Kowalski, author of The Blood Pressure Cure, walks down supermarket aisles and explores health food stores and online shelves for the tastiest heart-healthy foods and the most effective cholesterol- and blood pressure-lowering supplements.
For many years I’ve extolled the virtues of grape seed extract as a powerful antioxidant in the category of plant substances known as polyphenols and flavonols. Rodent studies a few years ago showed that when grape seed comprised a large percentage of animals’ diets, blood pressures came down. But it would be impractical, nutritionally illogical to consume that much grape seed on a daily basis. So the research chemists went to work to determine the particular part of grape seed that had the desired effect.
Working at Polyphenolics, a division of California Natural Color and E. & J. Gallo Winery in California, chemists isolated that component and concentrated the isolate into a special formulation of grape seed extract the company calls MegaNatural®-BP. Next came successful animal studies. But they didn’t stop there. Instead, the company supported two human clinical trials at the University of California, Davis, with leading cardiologist C. Tissa Kappagoda, M.D.
The first trial included 24 men and women diagnosed with “metabolic syndrome,” a condition that combines insulin resistance, elevated triglycerides and lowered levels of the protective HDL cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Average improvements were 12 points systolic (top number) BP and 8 points diastolic (bottom number).
In a second investigation, Dr. Kappagoda and his colleagues worked with 30 participants with average blood pressures of 134.1/79.1. Half got 300 mg of MegaNatural®-BP and half got a sugar-pill placebo. While placebo recipients exhibited no changes at all, those getting MegaNatural®-BP achieved reductions of 8 points systolic and 6 points diastolic.
A number of companies sell MegaNatural®-BP grape seed extract either alone or in combination with other ingredients. For a listing of companies whose products are sold in health food stores or online, go to www.polyphenolics.com. You’ll find one of the most reasonably priced products, a pure MegaNatural®-BP with no additional ingredients, comes from www.healthyorigins.com. Also visit www.swansonvitamins.com to check out their well-priced offerings.
Read the whole shopping list from Bob Kowalski at theHealthyHeart.net.
