„Grape seed and skin extracts are known for their beneficial cardiovascular and anti-cancer effects, surpassing even vitamins C and E in their antioxidant properties, but they also play a role in maintaining health through their many benefits.
Grape seed extract also contains procyanidol oligomers (PCOs), also known as proanthocyanidins, or as they were previously called, pycnogenols, which are thought to play an important role in the prevention of heart disease and cancer.
Grape seeds contain both water and fat soluble components, and the grape seed extract penetrates the cell membrane to exert its antioxidant effect throughout the body. It is one of the few substances that can even cross the blood-brain barrier to protect brain cells from the damaging effects of free radicals.
Grape seed extract can reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, strengthen capillaries, increase blood flow, relieve the symptoms of nerve damage caused by diabetes, and reduce the numbness and tingling sensation in the limbs.
Several studies have shown that grape seed extracts have anti-cancer properties. As antioxidants, PCOs can protect the genetic material of cells from effects that might otherwise increase the risk of cancer cell development. The present studies have shown that Gere’s grape seed and skin extract contains the antioxidant compounds (quercetin, malvidin, rutin, resveratrol) that are the most important antioxidants in grapes according to literature data.
Animal studies have clearly demonstrated its inhibitory effect on inflammatory processes, including tumour development, and its beneficial effect in preventing damage to the heart caused by lack of oxygen.
All this suggests that regular consumption of grape seed extract is recommended for health maintenance and disease prevention. According to the current literature, grape seed extract does not cause any side effects. Nor does it cause any symptoms of intoxication when taken in excess.
Although no human studies have yet been carried out, the literature suggests a daily intake of 3-5 grams of grape seed and skin extract powder.”
University of Pécs, Faculty of Health Sciences
Chemical analytical testing, chemical analytical testing and preclinical phase analysis of Gere grape seed and grape skin powder.
HUMAN STUDIES ON THE STRESS-REDUCING EFFECTS OF GERE BLUE GRAPE SEED AND SKIN MICROGRANULES
Scientific studies (PTE, Research Laboratory 2012) have shown that Gere’s Blue Grape Seed and Grape Skin Extract contains flavonoids and polyphenols (quercetin, resveratrol, malvidin, rutin) with strong antioxidant activity, which reduce the damaging effects of free radicals on cells.
Their animal studies have clearly demonstrated the inhibition of inflammatory processes, cardiovascular disease and tumours following administration of the grape extract microgranules. Today’s adverse environmental effects, stressful lifestyles, poor diet, smoking and lack of exercise are constantly damaging our bodies, resulting in an imbalance between the high production of aggressive free radicals and the antioxidant systems that protect the body and neutralise them. The resulting oxidative stress leads to the development of many diseases (autoimmune diseases, diabetes, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, stroke, senile dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease).
With this extremely important knowledge, the Oxylab Disease Risk Analysis Laboratory, headed by Dr Erzsébet Rőth, Professor and President of the Hungarian Society for Free Radical Research, was opened in Pécs in 2007, where special laboratory tests are carried out on an outpatient basis to determine the degree of oxidative stress, and then controlled treatment of the stress condition is possible.
Her studies have shown that antioxidant supplements have very different effects in different patients, mainly depending on the rate of absorption. Therefore, after measuring the baseline status, the effect of the proposed antioxidant should be reassessed after 2 months with a control test, because by that time a possible positive effect (reduced oxidative stress status) can be measured or the lack of positive change, due to poor absorption, can also be detected. Further treatment will be based on this.
In our human studies, we tested the antioxidant effects of Gere’s Villány blue grape seed and skin microgranules on mentally and physically active workers of different ages (30-50 years). The efficacy of the antioxidant formulation was evaluated by means of specific and internationally validated laboratory tests, which allowed the detection of pro- and antioxidant status, i.e. oxidative stress.
In our studies, 64 men and women were enrolled and their oxidative stress was measured in the specialised Oxylab laboratory.
We showed that 28 of the 64 subjects (20 women and 8 men) in the first so-called control study had varying degrees of oxidative stress, with pathological oxidative processes predominating and endogenous antioxidant protection being significantly reduced.
In light of these results, which highlighted the 28 people who had abnormal oxidative panels, we recommended that they take Gere’s blue grape seed extract regularly for 2 months, at a rate of 1 teaspoon per day. A repeat laboratory measurement was then carried out to determine oxidative stress parameters. It was shown that in all the people studied, without exception, oxidative stress was reduced and antioxidant protection was increased. In 17 of the 28 individuals studied, the values were completely normalised, while in 11 cases oxidative stress was still detectable, but to a lesser extent. We recommended that they take additional grape extract microgranules at an increased dose of 2×1 teaspoonfuls per day for 2 months. At the next measurement (again after 2 months), there were only 3 more patients left with higher oxidative stress.
To summarise our results, of the 28 patients included in the study, 2 and 4 months of regular use of grape seed extract resulted in the normalisation and elimination of oxidative stress. In three subjects, we recommended continued use of grape seed extract, 1 teaspoon per day, to further reduce their mild oxidative stress.
Our human trials are the first to demonstrate the antioxidant and oxidative stress reducing effects of Gere’s Blue Grape Seed Extract after only 2 months of use, following the positive results of the in vitro and animal studies known to date. On this basis, we recommend the use of Gere’s Blue Grape Seed Extract in all cases where oxidative stress, a specific form of stress that can be well detected by laboratory methods and can be well controlled with natural grape seed extract, is detected.
For detailed information on the theoretical background of oxidative stress, the specific tests and the operation of the laboratory, please visit www.oxylab.hu.
Over the past few years, there have been many papers published on the positive physiological effects of grape seed. In 2009, a scientific article (published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research) on the activity of polyphenols, the active ingredients in grape seed, showed that 76% of laboratory grown leukaemia cells were killed in just one day.
Dr László Márk, Head of the Analytical Laboratories of the Institute of Biochemistry and Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Pécs and a participant in the research on grape seeds and red wines with the Attila Gere Winery, commented on the results of the research on grape seeds:
„We have been studying the polyphenols in Villány red wines since 2004. These substances protect the cardiovascular system and have been shown to reduce insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes. These polyphenols also contain the famous resveratrol, the first molecule shown to have positive biomedical effects. These polyphenolic components are also responsible for the so-called French paradox, i.e. the fact that although the French eat a lot of fatty foods, they have a relatively low risk of cardiovascular disease and morbidity. Research suggests that this is due to the traditionally moderate consumption of red wine, which absorbs polyphenols and protects the body. Finally, studies on grape seed powder have shown the same beneficial effects as wine polyphenols.”
Other beneficial constituents of the seed include boron, bioflavin, vitamin P, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and certain trace elements such as iron, copper, molybdenum and manganese, which, together with polyphenols, protect the nervous system.
