Grape seed oil is an extract from grape seeds. Grape seed oil may have antioxidant-properties and may help to prevent and treat heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Individuals interested in taking grape seed oil should consult a physician. Grape seed oil is classified as a dietary supplement, which means it is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. More research is needed regarding the safety and effectiveness of grape seed oil.
History
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, grapes have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Different parts of the grape plant were used in European folk medicine to treat eye and skin diseases, stop bleeding, reduce inflammation and treat pain, constipation, thirst, cancer, cholera, smallpox, nausea and kidney and liver diseases. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or NCCAM, says grape seed oil is also referred to as grape seed extract.
Health Claims
The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center says grape seed oil is purported to treat atherosclerosis, burns, cancer, constipation, intestinal disorders, high cholesterol and wounds. Atherosclerosis is a condition that occurs when fat builds up in arteries and restricts blood flow. Atherosclerosis and high cholesterol are risk factors for heart disease, heart attack and stroke. The UMMC says grape seed oil is also used to treat swelling, or edema, and chronic conditions caused by free radicals like heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Free radicals are unstable molecules that damage tissues ad cells.
Antioxidants
The health benefits of grapes and grape extracts are most likely due to their antioxidant content. Antioxidants protect the body and prevent chronic diseases by destroying free radicals. According to the MSKCC, antioxidants found in grapes and grape seed oil include tannins, proanthocyanidins, procyanidins, flavonoids and polyphenols.
The American Cancer Society, or ACS, says proanthocyanidins are a particularly strong antioxidant found in grape seed oil. In addition to preventing certain cancers and heart disease, antioxidants such as proanthocyanidins may also treat arthritis, allergies, circulatory problems, water retention, diabetes and vision problems.
Research
The NCCAM says lab studies have shown that antioxidants in grape seed oil can prevent cell damage caused by free radicals, but it is still unclear how this might benefit health. The NCCAM says few clinical trials have used grape seed oil to treat specific diseases. The UMMC says more evidence is needed to confirm the role of grape seed oil in lowering cholesterol and high blood pressure, reducing edema, preventing cancer and treating diabetes and vision problems.
Dosage
Grape seed oil is available in tablets, liquid extracts and capsules. The UMMC recommends purchasing supplements that are 40 to 80 percent proanthocyanidins. According to the UMMC, 25 to 150 mg of grape seed oil extract one to three times a day may protect against free radical damage. Specific conditions such as edema may require 150 to 400 mg per day.
Side Effects
The NCCAM says reported side effects of grape seed oil include headache, dry or itchy scalp, dizziness and nausea. The UMMC does not recommend grape seed oil for children and pregnant or breastfeeding women. Grape seed oil may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with blood-thinning medications such as warfarin, Coumadin or aspirin.
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