Is Grape Seed Extract Good for the Eyes?

Grapes have been an integral part of human culture and cuisine for thousands of years. They provide a highly nutritious food source and have been used, along with the leaves, in various folk remedies for conditions ranging from sore throat to cancer, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Grape seeds, chock full of powerful antioxidants, have caught the interest of scientists and the health-conscious public and may offer benefits for a variety of health conditions, including some related to visual health.

Night Vision

Night vision may improve with grape seed extract supplementation, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports. A study published in the April 2012 issue "Current Eye Research" found that antioxidants in grape seeds protect cells in the retina, which are responsible for your ability to distinguish colors and to see in low-light conditions. In the tissue culture study, grape seed extract quenched free radicals, reversed oxidative damage and protected retinal cells from stress-induced early demise.

Macular Degeneration

Oligomeric proanthocyanins in grape seed extract may help prevent or slow the development of macular degeneration, a condition involving loss of the central field of vision, according to medicinal chemistry lecture notes from the University of Washington. Dr. Theresa Graedon, co-author of "The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies," recommends grape seed extract for slowing macular degeneration as well as reducing visual stress caused by computer screens. Doses of 50 to 100 mg per day are common for general health and wellness. Therapeutic doses for particular conditions may go as high as 300 mg per day.

Cataract Prevention

Cataracts might be preventable, in part, by grape seed extract use, according to a tissue culture study published in the January 2011 "Molecular Vision." In the study, grape seed extract reduced oxidative damage to human lens cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide. Researchers concluded that grape seed extract may be useful for preventing or reversing oxidative damage that can lead to cataract formation. A laboratory animal study published in the June 2006 issue of "Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery" found that doses of 100 mg per kilogram body weight of grape seed proanthocyanidins effectively prevented cataract formation. Further clinical trials are needed to confirm these preliminary results.

 

Considerations

Safety of grape seed extract was addressed in a laboratory animal study published in the March 2001 "Research Communications in Molecular Pathology and Pharmacology." Short-term testing showed that grape seed extract was safe when given in single doses as high as 5,000 mg per kilogram body weight. Long-term tests showed that grape seed extract produced no toxic effects to the brain, heart, intestine, kidney, liver, lung or spleen at doses of 100 mg per kilogram body weight for 12 months.


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The Health Benefits of Grape Seed Extract

Grape seed extract is a liquid or powdery substance that is derived from the small seeds of red grapes. Occasionally, grape seed extract may come from the skins of red grapes. Grape seed extract is a rich source of flavonoids, which are phytochemicals that contain antioxidant properties. Many people believe that these flavonoids are just as vital as vitamin C and vitamin E to maintaining health.

A supplement rich in cancer-fighting properties

Antioxidants are substances that help the body to remove free radicals, which are cancer causing agents. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that can contribute to the development of numerous harmful conditions in the body. This is the reason grape seed extract supplements that are rich in antioxidants have become popular.

The most valued of flavonoids found in grape seed extract are procyanidolic oligomers or proanthocyanidins (PCOs). Aside from their powerful antioxidant properties, PCOs are also reported to improve blood circulation. The PCOs from grape seed extract are believed to strengthen blood vessels, resulting in improved heart function and a reduction in cancer cells.

Health benefits of grape seed extract

European doctors often prescribe drugs containing PCOs for vascular disorders. Aside from grape seed extract, PCOs are also found in maritime pine. PCOs drawn from maritime pines have the same health benefits and therapeutic benefits as PCOs drawn from grape seed extract. However, maritime pines are more expensive and have a more limited supply than grape seeds.

Taking grape seed extract can help improve blood circulation, which help prevent leg cramps, diabetes complications, varicose veins, numbness in the extremities, muscular degeneration, cataracts and impotence. Because most of these health conditions more commonly occur and are severe among the elderly, grape seed extract can be especially beneficial to them.

Grape seed extract is also believed to partially block the release of prostaglandin, the substance responsible for causing pain and inflammation in disorders such as endometriosis.
Grape seed extract is commonly used as an ingredient in European facial creams. When used as a topical ointment, grape seed extract is believed to help maintain the skin's elasticity.

The antioxidants in grape seed extract help protect muscle cells attacked by free radicals. As a result, those who wish to reduce the painful symptoms of fibromyalgia often take grape seed extract. Although the exact cause of fibromyalgia is not yet known, its painful symptoms include chronic muscle pain and stiffness.

Countless studies have shown that antioxidants play some part in reducing the number of cancer cells in the body. Because of this, people who are at risk for cancer often use grape seed extract. It is believed that the antioxidants in grape seed extract neutralize cell mutations that lead to tumor formation. It is hoped that by taking grape seed extract, the progression of common cancers such as lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer and skin cancer can be halted.

Buying grape seed extract

Grape seed extract supplements are available in many forms and they are generally inexpensive. These supplements can be purchased in tablet, liquid or capsule form. The standardized formula for the grape seed extract should be labeled as 92% or 95% PCO.

By Paul Ghossain For more indepth information on the herbal nutritional supplements as well as the benefits and risks associated with it, please feel free to visit http://www.vitaminsect.com/herbal-nutrition-supplement.html

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