b'HEALTH BITS & PIECESBy Dan Kenner, Ph.D., LAcNeither Health Freedom News nor I are suggesting that any such medical care or treatmentbe conducted without competentmedical advice and supervision.Grape Seed Extract:coronary artery bypass surgery, Annals of CardiacExtreme Exercise as a A Super-Supplement Anaesthesia, 2017, 20(1): 45-51, at doi: 10.4103/0971- Risk Factor for Coronary Part One (Five benefits)9784.197834. Heart DiseaseMore people should be aware of thePrevents Bone Destruction fromA new study suggests that long-term en-multitude of benefits of grape seed ex- JointInflammation:Inanani- durance exercise may be related to an increase tract (GSE). GSE is rich in resveratrol,mal study, GSE also reduced pain, jointin coronary atherosclerosis. In the Master@proanthocyanins, and other nutritionaldamage, improved collagen levels, andHeart study, lifelong endurance athletes had factors. A typical dose is 300 mg a day.reduced cartilage loss. more coronary plaques than healthy individu-Park J, Park M, Oh H, et al., Grape-Seed Proanthocyani-Lowers Blood Pressure: Two me- din Extract as Suppressors of Bone Destruction in Inflam-matory Autoimmune Arthritis, PLOS One, 2012, 7(12): ta-analyses of 25 clinical trials (withe51377,at: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0051377.1,200 patients in total) concluded thatPrevents Cognitive Decline: Sup-grape seed extract can lower blood pres- plementation with grape seed ex-sure. The effect was stronger in youngertract enhanced cognition and reducedals with a similarly low cardiovascular risk pro-participants, obese patients, and thosethe symptoms of stress and depressionfile. The impact of the study is controversial, with metabolic disorders. in a study of over 100 elderly patients. but this has been observed in previous studies. Park E, Edirisinghe I, Choy Y, et al., Effects of grape seedFurther research is needed to reconcile these extract beverage on blood pressure and metabolic indicesCalapai G, Bonina F, Bonina A, et al., A Randomized,findings with the risk of cardiovascular events in individuals with pre-hypertension: a randomised, dou- Double-Blinded, Clinical Trial on Effects of aVitis vi-ble-blinded, two-arm, parallel, placebo-controlled trial,niferaExtract on Cognitive Function in Healthy Olderat the higher end of the endurance exercise British Journal of Nutrition, 2015, 115(2): 226-238, at doi:Adults, Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2017, 8: 776, atspectrum.10.1017/S0007114515004328. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2017.00776 AccordingtostudyauthorRubenDe Reduces Leg Swelling: Grape seedBosscher, M.D., We consistently see higher extract(400mgdailyforeightplaque burden in lifelong endurance athletes. weeks) had blood-thinning effects in aThis is regardless of the plaque type, whether study of 17 older women. This could po- it is calcified, mixed, noncalcified, in the prox-tentially result in a lower risk of blood- imal segment or causing more than 50% ste-clot formation. nosis. Dr. De Bosscher warns, however, that the worst thing you can do is nothing at all. Sano A, Tokutake S, Seo A, Proanthocyanidin-rich grape seed extract reduces leg swelling in healthy women duringAs soon as you do a little bit of exercisejust prolonged sitting, Journal of the Science of Food and Ag- brisk walking or jogging up to 3 hours a week riculture, 2013, 93(3): 457-462, at https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.5773.it seems thats where you get the most benefit. And after that, we tend to see an increase in Protects Heart Duringcoronary plaque burden.Surgery:UsingGSE De Bosscher R, Dausin C, Claus P, et al., Lifelong endur-and Vitamin C improvedance exercise and its relation with coronary atherosclero-heart recovery after coro- sis, European Heart Journal, 2023, ehad152, at https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehad152;OKeefeJ,PatilH, nary bypass surgery. Lavie C, et al., Potential Adverse Cardiovascular Effects Safaei N, Babaei H, Azarfarin R, et al., Com- fromExcessiveEnduranceExercise,MayoClinicPro-ceedings, 2012, 87(6): 587-595, at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parative effect of grape seed extract (Vitis vinifera)mayocp.2012.04.005. Erratum in: Mayo Clinic Proceedings, and ascorbic acid in oxidative stress induced by on-pump2012, 87(7): 704.26 H ealtHF reedomN ews /s priNg2023'