Pterostilbene vs Resveratrol: How They Compare

Pterostilbene and resveratrol are closely related plant compounds. Pterostilbene is resveratrol with two of its three hydroxyl groups swapped for methoxy groups, which makes it more fat-soluble. In rats, about 80% of an oral pterostilbene dose reached the blood versus about 20% for resveratrol. Resveratrol has far more human research, and no published trial has compared the two head to head in people.

Both compounds belong to a family called stilbenes, which some plants make in response to stress, injury, fungal attack or UV light (Linus Pauling Institute). Resveratrol became famous through red wine and grape research. Pterostilbene, found in small amounts in some blueberries, is often marketed as the "better absorbed" version. This guide compares them on structure, absorption, food sources, human studies and safety, and is clear about where the evidence stops.

Last reviewed: November 2, 2026

What is the difference between pterostilbene and resveratrol?

The two molecules share the same backbone. Resveratrol has three hydroxyl (OH) groups. In pterostilbene, two of those are replaced by methoxy (OCH3) groups (Kapetanovic et al., 2011). That small change has two practical effects:

• Fat solubility. Pterostilbene passes through cell membranes more easily.
• Slower breakdown. The body clears resveratrol quickly by attaching sulfate and glucuronide groups to its hydroxyl groups. Pterostilbene has fewer of those attachment points.

Is pterostilbene better absorbed than resveratrol?

In animals, yes. When rats were given equal molar doses for 14 days, about 80% of the pterostilbene dose reached the bloodstream compared with about 20% of the resveratrol dose, and blood levels of pterostilbene were markedly higher (Kapetanovic et al., 2011).

In people, resveratrol's absorption problem is well documented. In a study of six volunteers given 25 mg by mouth, at least 70% of the dose was absorbed, but only trace amounts of unchanged resveratrol (under 5 ng/mL) appeared in the blood. Most of it was quickly converted to sulfate forms (Walle et al., 2004). Whether those converted forms are active in the body is still being studied.

There is no published human trial that directly compares the bioavailability of the two at equal doses. The "four times better absorbed" claim you'll see online comes from rat data, so treat it as a strong hint rather than a proven human fact.

Which foods contain pterostilbene and resveratrol?

A study of ten Vaccinium berry species found pterostilbene in only two rabbiteye blueberry cultivars and in deerberry, at 99 to 520 nanograms per gram of dried fruit. Resveratrol showed up in all ten species, from 7 to 5,884 ng/g, with lingonberry the highest and comparable to grapes at 6,471 ng/g (Rimando et al., 2004).

Those are very small amounts. At the top pterostilbene level, getting just 1 mg would take nearly 2 kg of dried berries, and fresh berries are mostly water. Food is a fine way to enjoy these fruits, but it does not deliver supplement-level doses. For scale, the Linus Pauling Institute lists about 0.24 to 1.25 mg of resveratrol in a cup of red grapes, while human resveratrol trials have used anywhere from 8 mg to more than 1,000 mg a day. For a fuller list of resveratrol sources, see our guide to resveratrol foods.

What do human studies show for each?

Pterostilbene

The main human trial enrolled 80 adults (average age 54) whose blood lipid readings were above the trial's cutoffs. They took pterostilbene 125 mg twice a day, 50 mg twice a day, 50 mg plus 100 mg grape extract twice a day, or a placebo for 6 to 8 weeks.

• Safety: There were no adverse reactions on liver, kidney or glucose markers, and no significant self-reported side effects. The authors concluded it was generally safe up to 250 mg a day (Riche et al., 2013).
• LDL: LDL rose by an average of 17.1 mg/dL in people taking pterostilbene alone, but not in the group taking it with grape extract. The rise appeared smaller in people already on lipid-lowering medication (Riche et al., 2014).
• Pressure readings: The higher dose lowered average systolic readings by 7.8 mmHg and diastolic readings by 7.3 mmHg over the trial (Riche et al., 2014).

That is one small, short trial in a specific group. It doesn't tell us what happens over years, or in people with normal lipid readings.

Resveratrol

Resveratrol has been tested in many more human trials, with mixed results that often trace back to its low bioavailability. We cover that evidence in detail in our resveratrol guide. Both compounds are also studied in the lab for their links to sirtuins and antioxidant activity (McCormack and McFadden, 2013), but cell and animal results don't automatically carry over to people.

Is pterostilbene or resveratrol safer?

Neither has long-term human safety data that settles the question. Pterostilbene's main trial was short and found no organ-marker problems, but the LDL rise is a real finding worth knowing about. Resveratrol has been used in more trials. Mild to moderate digestive side effects, such as nausea, stomach pain and diarrhea, have been reported in people taking more than 1,000 mg a day (Linus Pauling Institute).

Resveratrol slows platelet clumping in lab studies, so high intakes could in theory raise the risk of bruising and bleeding alongside blood thinners (Linus Pauling Institute). Pterostilbene has not been studied for drug interactions in people. People who take blood thinners or other prescription drugs, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are scheduled for surgery should check with a clinician before taking either one.

Which should you choose?

There's no evidence-based answer that one is better for people, because no trial has compared them. Here is how the trade-off looks on current evidence:

• Pterostilbene has the stronger absorption case from animal data but only a few small human trials, one of which saw LDL rise.
• Resveratrol has a much larger body of human research and a long record in supplements, but much of each dose is quickly converted after absorption.

Whichever you look at, check the label for the amount of the active form per serving (for resveratrol, the trans-resveratrol content), and read our guide to reading a Supplement Facts label.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is pterostilbene just a stronger form of resveratrol?

It is a close chemical relative with two methoxy groups in place of hydroxyl groups. That makes it better absorbed in rats, but "stronger" in people hasn't been shown in head-to-head trials.

Can you take pterostilbene and resveratrol together?

Some supplements combine them, but there are no human trials testing the combination. Talk to a clinician before stacking supplements, especially if you take medication.

Does pterostilbene raise LDL?

In one 6 to 8 week trial, LDL rose by an average of 17.1 mg/dL in people taking pterostilbene alone. It did not rise in the group that took it with grape extract.

How much pterostilbene per day was studied?

The main human trial used 100 mg or 250 mg a day, split into two doses, for 6 to 8 weeks. There is no official recommended amount.

What foods are high in pterostilbene?

Only a few: some rabbiteye blueberry varieties and deerberry, at a few hundred nanograms per gram of dried fruit. No common food provides supplement-level amounts.

Is pterostilbene worth taking?

The honest answer is that the human evidence is thin. It looks well absorbed in animals and was tolerated in a short trial, but its effects in people are largely unknown.

Sources

• Kapetanovic IM, Muzzio M, Huang Z, et al. Pharmacokinetics, oral bioavailability, and metabolic profile of resveratrol and its dimethylether analog, pterostilbene, in rats. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2011;68(3):593-601. PubMed 21116625
• Walle T, Hsieh F, DeLegge MH, et al. High absorption but very low bioavailability of oral resveratrol in humans. Drug Metab Dispos. 2004;32(12):1377-1382. PubMed 15333514
• Rimando AM, Kalt W, Magee JB, et al. Resveratrol, pterostilbene, and piceatannol in vaccinium berries. J Agric Food Chem. 2004;52(15):4713-4719. PubMed 15264904
• Riche DM, McEwen CL, Riche KD, et al. Analysis of safety from a human clinical trial with pterostilbene. J Toxicol. 2013;2013:463595. PubMed 23431291
• Riche DM, Riche KD, Blackshear CT, et al. Pterostilbene on metabolic parameters: a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014;2014:459165. PubMed 25057276
• Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. Resveratrol. Micronutrient Information Center. lpi.oregonstate.edu
• McCormack D, McFadden D. A review of pterostilbene antioxidant activity and disease modification. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2013;2013:575482. PubMed 23691264

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