by B Sivaprakasapillai, T Kappagoda, et al.
July 21, 2009
[Note: Metabolic syndrome is a combination of medical disorders, including high blood pressure, that increase the risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.]
This study was undertaken to determine whether grape seed extracts (GSE) that contain powerful vasodilator phenolic compounds lower blood pressure in subjects with the metabolic syndrome. [Vasodilators widen blood vessels by relaxing the smooth muscle cells in vessel walls.]
The subjects were randomized into 3 groups-(a) placebo, (b) 150 mg GSE per day, and (c) 300 mg GSE per day-and treated for 4 weeks.
Serum lipids [fats] and blood glucose [sugar] were measured at the beginning of the study and at the end. Blood pressure was recorded using an ambulatory monitoring device at the start of the treatment period and at the end.
Both the systolic and diastolic blood pressures were lowered after treatment with GSE as compared with placebo.
There were no significant changes in serum lipids or blood glucose values.
These findings suggest that GSE could be used as a nutraceutical in a lifestyle modification program for patients with the metabolic syndrome.
Source: Metabolism, Jul 14, 2009. PMID: 19608210, by Sivaprakasapillai B, Edirisinghe I, Randolph J, Steinberg F, Kappagoda T. Departments of Internal Medicine and Nutrition, University of California Davis, Davis, California; National Center for Food Safety and Technology, Illinois Institute of Technology, Moffet Campus, Summit-Argo, Illinois, USA. [E-mail: ctkappagoda@ucdavis.edu]
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