Head to head
Resveratrol against SRT2104
The supplement that started the sirtuin era and the drug built to do what it could not. SRT2104 was designed for the potency resveratrol lacks, reached randomised human trials, produced modest results and did not advance.
Column A
ResveratrolResveratrol (trans-3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene)
The polyphenol behind the sirtuin era of longevity research and one of the most heavily trialled supplements in this database: over 150 completed registered studies, results that conflict by population and dose rather than pointing one way, and no trial of lifespan or any hard clinical outcome in people.
Column B
SRT2104SRT2104, small-molecule SIRT1 activator
The sirtuin-activating drug that actually reached randomised human trials, built to succeed where resveratrol's potency failed. Its human results were modest and it did not advance.
Side by side, on the facts we can check
| Attribute | Resveratrol | SRT2104 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Longevity | Longevity |
| FDA status | Dietary supplement; not an approved drug. Labels may carry structure/function claims with the DSHEA disclaimer, but not disease treatment or prevention claims | Never approved. The programme did not advance to a marketed product. |
| Half-life | About 9 hours for resveratrol plus its sulfate and glucuronide conjugates after an oral dose; free parent compound is cleared far faster | Not asserted. No reliable half-life figure was resolved in the sources loaded. |
| Molecular weight | 228.24 Da | Not asserted. No source loaded states a molecular weight for this compound. |
| Mechanism | Proposed as an allosteric activator of the NAD+-dependent deacetylase SIRT1, with downstream AMPK and PGC-1alpha signalling that mimics parts of calorie restriction. That direct-activation claim is disputed: groups at Amgen (2009) and Pfizer (2010) showed the measured activation depends on a fluorophore-tagged assay peptide and disappears with native substrates, while Sirtris and Sinclair's group argue in Science (2013) that activation is real but requires substrates carrying specific hydrophobic motifs and a single SIRT1 residue, Glu230. Independently of sirtuins, resveratrol has documented antioxidant activity, endothelial nitric oxide and flow-mediated dilation effects, and inhibition of CYP3A4, CYP2D6 and CYP2C9 at gram doses. | Designed as a sirtuin-activating compound targeting SIRT1, an NAD-dependent protein deacetylase. SIRT1 deacetylates targets including PGC-1alpha, FOXO transcription factors and p53, and it was proposed as a mediator of dietary restriction benefits. The mechanistic controversy matters here: several sirtuin-activating compounds were shown to activate SIRT1 only in the presence of a fluorophore-tagged substrate, raising the question of whether the activation is an assay artefact rather than a property of the enzyme with its natural substrates. That dispute is unresolved and it shaped how these results were received. |
| Human studies cited | 14 | 1 |
| Legal status, US | Sold as a dietary supplement; not an approved drug | Not approved; research use only |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Resveratrol and SRT2104?
Resveratrol: The polyphenol behind the sirtuin era of longevity research and one of the most heavily trialled supplements in this database: over 150 completed registered studies, results that conflict by population and dose rather than pointing one way, and no trial of lifespan or any hard clinical outcome in people. SRT2104: The sirtuin-activating drug that actually reached randomised human trials, built to succeed where resveratrol's potency failed. Its human results were modest and it did not advance.
Which has stronger research evidence, Resveratrol or SRT2104?
This database does not grade compounds. It counts what was run in people: 14 of the 22 studies cited on the Resveratrol profile were human work, against 1 of 1 for SRT2104. Those counts are of our own citation lists and understate any larger literature, and neither is a recommendation.
Are Resveratrol and SRT2104 FDA-approved?
Resveratrol: Dietary supplement; not an approved drug. Labels may carry structure/function claims with the DSHEA disclaimer, but not disease treatment or prevention claims. SRT2104: Never approved. The programme did not advance to a marketed product..
Reviewed Sep 2026. This page sets two published records side by side. It is educational, it is not medical advice, and it contains no dosing protocols or recommendations for personal use.