Pterostilbene: A Longevity Supplement With Broad Protective Effects

Pterostilbene is an antioxidant and plant antimicrobial found in blueberries, almonds, grape vines and leaves, with preventative and therapeutic properties in a wide range of diseases. It is very similar in structure to another molecule, resveratrol, which is found in red wine and has similar antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, studies in animals suggest that pterostilbene is much better absorbed by the body than resveratrol following oral ingestion.

Why Might Pterostilbene Be Beneficial?

The one prominent theory of ageing postulates that age-associated decline is caused by a steady accumulation of damage caused by oxidants, which ageing cells are less and less able to remove. As an anti oxidant, pterostilbene may protect against against this form of damage. Pterostilbene may also protect against inflammation, which is a major driver of many age-related chronic diseases.

What Is The Evidence Behind Pterostilbene Supplementation?

Pterostilbene has shown benefits in the treatment of specific diseases in animals. It appears to have anti-cancer properties, both in isolated human cancer cells and in live rats with tumours, in which pterostilbene reduced cancer cell proliferation and metastasis.

Studies have also suggested that pterostilbene has a variety of beneficial cardiovascular and metabolic effects. Perhaps the most convincing of these studies was a randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial that showed a reduction in blood pressure with supplementation, in addition to minor weight loss (in those not taking cholesterol medication), although this was accompanied by an increase in LDL cholesterol. Furthermore, a systematic review and meta-analysis of 17 studies found that resveratrol, which bears very close resemblance to pterostilbene, lowered blood pressure at sufficiently high doses in diabetics.

Unfortunately, the aforementioned randomised study is the only human trial of pterostilbene supplementation so far. However, numerous animal studies have pointed to possible protective effects against neurological, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, owing to pterostilbene’s anti-oxidant properties. Together, this evidence makes pterostilbene a supplement of interest for extending healthy lifespan.