.
All Sport, be a sport: red wine is not out to takeReservatrol doesn't just help increase endurance on a
your jobs, it's simply out to prove that endurancemuscular level: it also adds to the greatest endurance
can be found at the bottom of all sorts of bottles,of all: an increased lifespan. Known as a compound
not just the ones designed as sports drinks.that can literally slow down the aging process,
In November of 2006, Johan Auwerx - a researcherreservatrol is a multi-talented chemical. Like the
at the Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Celloverachiever we all hated in high school, reservatrol is
Biology in France - published an article based on proofthe class president/cheerleading captain/teacher's pet
that reservatrol, a natural compound found in redscholarship winner of the chemical world.
wine, could help improve endurance in mice. He andAs of now, the future influence reservatrol will have
his coworkers proved this by putting groups of miceon endurance is very much up in the air. We only
on a variety of diets and noting the results.know that the above findings have opened doors to
One group of mice was placed on a regular diet, onemany possibilities. Drinking just a glass or two of red
group was placed on a diet high in fat, and one groupwine a day won't suddenly give you the ability to "be
was placed on a diet high in fat and high inlike Mike," but this discovery could lead to athletes
reservatrol. After three weeks, the mice on the dietone day taking reservatrol supplements. It could even
high in fat weighed 60 percent more than the miceopen the door to a "sports drink meets wine"
on the regular diet, but the mice on the diet high inconglomerate: as bottles of red wine get infused with
fat and high in reservatrol weighed only 20 percentmore reservatrol to become Graperade, a fitness
more than the mice on the regular diet. The micedrink for the next generation, known for reeling in
who were taking reservatrol gained 40 percent lessathletes with the tagline, "Wine is just "win" with an
weight. These mice also portrayed better fitness'e.
levels: they were able to run twice as long as the