Grape Seed Extract
Grape seeds have a long history of use in medicine. One of the likely reasons why is that they are high in antioxidant compounds called proanthocyanidins. These compounds are known to have potential benefits due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. They have a similar structure to compounds found in pine bark (often referred to the trademarked name pycnogenol). As a supplement, grape seed extracts are fairly well studied and have been shown to exert a number of different effects:
- Promote blood flow and circulation while protecting from heart disease
- Balance blood sugar
- Protect from tooth decay
- Improve liver and kidney function
Grape Seed Extract and Heart Health
A meta-analysis of almost 20 studies found that grape seed extract lowered diastolic blood pressure just over two points and modestly decreased heart rate (Foshati 2022). The authors conclude that grape seed extract may be useful for people who have or are at risk of heart disease.
Generally in medicine, cholesterol and triglycerides are tested to assess heart disease risk. When levels are high, grape seed extract has been shown to lower total cholesterol, bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) and triglycerides (Asbaghi 2020). While most people focus on cholesterol as a risk factor for heart disease, damaged, or oxidized cholesterol levels may be more important in the damage that it causes (Kattoor 2019). Grape seed extract, as a powerful antioxidant, has been shown to protect cholesterol by decreasing its oxidation (Razavi 2013).
Grape Seed Extract and Blood Sugar
Diabetes is a global epidemic involving approximately 10% of the world’s population (Singer 2022). Blood sugar dysregulation leading to elevated blood sugar levels is the main cause. Grape seed extract has been found to help lower fasting blood sugar levels (Asbaghi 2020). This might help to delay or stop blood sugar problems from developing into full blown diabetes.
Grape Seed Extract and Tooth Decay
Tooth decay is a common problem in both children and adults. Preventing tooth decay and cavities can improve quality of life and prevent dental expenses. Somewhat surprisingly, grape seed extract has significant research showing its benefits for preventing cavities. For treating teeth, grape seed extract needs to be dissolved in water and used as a mouthwash. It prevents bacterial biofilm growth (plaque) on teeth. It also has been shown to help remineralize teeth if they’ve been damaged (Delimont 2020). On its own, grape seed extract does not have a good flavor and may need to be combined with flavoring agents to be tolerated as a mouthrinse.
Grape Seed Extract and Liver Function
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a common condition that causes significant damage to the liver, often raising liver enzymes. In patients with fatty liver disease, grape seed extract was found to lower blood sugar and blood pressure, increase good cholesterol and decrease liver enzymes (Ghanbari 2024). The authors concluded that grape seed extract could be an appropriate treatment for patients struggling with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
A meta-analysis of the studies on liver function and grape products found that grape seed extract was effective for lowering liver enzymes (Zamani 2022). However, in the research, benefits were slow to materialize and took three months or more to materialize.
Grape Seed Extract and Kidney Failure
Kidney disease is often considered a chronic, progressive disease that eventually results in kidney failure. Most standard treatments slow the progression of the disease without necessarily improving function.
While not well studied, a small clinical trial in patients with kidney disease found that grape seed extract supplementation improved kidney filtration by almost 19% (Turki 2016). If these results are replicated, grape seed extract might reasonably be considered a therapeutic agent for kidney disease.
Conclusion
As a potent antioxidant, grape seed extract appears to have a number of significant benefits, from improving liver and kidney function to protecting from diabetes, heart disease and tooth decay. Considering that grape seed extract appears to be quite safe, it could eventually become a useful tool for the prevention and treatment in these and other health conditions.
