Grape Skin Extract & Homocysteine

A high level of blood serum homocysteine level is a prevailing indicator of cardiovascular disease. Grape seed extract has been shown to possess cholesterol and homocysteine lowering effects, thereby diminishing the risk of vascular diseases. Before using supplements to treat cardiovascular conditions, consult with a cardiologist.

Grape Seed Extract and Homocysteine

Elevations of homocysteine, an amino acid chemically similar to cysteine, are linked to increased concentrations of cholesterol and other indicators of cardiovascular disease. Elevated levels of homocysteine in the blood have also been implicated in a higher risk of stroke, peripheral vascular disease and atherosclerosis by damaging the inner lining of arteries and promoting blood clots. Grape seed extract, GSE, has been clinically tested to determine its effect in lowering indicators of these diseases and has shown a promising outcome.

Atherosclerosis and Homocysteine

Atherosclerosis is a disease of the arteries in which fatty plaques develop on the inner walls, which eventually obstructs blood flow. The November 2002 issue of the "Journal of Medicine" contained a study to identify risk factors for atherosclerosis including genetics, diet, lifestyle, smoking, circulating lipid and cholesterol levels, and molecular and circulating signals of chronic vascular inflammation, including homocysteine. The authors assessed the efficacy of GSE supplementation in hamsters, individually and in combination with a known pharmaceutical, using animals with a similar lipid profile to hypercholesterolemic humans. They found that atherosclerosis was reduced by approximately 50 percent with the pharmaceutical and 63 percent following supplementation of the drug with GSE. This study concluded that GSE may provide significant health benefits by dramatically improving the incidence of atherosclerosis.

Additionally, the February 2011 issue of "Medicinsk Glasnik" contained an article to assess the association between homocysteine and traditional risk factors in patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease, ASVD. This study included patients determined to be at risk for cardiovascular disease through lipid profiles. The authors found that homocysteine concentration was significantly higher in the ASVD group compared to the controls. The authors of this study claim to have shown the association between homocysteine levels and traditional risk factors of cardiovascular incidence.

Grape Seed Extract and Cardiovascular Disease

A study published in the February 2003 issue of "Mutation Research" conducted a series of trials using GSE to demonstrate its cardioprotective potential in animals and humans. Upon completion of the trials, the authors of the study found that GSE supplementation improved cardiac function including ventricular function, reduced myocardial infarct size, reduced ventricular fibrillation and tachycardia, as indicated by decreased levels of homocysteine. They concluded that GSE may serve as a potential therapeutic tool in promoting cardiovascular health.

Cardiovascular Disease and Homocysteine

Many drugs lower circulating cholesterol homocysteine levels, but they are frequently associated with severe side effects. Based on this confirmed observation, an article appearing in the May 2000 issue of the "Journal of Medicine" investigated hypercholesterolemia, a significant cardiovascular risk factor that is widespread in the American population. Researchers examined hypercholesterolemic patients in a randomized, placebo-controlled study using grape seed extract, GSE, to treat elevated cholesterol levels detectable through elevated homocysteine levels. The subjects received a placebo or GSE and over two months, the average change in total cholesterol from the start of the study had declined by up to 16.5 percent, with the major decrease in low density lipoprotein levels. The author further found that high density lipoprotein levels essentially did not change among the participants. The study concluded that GSE can decrease total cholesterol and LDL levels significantly and has potential for preemptory treatment of cardiovascular disease.

References

• "Journal of Medicine"; Effects of niacin-bound chromium and grape seed proanthocyanidin extract on the lipid profile of hypercholesterolemic subjects: a pilot study; H Preuss et al.; May 2000.
• "Molecule and Cellular Biochemistry"; Beneficial effects of a novel IH636 grape seed proanthocyanidin extract and a niacin-bound chromium in a hamster atherosclerosis model; J Vinson et al.; November 2002.
• "Mutation Research"; Molecular mechanisms of cardioprotection by a novel grape seed proanthocyanidin extract; D. Bagchi et al.; February 2003.
• "Medicinsk Glasnik"; Association of homocysteine with traditional and non-traditional risk factors in patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease; E Kiseljakovic et al.; February 2011.