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OPC Grape Seed Extract, 180mg blend (90 capsules)
OP1
(45 Day Supply)
IN STOCK - YES
What is OPC Grape Seed Extract? OPC's (Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins) Grape Seed Extracts are a set of bioflavonoid complexes that perform as free radical scavengers in the human body. OPC bioflavonoids were first noticed in the laboratory because they have the uncanny ability to strengthen blood vessel walls within hours after taking them.
Many names refer to this set of bioflavonoids, including OPC's, Oligomeric Procyanidolic Complexes, leuco anthocyanin, anthocyanidin and still others. We will refer to them as OPC's for the duration of this discussion.
What Does OPC Grape Seed Extract Do and How Does It Work?
OPC's are types of bioflavonoids, very powerful ones. Bioflavonoids are parts of plants that are actually assimilated into our body tissues when we consume them. It was, in fact, this very ability that led to their discovery. OPC bioflavonoids were first noticed in the laboratory because they have the uncanny ability to strengthen blood vessel walls within hours after taking them! The person responsible for their discovery was a French scientist named Dr. Jacques Masquelier, who first tested bioflavonoid containing peanuts on lab animals and discovered that their blood vessel walls would double in strength only hours after eating them. His discovery was made in 1948. In 1951, this same doctor extracted OPC's from pine bark.
In 1970, Dr. Masquelier obtained yet another patent for these bioflavonoids - a far more potent product. It is the grape seed extract that you may have heard about, and it is a powerful substance indeed.
Why Is Our OPC Grape Seed Extract Better? Our OPC Grape Seed Extract is naturally extracted, so there are NO chemical or solvent residues. It is a 120 seed per milligram extract (120:1), which is the highest in the industry, containing a full 95% Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins. Additionally, we have added 50mg per capsule of Grape Skin Extract and 30mg per capsule of Red Wine Extract, explained below.
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What Does OPC Grape Seed Extract Do and How Does It Work?
OPC's are types of bioflavonoids, very powerful ones. Bioflavonoids are parts of plants that are actually assimilated into our body tissues when we consume them. It was, in fact, this very ability that led to their discovery. OPC bioflavonoids were first noticed in the laboratory because they have the uncanny ability to strengthen blood vessel walls within hours after taking them! The person responsible for their discovery was a French scientist named Dr. Jacques Masquelier, who first tested bioflavonoid containing peanuts on lab animals and discovered that their blood vessel walls would double in strength only hours after eating them. His discovery was made in 1948. In 1951, this same doctor extracted OPC's from pine bark.
In 1970, Dr. Masquelier obtained yet another patent for these bioflavonoids - a far more potent product. It is the grape seed extract that you may have heard about, and it is a powerful substance indeed.
Resveratrol in the news!
Resveratrol has recently been in the news because new studies on animals have shown that resveratrol supplementation has the same beneficial effects on longevity as a restricted-calorie diet -- specifically, up to a 40% increase in lifespan! (Wall Street Journal, October 30, 2006, and New York Times, October 31, 2006.) This is obviously very exciting.
What is Resveratrol and Where Does it Come From?
Resveratrol is a phenolic compound that has been found to have strong antioxidant activity. Plants create resveratrol to protect themselves against the effects of poor growing conditions and severe weather. Resveratrol has been shown to reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. There have been numerous studies that show the benefits of moderate red wine consumption on health. Red wine is fermented with the antioxidant-potent grape skins present; some studies suggest that the intake of red wine (and therefore resveratrol) may yield cholesterol-lowering effects. This is one way that red wine consumption protects the heart.3 In addition to red wine and grape skin, Japanese Knotweed is an excellent source of resveratrol.
Red Wine and Grape Skin Benefits Include Resveratrol
There have been numerous studies that show the benefits of moderate red wine consumption on health; most of these studies distinguish red wine from white wine. A recent study shows that a particular polyphenol in grape skins, resveratrol, inhibits blood platelet aggregation. The difference between red and white wine is that red wine is fermented with the grape skins, while white wine has the skins removed prior to fermentation. So, red wine contains the beneficial resveratrol, while white wine does not. This is one way that red wine consumption protects the heart.3Our OPC Grape Seed Extract includes both Grape Skin Extract and Red Wine Extract, and includes Resveratrol so you can be sure you are receiving these beneficial compounds.
Oxidation Theory Of Chronic Illness
OPC's have one particular ability that was discovered by Masquelier in 1986, and that is the ability of Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins to scavenge free radicals from the body. Free radicals are simply oxygen atoms that are robbed of an electron through the body's natural metabolic processes.
If you exercise or smoke, you are exposed to higher levels of these free radicals than most people. Ironically, people who exercise are exposed to more free radicals than those who don't because they have faster, more vigorous metabolisms. Smokers, and second-hand smokers are bombarded by free radicals, because free radicals are also the product of pollutants (inefficient combustion).
The oxygen atom, which in a stable state has four pairs of electrons, becomes unstable when it loses an electron. An oxygen atom with seven electrons is referred to as a free radical. This name aptly describes its action in the body, too. Just as water pools, and vacuums are filled quickly in nature, free radicals quickly attach themselves to something - in this case body tissues - in order to stabilize themselves. What happens is the free radical takes an electron from the membrane of a body tissue and by doing so, produces yet another free radical, which then is obliged by its charge to seek out another electron - in your body. What results is a cascade of oxidations - a "rusting" of body tissues.
Enter OPC's, Antioxidants
Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins, in fact anti-oxidants in general, are structured in such a way that they are able to donate electrons freely without altering their valence (their electrons are not paired) - what this means is that anti-oxidants can stabilize free radicals without themselves becoming dangerous. In fact, anti-oxidants will go about donating electrons until they have no more; one anti-oxidant molecule is able to neutralize many free radicals.
It is by the number of available electrons in a given antioxidant that we are able to rate their effectiveness.
Label Facts
OPC Grape Seed Extract, 180mg Blend, 90 capsules:
Supplement Facts Serving Size: 2 Capsules Servings per container: 45
Amount Per Serving
% Daily Value
Grape Seed Extract (95% OPCs)
200 mg
†
Grape Skin Extract 30%
100 mg
†
Red Wine Extract 30%
60 mg
†
†Daily value not established.
Other ingredients: Cellulose (plant fiber), magnesium stearate (vegetable source).
Jerome L. Fleg, MD; Hidetaka Hougaku, M.D.; Edward G. Lakatta, M.D.; Mary K. Kemper; Christopher J. Earley, M.D.; and E. Jeffrey Metter, M.D. American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2001.
Pizzorno, Joseph, ND; Murray, Michael T, Eds. Textbook of Natural Medicine, second ed. Churchill Livingstone, 1999.
Wang, Z., Y. Huang, J. Zou, K. Cao, Y. Xu and J. M. Wu (2002). "Effects of red wine and wine polyphenol resveratrol on platelet aggregation in vivo and in vitro." Int J Mol Med 9(1): 77-79.
Double-Blind Trials
Abu-Amsha Caccetta, R., V. Burke, T. A. Mori, L. J. Beilin, I. B. Puddey and K. D. Croft (2001). "Red wine polyphenols, in the absence of alcohol, reduce lipid peroxidative stress in smoking subjects." Free Radic Biol Med 30(6): 636-42.
Clifford, A. J., S. E. Ebeler, J. D. Ebeler, N. D. Bills, S. H. Hinrichs, P. L. Teissedre and A. L. Waterhouse (1996). "Delayed tumor onset in transgenic mice fed an amino acid-based diet supplemented with red wine solids." Am J Clin Nutr 64(5): 748-56.
de Vries, J. H., P. C. Hollman, I. van Amersfoort, M. R. Olthof and M. B. Katan (2001). "Red wine is a poor source of bioavailable flavonols in men." J Nutr 131(3): 745-8.
Senault, C., D. Betoulle, G. Luc, P. Hauw, D. Rigaud and F. Fumeron (2000). "Beneficial effects of a moderate consumption of red wine on cellular cholesterol efflux in young men." Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 10(2): 63-9.
Takkouche, B., C. Regueira-Mendez, R. Garcia-Closas, A. Figueiras, J. J. Gestal-Otero and M. A. Hernan (2002). "Intake of wine, beer, and spirits and the risk of clinical common cold." Am J Epidemiol 155(9): 853-8.
Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trials
Nuttall, S. L., M. J. Kendall, E. Bombardelli and P. Morazzoni (1998). "An evaluation of the antioxidant activity of a standardized grape seed extract, Leucoselect." J Clin Pharm Ther 23(5): 385-9.
Preuss, H. G., D. Wallerstedt, N. Talpur, S. O. Tutuncuoglu, B. Echard, A. Myers, M. Bui and D. Bagchi (2000). "Effects of niacin-bound chromium and grape seed proanthocyanidin extract on the lipid profile of hypercholesterolemic subjects: a pilot study." J Med 31(5-6): 227-46.
This website and these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult a properly trained medical practitioner for medical advice.
