Grape Seed Extract May be a Viable Treatment Option for Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer cases continue to grow among men and women in the US, largely fueled by a diet of processed convenience foods and a sedentary lifestyle void of regular exercise. Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States, with more than 100,000 new diagnoses and 52,000 deaths attributed to the disease each year. Natural compounds including curcumin and resveratrol have proven effective in the prevention of colon cancer, and now scientists have determined that grape seed extract (GSE) specifically targets damaged cells in the digestive tract to provide an effective treatment for colorectal cancer.

Grape Seed Extract Promotes Programmed Cancer Cell Death to Prevent Colon Cancer Progression

A research team from the University of Colorado Cancer Center have published the results of a study in the journal, Cancer Letters demonstrating that the more advanced colorectal cancer cells are, the more GSE inhibits their growth and survival. Conversely, GSE does not affect healthy cells and is shown to specifically target only cancerous cells. The authors note that this is an important finding in light of the increased number of late stage colon cancer cases currently being diagnosed.

Lead study author and doctoral candidate Molly Derry commented “We've known for quite a while that the bioactive compounds in grape seed extract selectively target many types of cancer cells. This study shows that many of the same mutations that allow colorectal cancer cells to metastasize and survive traditional therapies make them especially sensitive to treatment with GSE.” This research could provide a critical starting point to encourage the use of natural therapies to treat colon cancer, rather than the traditional slash, burn and poison methods that cause more harm than good for many who suffer from the disease.

Supplement with Grape Seed Extract to Reduce Cellular Oxidation Associated with Cancer Proliferation

Scientists studied the effect of GSE on various stages of colon cancer cell lines, ranging from Stage 1 to Stage IV. They found that similar concentrations of GSE exerted a more profound effect in eradicating more advanced stages of colon cancer, indicating that the natural compound may provide an effective treatment option for more advanced forms of the disease. The Ms. Derry noted “It required less than half the concentration of GSE to suppress cell growth and kill 50 percent of stage IV cells than it did to achieve similar results in the stage II cells.”

The study team discovered that GSE targets colorectal cancer through inducing oxidative stress that leads to the programmed cell death known as apoptosis. Ms. Derry concluded “the many bioactive compounds of GSE are able to target multiple mutations. The more mutations a cancer presents, the more effective GSE is in targeting them.” Nutrition experts recommend supplementing with a standardized whole grape seed extract (150 to 250 mg) daily to provide a protective shield against colon and digestive cancers.

Grape Seed Extract Targets Destruction of Cancer Cells by Targeting DNA

Researchers from the Colorado Cancer Center reporting in the prestigious journal Carcinogenesis explain the unique mechanism exerted by grape seed extract to destroy cancer cells that target the head and neck. More than half a million people worldwide will fall victim to squamous cell carcinoma involving the head and neck, and 12,000 will die in the US alone. In an experimental model using mice, scientists have found that grape seed extract triggers DNA damage in the cancer cells and inhibits the necessary repair mechanism used by the cells to regenerate and multiply.

Grape seed extract has been the subject of multiple studies that demonstrate the polyphenols ability to support brain health, improve cognition and lower the risk of dementia. Regular consumption of red grapes or supplementation with grape seed extract is now found to be an important ally in the war against cancer.

Grape Seed Extract Lowers the Growth Rate of Certain Cancers by up to 67%

The lead researcher, Dr. Rajesh Agarwal and his team determined that supplementing mice with grape seed extract (GSE) reduced the growth of certain cancers by up to 67%, lowered the rate of progression of deadly tumors and DNA damage while inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death) of the cancer cells. Mice have been used to study specific cancer cell lines because they parallel tumor progression and metastasis in a manner similar to humans.

The researchers found that GSE created an environment that is unfavorable for cancer cell growth. Cancer cells require a specific environment, blood supply and metabolic nutrients to be able to propagate. If any of these pathways are disrupted, cancer cell death occurs. The scientists commented “Cancer cells are fast-growing cells… not only that, but they are necessarily fast growing. When conditions exist in which they can't grow, they die.”

Grape Seed Extract Destroys the Metabolic Pathway Used by Cancer Cells

The team determined that GSE both damages cancer cells' DNA (via increased reactive oxygen species) and stops the pathways that allow repair. Most important, they found there was no toxicity from supplementation. GSE killed the cancer cells by knocking out one of several vulnerable paths necessary for growth, and left the healthy tissue untouched. Dr. Agarwal concluded “I think the whole point is that cancer cells have a lot of defective pathways and they are very vulnerable if you target those pathways. The same is not true of healthy cells.”

Though this study focused specifically on GSE as a therapeutic agent for cancers of the head and neck, prior research has shown the natural compound effective against leukemia and tumors affecting the skin, breast, colon, lung, stomach and prostate. Nutrition experts recommend supplementation with an organically harvested grape seed extract (150 mg per day) to support brain health and fight cancerous tumor development.

Grape Seed Extract Compounds Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease Development

Researchers publishing the result of a study in the Journal of Alzheimer`s Disease found that eating grapes and supplementing with grape seed extract compounds help to prevent the development and progression of Alzheimer`s dementia. This devastating form of dementia is characterized by the accumulation of beta-protein clusters in the brain known as oligomers.

A wealth of prior research studies conclude that excess oligomers poison neurons in the brain and cause memory loss associated with the disease. A number of different natural compounds, including grapes and grape extracts provide a powerful protective shield against the progressive memory loss experienced with Alzheimer`s dementia.

Grape Seed Compound Inhibits Brain Protein Implicated in Alzheimer’s Progression

Researchers wanted to follow up on prior studies showing that grape seed polyphenolic extract (GSPE) stops alpha-beta oligomers being formed in test tube experiments. Using mice that have been bred to genetically develop Alzheimer’s disease, scientists set to determine the effect of grape polyphenols on cognitive decline. For a period of five months they added GSPE to a standard diet and tested the mice for signs of memory deterioration normally found in this line of transgenic animals.

After the five month period, researchers found that the mice had dramatically lowered levels of alpha beta-56, a specific form of oligomer previously implicated in the promotion of Alzheimer`s disease memory loss. They found that supplemented grape seed extract halted the progression of cognitive decline by helping the brain to clear excess levels of the beta protein implicated with the disease. Dr. Giulio Maria Pasinetti, lead study researcher from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York found the results “strongly suggest that GSPE should be further tested as a potential prevention and/or therapy for AD Alzheimer`s Disease.”

 

Specific Nutrients, Fruits and Vegetables from Diet Impede Dementia Development

The result of supportive research studies demonstrating the critical importance of natural nutrients to prevent Alzheimer`s disease are published in a prior edition of the Journal of Alzheimer`s Disease. The study focuses on `neuronutrition` to determine the impact of vitamins, minerals and nutrients from many vegetables and fruits to alter the chemistry of the brain and halt degenerative disease. In addition to a calorie restricted diet, the authors cite vitamin E, dietary polyphenols (including GSPE and resveratrol), curcumin, spices and homocysteine reduction. 

Researchers conducting this exhaustive study concluded “diets rich in unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, antioxidants, and wine likely suppress its (Alzheimer`s disease) onset. Evidence suggests that diets rich in polyphenols and some spices suppress the onset of AD by scavenging free radicals and preventing oxidative damage.” Nutrition experts recommend adding red grapes to your natural diet or supplementing with 150 mg to 250 mg of grape seed extract daily to dramatically lower Alzheimer`s dementia risk.

Grape Seed, Resveratrol and Pomegranate Significantly Lower Blood Pressure

Adults aged 55 and older face a lifetime risk of developing elevated blood pressure greater than 90%, accounting for more than 40 million doctor visits each year and taxing an already overburdened healthcare system. Uncontrolled blood pressure slowly degrades the vascular system throughout the body and takes a particular toll on the kidneys, eyes and delicate arteries around the heart and in the brain.

Small increases in blood pressure place an individual at dramatically increased risk from heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and blindness. Researchers focusing on the antioxidant capacity of grape seed, resveratrol and pomegranate found that regular consumption of these foods can effectively reduce blood pressure without the need for dangerous prescription drugs.

Natural Fruit Polyphenols Lower Cellular Stress and Blood Pressure

Oxidative stress is a significant factor leading to accelerated damage from hypertension. Excess stress prompts changes to the hormone angiotensin that is known to impact blood pressure through an intricate mechanism of vessel and arterial constriction. Natural agents that can lower dangerous levels of cellular oxidative stress are considered paramount to lowering blood pressure in susceptible individuals.

ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme)-inhibitors are among the most popular prescription medications prescribed to negate the effect of the angiotensin hormone, and create a life of misery for many due to the myriad of side effects inherent with this class of drug. Recent research shows that artificially lowering blood pressure with drugs has virtually no effect on cardiovascular disease risk, compared to lowering readings with natural fruit polyphenols, diet and physical activity.

Study Shows That Grape Seed Extract and Resveratrol Can Effectively Lower Blood Pressure

Writing in the journal Metabolism, nutritional scientists compared the effect of grape seed extract and resveratrol on subjects with metabolic syndrome. Three groups were divided to receive either grape seed extract (GSE) at a dose of 150 mg per day, GSE at 300 mg per day or a placebo. After 4 weeks, both GSE supplemented groups experienced systolic blood pressure drops of 5 to 7 percent. This change was considered significant as no other dietary or lifestyle interventions were followed. Researchers believe that GSE and grape-derived compounds including resveratrol can be used to prevent and treat hypertension based on the potent antioxidant load delivered by the fruit extracts.

Pomegranates effectively lower blower blood pressure in a manner similar to GSE and resveratrol as the juice and extracts contain powerful polyphenols that counteract oxidative stress. This magical fruit also is found to lower circulating levels of the angiotensin hormone that can help blood vessels to relax. The result of a study published in the journal Atherosclerosis demonstrated that consumption of pomegranate juice (50 ml per day for 2 weeks) lowered ACE activity by 36%, leading to a 5% drop in systolic blood pressure.

It should come as no surprise to those following a natural health lifestyle that the key to controlling blood pressure and reducing the risk factors that promote cardiovascular disease are not found in a prescription bottle. Fruits such as the pomegranate and formulated natural extracts from red grape skins and seeds deliver powerful health benefits without any of the associated side effects of synthesized pharmaceuticals.

Resveratrol and Grape Seed Extract Help Prevent Diabetes

Researchers publishing the results of two independent studies in the British Journal of Nutrition have demonstrated that polyphenol antioxidants found naturally in red grapes can prevent the buildup of fat in muscle tissue that is a precursor to metabolic disorder and diabetes. Resveratrol and grape seed extracts influence how the body responds to insulin, the hormone that controls critical mechanisms of dietary sugar and fat metabolism.

The grape-derived compounds have been shown to improve cardiovascular and Alzheimer`s disease risk factors in the past. Information gleaned from these studies explains how daily consumption of the fresh fruit can be invaluable as it prevents muscular fat accumulation leading to metabolic instability and diabetes.

High Sugar Diet Leads to Fat Accumulation in Muscle Tissue

Detailing the result of research performed at the University of Montpellier in France, scientists found that subjects fed a diet high in fat and sugar experienced a lower accumulation of fat in muscle tissue when supplemented with a concentrated extract of red grape polyphenols. Diets high in oxidized saturated fats are known to disrupt the normal function of insulin leading to insulin resistance and diabetes. By limiting the effect of fats on cell membranes, the grape extract was found to provide a significant level of protection against the disease.

In a separate body of research, scientists determined that a 10 mg daily dose of resveratrol was associated with lowered insulin resistance in Type-II diabetics. Resveratrol is a powerful protective anti-fungal compound found in the skin of red grapes. Known to activate a longevity signaling gene (SIRT-1), resveratrol has been shown to extend lifespan by lowering the risks associated with systemic inflammation. The polyphenol may help to prevent cancer development, cardiovascular disease and dementia, and is now shown to impede the development of diabetes by regulating insulin sensitivity.

Resveratrol Improves Insulin Sensitivity to Prevent Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes

Researchers formed two groups of participants and randomly supplemented their diet with resveratrol (5 mg twice a day) or a placebo. After four weeks the resveratrol group showed a significant decrease in insulin sensitivity compared to the placebo group. The study authors explain that the results are likely due to the potent antioxidant action of resveratrol, as oxidative stress is a key contributor to the onset of insulin resistance.

Researchers concluded “The present study shows for the first time that resveratrol improves insulin sensitivity in humans, which might be due to a resveratrol-induced decrease in oxidative stress that leads to more efficient insulin signaling.” To maximize the anti-diabetic health benefits of grape polyphenols, health-minded individuals will want to include organically grown red grapes in their diet or supplement with grape seed extract and resveratrol (10 to 25 mg daily).

Berries and Grapes Can Prevent Alzheimer's Disease, Improve Memory

(Article first published as Berries and Grapes Improve Memory and Brain Health on Technorati.)

Cognitive decline is unnatural. Millions of aging adults consider an impaired capacity to think, reason and form new memories as the inevitable course of declining health. By accepting brain aging as normal, we condemn our senior years and live in constant fear of whether we will remember our family and friends or retain our personal identity.

Loss of cognition as we age is not normal. There is no programmed switch that diminishes our ability to reason and remember events, names and faces. The brain is susceptible to many of the damaging effects of inflammation, free radicals and insulin resistance that lead to chronic illness. Blueberries and grape seed extract show great potential in the fight against brain aging and cognitive decline.

Blueberries are a Powerful Brain Antioxidant

The human brain performs millions of electrical and chemically mediated actions every second and generates a large number of free radicals in the process that can damage normal neuronal function. Any natural agent that can neutralize the effect of free radicals will provide necessary protection and prevent brain aging.

Anthocyanins and flavanols are natural protective compounds found in high concentration in blueberries and are known to be able to cross the critical blood-brain barrier and influence brain function. The result of research published in the journal Nutrition shows that dietary supplementation with blueberries for as little as 30 days can slow and even reverse the decline in mental function associated with age. The study authors concluded “this illustrates a surprisingly prompt and powerful effect of an antioxidant dietary intervention.”

Blueberries Enhance Critical Neuronal Communications

Researchers know that blueberries and other members of the purple berry family are linked with lowered incidence of age-related dementia and Alzheimer`s disease. While the exact mechanism of action is not fully understood, prior studies have shown that the active compounds in berries exert their effects on learning and memory by enhancing existing neuronal connections, improving cellular communications and stimulating neuronal regeneration.

Grape Seed Extract Can Rebuild Brain Cell Networks

Grape seed extract is a significant source of naturally occurring phenolic compounds that are known to bolster the structural integrity of brain cells and brain cell networks. Research provided by a study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research documents the ability of grape seed extract to stimulate the production of new brain cells. Researchers were able to show that compounds in grape seed extract activated genes that controlled cellular rejuvenation. Additionally, grape seed extract strengthened existing brain cell connections in the memory control center of the brain (hippocampus).

Loss of memory and the ability to learn and form thoughts are functions that should not be lost as we age. Cognitive decline can be prevented by eating a diet void of processed foods, sugars and damaging hydrogenated fats. Eat a cup of wild blueberries each day and supplement with grape seed extract to provide critical antioxidant support and prevent the assault from free radical damage.