Grape Seed Extract Reduces Blood Pressure

MADERA, Calif.—Consumption of grape seed extract lowers blood pressure, according to results of an unpublished in vivo human study conducted at University of California, Davis, School of Medicine.

The one-month study was done on 24 male and female patients diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, with symptoms including elevated blood pressure, excess abdominal body weight, high blood cholesterol fats and high blood sugar. The patients were randomized to receive 150 mg/d grape seed extract (from Polyphenolics [www.polyphenolics.com], a division of Constellation Wine US; n=8), 300 mg/d of the extract (n=8) or placebo (n=8). Researchers measured participants’ blood pressure for 12 hours subsequent to ingestion of the treatments. Individuals given grape seed extract experienced reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and serum oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

“Participants in the two groups receiving grape seed extract experienced an equal degree of reduced blood pressure,” said C. Tissa Kappagoda, M.D., MBBS, Ph.D., one of the researchers. “The average drop in systolic pressure was 12 mm. The average drop in diastolic pressure was 8 mm. [In addition,] generally, the higher their initial oxidized LDL level was, the greater the drop by the end of the study.”

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