Grape seed extract is a derivative of grape seeds. It is rich in antioxidants and oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes and has been linked to a wide range of possible health benefits. Including antitumor activity.
Other possible treatments grape seed extract might benefit is high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, macular degenerative, poor circulation, and nerve damage. Anticancer and cancer chemoprevention potential has also been studied.
Grape seeds are increasingly being used to obtain functional food ingredients such as natural antioxidants and dietary supplements. Grape seeds contain high levels of phytopharmaceuticals, which have been correlated with a decreased risk of chronic diseases.
A large number of investigations have demonstrated a broad spectrum of pharmacological and therapeutic benefits of grape seed proanthocyanidins against oxidative stress and degenerative disease including cardiovascular dysfunctions, acute and chronic stress, gastrointestinal distress neurological disorders, pancreatitis, carcinogenesis including detoxification and carcinogenic metabolites.
In a study from College of Food Science and Technology, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, People’s Republic of China, grapes and grape-based products are one such class of dietary products that have shown cancer chemoprevention potential and are also known to improve overall human health.
Proanthocyanidins are in a group of compounds called polyphenols. These belong to a subclass called flavonoids. They give the fruit or flowers of many plants their red, blue, and purple colors. They were first studied for their importance as plant pigments. These compounds may help prevent cancer.
Red and black grapes, grape seeds and red wine as well as bilberries, cranberries, strawberries, red cabbage, apple peel, pine bark, birch, and ginkgo biloba all contain proanthocyanidins.
While one food group doesn’t always provide us with adequate prevention, research is being done to look at the health benefits of these compounds. It is known that a diet with a lot of vegetables and fruits reduces the risk for many types of cancer. It also lowers the risk of other age-related problems.
In a report from the University of Rochester Medical Center there are no known side effects linked with proanthocyanidins. There are no known food or medicine interactions.
Fruits and vegetables, belong to the plant kingdom. They represent a vast source of phytochemicals of varied chemical structures and a many of them have already been studied extensively for their potential anticancer chemopreventive efficacy.
Grape seed extract is a nutraceutical agent that is commonly consumed as a healthy/dietary supplement and is sold as an over-the-counter product in the U.S. in the form of capsules or tablets (100-500 mg). The consumer interest in grape seed extract has been primatary due to the high content of antioxidants in the form of proanthocyanidins in this extract. The antioxidant capacity of this extract has been shown to the greater known antioxidants such as vitamin C and E.
Grape leaves have been found in fossils dating back to prehistoric times. Grapes were domesticated in western Asia prior to 5,000 B.C, are depicted in tomb paintings dating to 2,400 B.C., and are mentioned in biblical writings.
Ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks noted the health benefits of wine drinking, and the cardioprotective effect of regular wine consumption has been observed among Mediterranean populations. Grape seed extract and proanthocyanidins have been marketed in France for decades as treatment for venous and capillary disorders, and the extract is used extensively in Japan as a food additive and antioxidant. Cold-pressed grape seed oil, obtained as a byproduct of wine making, is used in cooking and salad dressings. Bertelli 2009, Chevallier 1996, Murray 1998.
Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study in healthy and overweight individuals with an unrestrained diet and higher energy requirements demonstrated that grape seed extract may be effective in reducing 24-hour energy intake while sustaining satiety. Vogels 2004 reported. In addition, grape seed extract supplementation may also act as an ergogenic aid able to prolong the onset of fatigue during physical activity, Kim 2018.
Composition of commercial grape seed preparations is highly variables. In clinical trials, grape seed extract has been studied for effects on various cardiovascular risk markers at oral doses of 150 to 2,000 mg/day formulations and durations of therapy (range 2 to 24 weeks) varied. (Feringa 2011). In a safety and tolerability assessment in healthy Japanese adult volunteers, oral intake of grape seed extract up to 2,500 mg for 4 weeks was found to be generally safe and well tolerated, (Sano 2017).
