Red Grape Juice May Decrease Cardiovascular Risk

MADRID, Spain—A recent Spanish study found regular ingestion of concentrated red grape juice (RGJ) by hemodialysis patients reduced neutrophil NADPH-oxidase activity and plasma concentrations of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and inflammatory biomarkers greater than vitamin E (Am J Clin Nutr. 2008;87(4)1053-61). Patients undergoing hemodialysis (n=32) were randomly assigned to receive dietary supplementation with RGJ, vitamin E, both or a control condition without supplementation or placebo. Only the RGJ consumption reduced plasma concentration of total cholesterol and apolipoprotien B and increased those of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Both RDJ and vitamin E reduced plasma concentrations of oxidized LDL and ex-vivo neutrophil NADPH oxidase activity; these effects were intensified when the supplements were used in combination. Reductions in the inflammatory biomarkers intercellular adhesion molecule 1 and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 were also observed when the supplements were combined.