As the name implies, grape seed extract is made from the ground seeds of grapes. Grape seeds are a rich source of antioxidants, which is why they are used to help prevent a variety of diseases. But does grape seed extract really live up to the hype? The answer is YES according to several clinical trials.
Disease-Fighting Benefits of Grape Seed Extract
Research shows that grape seed extract may defend against many health conditions. Here are just a few of them.
Heart Disease
Heart disease is characterized by a disorder of the blood vessels of the heart that can lead to a heart attack. It is the leading cause of death in the United States.1 A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked by a build-up of plaque in the coronary arteries. Two of the main risk factors for heart disease is high blood pressure and unhealthy blood glucose levels, and research suggests that grape seed extract can reduce both of these risks.
High blood pressure: In a review of 16 studies, researchers found that taking grape seed extract significantly reduced blood pressure, especially when taken daily. Plus, grape seed extract has been shown to keep blood platelets from clumping together and may be beneficial at preventing high blood pressure and heart attack. 2,3
Unhealthy blood cholesterol levels: A recent randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study (the “Gold Standard” in science) showed that grape seed extract decreased oxidized LDL particles and reduced total LDL cholesterol levels.4 A high proportion of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is associated with increased risk of heart disease.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body’s ability to produce or use insulin is impaired, leading to elevated blood glucose and insulin levels. A study with rats showed that both grape seed extract reduced elevated blood insulin and blood glucose levels! This can help reverse or prevent the insulin resistance of type 2 diabetes.5 A similar study with human type 2 diabetes patients showed that grape seed extract may reduce blood glucose levels if taken regularly. (The subjects in this study were given 600 mg of grape seed extract for 4 weeks).6
Obesity
Though not addressed in the study above, reducing blood glucose and insulin levels can also help you lose weight. But grape seed contains another secret weapon to fight obesity-- proanthocyanidin.
Grape seeds are rich in proanthocyanidin, an antioxidant that may help decrease disease risk.7 One reason for this effect is that grape seeds have been shown to exert an anti-inflammatory effect. (Inflammation increases the risk of many diseases, including obesity.) In one randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial, 40 overweight or obese subjects were given 300 mg per day of grape seed extract or placebo for 12 weeks. The result? The group given grape seed extract showed a significant reduction in body weight, body mass index, and waist circumference compared to the placebo group due in part to grape seeds’ anti-inflammatory properties.8
Grape Seed Extract and Your Belly
This and other studies on the weight loss benefits of grape seed extract are so compelling that we HAD to include it in our breakthrough gut-health supplement and POSTBiotic formula Viscera-3. Grape seed extract is part of our SlimGut Garden® proprietary blend, which when combined with the nutrient Harvard doctors call “optimal” for gut health, supercharges this “gut-healing” formula. Click here to learn more about SANE Viscera-3 and to see if we are still in-stock of this wildly popular “gut-healing” formula!
References
2- Zhang H, Liu S, Li L, et al. The impact of grape seed extract treatment on blood pressure changes: A meta-analysis of 16 randomized controlled trials. Medicine (Baltimore). 2016;95(33):e4247. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000004247
3- Jin JW, Inoue O, Suzuki-Inoue K, Nishikawa G, Kawakami Y, Hisamoto M, Okuda T, Ozaki Y. Grape seed extracts inhibit platelet aggregation by inhibiting protein tyrosine phosphatase. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2014 Apr;20(3):278-84. doi: 10.1177/1076029613481103. Epub 2013 Mar 10. PMID: 23478570.
4- Jade K. Grape Seed Extract May Benefit Blood Pressure and Cholesterol. University Health News. Apr 14, 2020. Accessed Nov 23, 2020.
5- Yogalakshmi B, Bhuvaneswari S, Sreeja S, Anuradha CV. Grape seed proanthocyanidins and metformin act by different mechanisms to promote insulin signaling in rats fed high calorie diet. J Cell Commun Signal. 2014 Mar;8(1):13-22. doi: 10.1007/s12079-013-0210-x. Epub 2013 Sep 12. PMID: 24026800; PMCID: PMC3972396.
6- Kar P, Laight D, Rooprai HK, Shaw KM, Cummings M. Effects of grape seed extract in Type 2 diabetic subjects at high cardiovascular risk: a double blind randomized placebo controlled trial examining metabolic markers, vascular tone, inflammation, oxidative stress and insulin sensitivity. Diabet Med. 2009 May;26(5):526-31. doi: 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2009.02727.x. PMID: 19646193.
7- Yang J, Xiao YY. Grape phytochemicals and associated health benefits. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2013;53(11):1202-25. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2012.692408. PMID: 24007424.
8- Parandoosh M, Yousefi R, Khorsandi H, Nikpayam O, Saidpour A, Babaei H. The effects of grape seed extract (Vitis vinifera) supplement on inflammatory markers, neuropeptide Y, anthropometric measures, and appetite in obese or overweight individuals: A randomized clinical trial. Phytother Res. 2020 Feb;34(2):379-387. doi: 10.1002/ptr.6529. Epub 2019 Nov 11. PMID: 31713941.
