Information, effects, deficiency, dosage, side effects
With OPC, nature is giving us a vital substance that can positively influence our health, vitality and even our appearance. That is why more and more doctors and nutritionists are recommending taking OPC grape seed extract to stay young, beautiful and healthy. OPC is also called cosmetics from the inside because it increases the collagen and elastin production of the skin.
OPC an abbreviation for oligomeric proanthocyanidins are natural active substances found in plants that belong to the group of flavanols, a subgroup of polyphenols.
Proanthocyanidins come in many different fruits, nuts and plants, such as Green tea before, and have a wide range of effects in the body.
OPCs (oligomeric procyanidins) are a class of polyphenols. They are generally found in grape seeds, berries and other plants. Many doctors and nutritionists say that polyphenols are one of the most important vital substances that the body needs.
Medical scientists continue to provide evidence that polyphenols, including OPC, are responsible for their antioxidant properties because they counteract free radical damage to the body's cells.
These polyphenols are believed to be effective in neutralizing singlet oxygen radicals that contribute to inflammation in the body. They also help to improve vitamin C activity and protect against bacteria, viruses and various chronic diseases.
Although not all health organizations advocate this, the famous 'French paradox' claims that French people are protected from heart disease by drinking wine.
However, the flavonoids (the most common group of polyphenols) in grapes are the ingredients that have a positive effect on the body and not the alcohol content of the wine. Flavonoids are believed to lower bad cholesterol in the body.
There is increasing research into the medical properties of OPC, and scientists are using it to find ways to control high blood pressure. Studies have shown that the relatively high concentration of OPC (oligomeric procyanidins) relaxes the arteries and blood vessels and that this can be used to control blood pressure.
OPC appears to help reduce swelling (edema) caused by injuries and surgery. Studies have shown that patients who took OPC after surgery showed very little evidence of swelling.
Scientists also found a link between OPC and the suppression of tumor growth.
There are other advantages of the OPC. OPC is extremely effective in diabetes. It is said to help control blood sugar levels. It can also be helpful for hemorrhoids and other diseases.
Polyphenols are also known as an excellent binding agent for collagen fibers, which strengthens the connective tissue and generally helps to maintain the elasticity of the skin, and it also serves to strengthen the connective tissue, the joints, arteries and other tissue forms.
The alpha hydroxy acid in the OPC improves the moisture barrier of the skin cells. This maintains moisture for a fresh and radiant look. Consequently, applying a skin cream with OPC ensures faster wound healing and smaller scars.
The kernels also contain an active ingredient called resveratrol. Resveratrol is praised for its anti-inflammatory properties, making OPC very helpful in reducing dermatitis, infections, cuts and excessive exposure to sunlight. The kernels also have antibacterial and anti-mycotic properties.
The polyphenols in the OPC grape seed extract, especially proanthocyanidin, have been shown to have a number of health benefits. By increasing the levels of antioxidants in the bloodstream and in the body, OPC helps counteract the harmful effects of free radicals.
Proanthocyanidin is a very effective antioxidant that protects against free radicals as well as against reactive oxygen species by protecting the body from free radical damage such as sun exposure, pollution and stress. Standardized OPC has also shown that there are positive effects in treating a range of health problems associated with free radical damage.
Research has shown that OPC has the following health benefits:
There are numerous clinical studies on the OPC with a wide range of study arrangements. The following are examples of the benefits shown in the following areas:
A study showed that active components in the OPC help relax blood vessels. Scientists concluded that these compounds in the OPC 'either individually, or in the form of wine, juices, or nutritional supplements, are conducive to preventing or treating cardiovascular diseases.'
Other studies have found that OPC helps relax the circulatory system and regulate blood pressure. Further studies showed that OPC can protect heart tissue from toxins and even lead exposure.
The antioxidant properties of OPC are also known to have a protective effect on the heart and to prevent the harmful effects of various heart diseases. One study says that 'grape seed polyphenols can protect against heart cell apoptosis by delivering endogenous antioxidant enzymes.'
One study showed that OPC mitigated certain forms of heart damage in animals with diabetes. The study 'could bring a new appreciation of natural medicine to the treatment of diabetic cardiomyopathy.' In fact, OPC can benefit everyone by reducing oxidative damage to the entire cardiovascular system (especially those with high blood sugar levels).
OPC has been shown to help reduce stored fat (increasing lipolysis) and food intake. A study showed that OPC was able to reduce food intake by four percent in overweight people.
The study leaders concluded that 'grape seeds reduce the 24-hour food intake in normal to overweight people without diet restrictions and can therefore play a significant role in controlling body weight.'
An animal study showed that procyanidins from grape seeds reduced plasma triglycerides, free fatty acids, apolipoprotein B (apoB), LDL cholesterol and other types of cholesterol while slightly increasing HDL cholesterol.
Another study showed that 'oral ingestion of grape seed procyanidin extract drastically lowers the plasma levels of triglycerides and apolipoprotein B.' Another study concluded that in people with high cholesterol, 'a combination of chromium and OPC can significantly lower the total cholesterol and LDL levels '.
Another study was conducted with OPC to test the effect on inflammation markers in rats on a high-fat diet.
The results showed that the procyanidins of grape seeds have a beneficial effect on low-inflammatory diseases by suppressing certain inflammation-promoting proteins and promoting the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines.
Another study also showed the anti-inflammatory properties of grape seed procyanidins and concluded that they have potential health benefits in certain inflammatory diseases.
Harmful bacteria in the mouth can cause tooth decay and various oral diseases. In addition, toxins can enter the bloodstream, which may even damage the cardiovascular system.
A study showed that OPC reduces the damage caused by these bacterial toxins, and indicated that grape seed proanthocyanidins 'have strong antioxidant properties that should be considered as a potential ingredient in preventing periodontal disease.'
The cutaneous application of OPC has been shown to heal injuries faster and more completely, including through improved cell density and numerous other mechanisms that accelerate wound contraction and wound closure.
Overall, 'the study provides lasting evidence that the cutaneous use of grape seed proanthycyanidine extract is a feasible and productive method to support the healing process of skin injuries.'
A study conducted in Japan shows that oral OPC intake 'is effective in reducing hyperpigmentation in women with chloasma.' The positive effect is seen after six months. The study also showed that 'OPC over five months could prevent chloasma from worsening before the summer period.'
OPC has been shown to fight oxidative stress and protect the body's important natural antioxidants.
It was found that mice exposed to UVB light significantly reduced the development of tumors after they were given an OPC supplement.
The study leader concludes that OPC inhibits the process of skin aging and light-related skin aging. Dr. Katiyar says: 'The light-induced skin aging component is responsible for the development of wrinkles, blotchy hyperpigmentation and depigmentation in areas exposed to the sun, as well as for coarser, rough skin, little elasticity and the tendency to bruise.
Polyphenols (including the polyphenols in OPC) have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Based on these characteristics, it has been proven that polyphenols prevent, reverse or slow down the risk of skin cancer caused by UV radiation. '
A study in the journal 'Journal of Medicinal Food' summarizes the numerous health-promoting effects of OPC that have so far been investigated.
In general, OPC is an extremely effective antioxidant with properties that have been proven to protect the body from diseases and an early aging process. Scientists summarize the remarkable effectiveness and properties of OPC as follows: 'Scientific studies have shown that the antioxidant effect of proanthocyanidins is 20 times greater than that of vitamin E and 50 times greater than that of vitamin C.
Extensive research shows that OPC is beneficial in many areas of health due to its antioxidant ability to combine with collagen, and supports youthful skin, healthy cells, resilience and flexibility.
Other studies have shown that proanthocyanidins help protect the body from sun damage, improve eyesight, improve the flexibility of joints, arteries and connective tissue (such as that of the heart) and improve blood circulation by strengthening the capillaries, arteries and of the veins to optimize. '
Another study showed that oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) from grape seeds are extremely effective antioxidants that effectively protect skin cells from oxidative stress; Using a number of different mechanisms, the scientists demonstrated that OPCs have the potential to protect human melanocytes from UV radiation and to inhibit skin damage and melanogenesis.
Immunosuppression caused by ultraviolet radiation has been found to be related to the risk of developing skin cancer. In this study, the administration of grape seed proanthocyanidins significantly inhibited the development of skin cancer caused by UV radiation and caused less immunosuppression.
Scientists conclude that this finding 'has important implications for the use of OPC as a dietary supplement for chemo-prevention in immunosuppression caused by ultraviolet radiation as well as in photocarcinogenesis.'
The results of another study indicate that 'grape seed proanthocyanidins could help alleviate human skin conditions caused by ultraviolet radiation and oxidative stress.'
Further research shows that OPC reduces the formation of skin sunburn cells and shows that OPC 'could be a potential chemo-preventive agent to reduce oxidative stress and apoptosis caused by multiple doses of UVB on the skin.'
In addition, the results of another study 'clearly indicate that oral grape seed proanthocyanidins inhibit mouse photocarcinogenesis by suppressing UVB-related inflammation and the mediators of inflammation.'
Studies on OPC have shown the effectiveness of a wide range of doses.
OPC is usually taken in capsules or as tablets, which are available in dosages between 50 to 300 milligrams. They are used as a single extract or in combination with other ingredients, e.g. Vitamin C or other anti-aging ingredients are offered.
Human studies have shown no toxicity from OPC grape seed extract in a dose of 200-400 mg daily.
People with a grape allergy should not take an OPC extract. Since proanthocyanidins can reduce platelet adhesion, OPC can act as a blood thinner (clotting time is prolonged). Although cardio-protective benefits come with it, people taking blood thinners should consult their doctor about possible side effects.
Interactions between OPC and other nutritional supplements and medications have not been studied in detail.
To benefit from all the advantages of OPC, follow these guidelines:
OPC is 100 percent natural and risk-free. This is good news for its health and beauty benefits. Nowadays, where more and more people are looking for natural treatment and prevention methods, OPC is more popular than ever.
In a study with persons who have an above-average risk of vascular diseases, a blood vessel-related vasodilation could be achieved using OPC.
Consuming fruit juice containing OPC lowered blood pressure in people at risk of high blood pressure.
OPC has also been able to lower the blood pressure of people affected by the metabolic syndrome.
There is evidence that OPC reduces certain factors (other than high blood pressure) that lead to heart diseases, such as the reduction of oxidized LDL, which helps prevent arteriosclerosis and promotes antioxidants that prevent the damage of blood vessels. <.p>
In an attempt to force rats to swim, OPC prevented the adrenaline (vanillin-mandelic acid) and urinary ascorbic acid markers from falling (both acids decrease when stressed). There was no effect on these markers in healthy rats.
In an animal experiment to avoid negative stimuli, rats given the extract learned to avoid the negative stimulus much faster. In aged rats, OPC was able to improve performance in a test to increase spatial memory.
OPC appears to reduce the accumulation of brain amyloid cells, improve cognitive abilities and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's in rats.
In a study in female rats, OPC was able to reduce unwanted compounds (hydrogen peroxide, cell damage, and blood sugar) while increasing useful components in the hippocampus. The general cognitive skills improved, which shows that OPC can counteract the loss of cognitive skills in the aging process.
At high nitric oxide (NO) production, OPC protected the astroglia cells (maintained the glutathione reserves and protected against damage caused by H2O2).
A study of RDS in rats showed that OPC significantly reduced many negative symptoms of RDS. The extract was also able to improve the health of the intestine (by increasing the density of the goblet cells and lowering Claudin 2, TNF-α, IL1B and IL-6).
OPC restored the intestinal flora in rats with RDS. It increased the bacteria in healthy and sick rats and restored the number of lactic acid bacteria.
Low dose OPC (around 250 milligrams) can prevent stomach ulcers. One study showed that OPC inhibits the growth of cancer cells in the stomach.
OPC increases the tight junction proteins in healthy rats and can also reduce the markers for intestinal inflammation (calprotectin).
OPC was able to inhibit the activity of numerous bacteria in vitro (Bacillus cereus, Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The extract was more effective against gram-positive than gram-negative bacteria.
Rats given ammonium chloride, the OPC inhibited degenerative changes in the testicles.
In an experiment with rats with testicular torsion (which is relatively common in humans), OPC reversed the increase in various major inflammatory markers (malondialdehyde, eNOS and apoptosis).
In mice exposed to UVB radiation, OPC inhibited the production of several inflammatory markers (inflammatory leucocytes, myeloperoxidase, COX-2, PGE2, cyclin D1, TNF-α, IL-1B, IL-6, PCNA), both in the skin as well as skin tumors.
A study of relatively healthy Japanese women with sedentary activity showed that the extract reduced leg swelling (due to long, sedentary work).
OPC inhibits the production of nitric oxide (NO) in macrophages. This reduces swelling, for example after an operation or an injury. Women who took OPC orally for six months had less pain and swelling (edema) after breast cancer radiation treatment than those who received a placebo.
OPC can reduce swelling caused by antigens.
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