By David Liu, PHD

Saturday May 11, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study in Journal of Medicinal Food suggests that taking red grape seed extract may improve lipid profile and decrease oxidized low-density lipoprotein in those with mild hyperlipidemia and reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease in the individuals.

S. M. Razavi from Shahid Modarres Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran and colleagues conducted the study and found that among other things, red grape seed extract supplementation decreased triglyceride and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol and increase high density lipoprotein cholesterol, which are desirable.

Hyperlipidemia is considered a heart risk as it causes the formation of lipoprotein deposition on the inner wall of the blood vessels leading to atherosclerosis.  It can also induce oxidative stress leading to the formation of atherosclerotic plaque.  Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL )particles particularly play a detrimental role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

In the study, 52 individuals with mild hyperlipidemia were randomly assigned to receive either 200 mg of a red grape seed extract per day or a placebo for eight weeks.  At eight weeks, the two groups were  crossed over for another eight weeks.    Lipid profiles and Ox-LDL were determined at the beginning and the end of each treatment. 

It was found that the grape seed extract supplementation lowered total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol, and Ox-LDL (also a bad cholesterol) in addition to reducing serum triglyceride and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

The study suggests that people with mild hyperlipidemia may reduce their risk for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease by taking red grape extract supplements.