Age-related macular disease (AMD) is a retinal disease that progresses with age causing loss of central vision, leaving only peripheral vision. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in the western world, AMD is the major cause of blindness of those over 60 years of age.1 According to the NIH, about 40 to 45 percent of Americans, diagnosed with diabetes, already have diabetic retinopathy. It affects both eyes and occurs because of changes in the formation of blood vessels near the retina. Over time, diabetic retinopathy can get worse and lead to blindness.2 New research suggests that Resveratrol, when taken in high doses, may help to reduce the risk of these two dreaded diseases. Resveratrol May Nutritionally Support Eye Health Resveratrol, an antioxidant found in the skin of red grapes, has long held the attention of media, being touted as an anti-aging agent that could increase longevity by simulating the effects of a calorie restriction diet. Other studies show that Resveratrol may offer cardiovascular health benefits, help enhance stamina (particularly athletic performance), have anti-cancer and anti-diabetes potential and exhibit anti-inflammatory effects. 3-7 A team of scientists in Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered that Resveratrol may play a crucial role in reversing and preventing the damaging effects of age-related macular disease and diabetic retinopathy. The findings, which were published in the American Journal of Pathology, proposed that the regulated pathway, eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF2), was responsible for Resveratrol's vascular benefits. In the study, scientists subjected the retina of mice to a laser treatment that initiated abnormal blood vessel formation, or angiogenesis. When Resveratrol was administered to these mice, researchers observed that angiogenesis was inhibited and abnormal formation of blood vessels was eliminated. The study raises hope for those who suffer from age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy, as well as other diseases where angiogenesis may play a destructive role, such as certain types of cancer and cardiovascular disease. 8 Manufacturing Resveratrol Supplements High doses of Resveratrol are needed to have the beneficial impact on eye health that this study indicates. Such high doses cannot be achieved through diet alone, and requires supplementation in the form of tablets, capsules or powder form. Supplement companies could manufacture nutritional supplements to strategically meet the nutritional needs of the elderly and diabetics. High-quality Resveratrol supplements may help support eye health, and may also meet the nutritional needs of consumers looking for anti-aging benefits, more stamina and cardiovascular benefits. Nutricap Labs can help you manufacture high-quality Resveratrol supplements to meet the nutritional needs of your target market. Their research team can help you custom formulate a Resveratrol supplement based on scientific support with full potential for efficacy and safety. Nutricap Labs is one of the leading nutritional supplements manufacturers of the nation. Working within a GMP-certified facility, you can be sure your products undergo a stringent manufacturing process that fully complies with FDA guidelines. Contact one of their product advisors today or submit a free quote request to see how you can use their wide range of customizable service options to meet all your supplement manufacturing needs. References: 1.Facts about Age-Related Macular Degeneration (http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/maculardegen/armd_facts.asp) 2.Facts about Diabetic Retinopathy (http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/diabetic/retinopathy.asp) 3.'A low dose of dietary resveratrol partially mimics caloric restriction and retards aging parameters in mice', PLoS One 3 (6): e2264. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0002264. PMID 18523577. 4.'Suppression of nitric oxide synthase and the down-regulation of the activation of NFkappaB in macrophages by resveratrol', British Journal of Pharmacology 126 (3): 673-80. 5. 'Resveratrol, a natural phytoalexin, normalizes hyperglycemia in streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced experimental diabetic rats'. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy 62 (9): 598. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2008.06.037. PMID 18675532. 6.'Effects of resveratrol in inflammatory arthritis', Inflammation 30 (1-2): 1-6. doi:10.1007/s10753-006-9012-0. PMID 17115116. 7.Resveratrol improves mitochondrial function and protects against metabolic disease by activating SIRT1 and PGC-1alpha, Cell, 127[6], 1109-1122. 2006. 8.Resveratrol Regulates Pathologic Angiogenesis by a Eukaryotic Elongation Factor-2 Kinase-Regulated Pathway, American Journal of Pathology. 2010;177:481-492. (http://ajp.amjpathol.org/cgi/content/abstract/177/1/481)