Grape Seed Extract Supplementation Attenuates the Blood Pressure Response to Exercise in Prehypertensive Men

Targeting Metabolic Syndrome in Hidradenitis Suppurativa by Phytochemicals as a Potential Complementary Therapeutic Strategy

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the appearance of painful inflamed nodules, abscesses, and pus-draining sinus tracts in the intertriginous skin of the groins, buttocks, and perianal and axillary regions. Despite its high prevalence of ~0.4-1%, therapeutic options for HS are still limited. Over the past 10 years, it has become clear that HS is a systemic disease, associated with various comorbidities, including metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its sequelae. Accordingly, the life expectancy of HS patients is significantly reduced. MetS, in particular, obesity, can support sustained inflammation and thereby exacerbate skin manifestations and the chronification of HS. However, MetS actually lacks necessary attention in HS therapy, underlining the high medical need for novel therapeutic options. This review directs attention towards the relevance of MetS in HS and evaluates the potential of phytomedical drug candidates to alleviate its components. It starts by describing key facts about HS, the specifics of metabolic alterations in HS patients, and mechanisms by which obesity may exacerbate HS skin alterations. Then, the results from the preclinical studies with phytochemicals on MetS parameters are evaluated and the outcomes of respective randomized controlled clinical trials in healthy people and patients without HS are presented.

The effects of fresh foods on performance: A review

In recent years, it is gradually becoming important for athletes to show sufficient performance at competitions. To improve performance, athletes use ergogenic aids such as protein powders, creatine, and glutamine. However, recent research has also been conducted into the possible ergogenic effects of several fresh foods on exercise. Nutrients show the ergogenic effect by having macro and micronutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive components. These potential ergogenic effects include muscle recovery, prevention of oxidative stress caused by exercise, improved performance, and inhibition of muscle damage. The purpose of this review was to examine the nutritional content and the effects of fresh foods such as beets, cherries, watermelon, tomatoes, grapes, and pomegranate.

Effects of Grape Seed Extract Supplementation on Endothelial Function and Endurance Performance in Basketball Players

While dietary polyphenols supplements can improve endothelial function and blood flow to exercise, the effects of chronic supplementation with grape seed extract (GSE) containing a high dose of polyphenols on endurance performance are not known. Accordingly, in 12 elite athletes, we compared the effects of both GSE and placebo (PL) on submaximal VO₂, time to exhaustion performance, and endothelial function during progressive cycling exercise for 14 days. Endothelial function was evaluated from the brachial artery via flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Compared to PL, GSE decreased submaximal VO₂ at 80% and 120% of VO_2peak and increased the time to exhaustion (p < 0.05). GSE also resulted in FMD-induced increase in brachial artery diameter (14.4 ± 5.2% vs. 17.6 ± 4.5%, p = 0.035). We demonstrated that chronic supplementation with GSE improved endurance performance and these effects may partially be due to vasodilation in active skeletal muscle mediated by enhanced endothelial function. Thus, our results suggest that GSE appears to be an ergogenic nutraceutical that can improve exercise performance in elite athletes.

Winery by-products as a valuable source for natural antihypertensive agents

Hypertension (HTN) is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Agri-food by-products are emerging as a novel source of natural antihypertensive agents allowing for their valorization and making food and agricultural industries more environmentally friendly. In this regard, wine making process generates large amounts of by-products rich in phenolic compounds that have shown potential to exert several beneficial effects including antihypertensive properties. The aim of this study was to review the blood pressure-lowering effects of winery by-products. In addition, molecular mechanisms involved in their bioactivity were also evaluated. Among the winery by-products, grape seed extracts have widely shown antihypertensive properties in both animal and human studies. Moreover, recent evidence suggests that grape stem, skin and pomace and wine lees may also have great potential to manage HTN, although more studies are needed in order to confirm their potential in humans. Improvement of endothelial dysfunction and reduction of oxidative stress associated with HTN are the main mechanisms involved in the blood pressure-lowering effects of these by-products.

Sensing of oxidative stress biomarkers: The cardioprotective effect of taurine & grape seed extract against the poisoning induced by an agricultural pesticide aluminum phosphide

Aluminum phosphide is a well-known hazardous agent used as an agricultural pesticide to protect stored grains from insect damage. However, accidental consumption of a trivial amount of it caused irreversible damage to the human body or even death in acute cases. The present study used taurine and grape seed extract as a natural cardioprotective medicine against aluminum phosphide poisoning by decreasing oxidative stress. The activity of oxidative stress biomarkers (Malondialdehyde, Catalase, Protein carbonyl, and Superoxide dismutase) were evaluated in the cell line model on Human Cardiac Myocyte cells. In the beginning, to clarify the pure impact of aluminum phosphide poison, taurine, and grape seed extract on the human heart cells, their effects on the biomarkers quantity in cell line were measured. Subsequently, the effect of taurine and grape seed extract with various concentrations as a treatment on the oxidative stress biomarkers of the poisoned heart cells were studied. Data analysis reveals that taurine and grape seed extract treatment can successfully diminish the poisoning effect by their antioxidant properties. The oxidative markers values of the poisoned cells were recovered by taurine and grape seed extracts treatment. Taurine (2 g/l) can recover Malondialdehyde, Catalase, Protein carbonyl, and Superoxide dismutase by 56%, 78%, 88%, 78%, when the recovering power of grape seed extract (100 g/l) for the aforementioned enzymes are 56%, 0.71%,74%, 51%, respectively. Therefore, it is clear that the performance of taurine in the recovery of the biomarkers' value is better than grape seed extract.

Effects of chronic dietary grape seed extract supplementation on aortic stiffness and hemodynamic responses in obese/overweight males during submaximal exercise

We investigated the effect of chronic grape seed extract (GSE) on blood pressure and aortic stiffness (AoS) among overweight and obese males. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (Q), total vascular conductance (TVC), and AoS were measured during two submaximal cycling exercises (40% and 60% VO_2max), after 7 consecutive days of GSE or placebo (PL) ingestion with one week washout period. Compared with PL, GSE supplementation significantly decreased MAP at rest (85 ± 3 mmHg vs. 82 ± 3 mmHg), 40% (102 ± 3 mmHg vs. 99 ± 3 mmHg), and 60% workloads (109 ± 3 mmHg vs. 107 ± 3 mmHg) (P = 0.001, ES = 0.2). AoS was significantly reduced (13.0 ± 1.9 AU vs. 10.2 ± 1.0 AU) at rest (P = 0.002, ES = 0.6). Q was decreased at rest and across all workloads, but there were no significant differences (7.5 ± 0.4 L/min vs. 7.1 ± 0.4 L/min; 20.4 ± 1.2 L/min vs. 19.6 ± 0.9 L/min; 26.3 ± 1.1 L/min vs. 25.5 ± 1.6 L/min, respectively). GSE had no effect on HR, TVC, and SV. Our study indicates that chronic supplementation with GSE reduces arterial pressure at rest and during exercise primarily via the substantial reduction in AoS. Thus, GSE can be a dietary supplement to treat augmented blood pressure responses in obese and overweight males at rest and during exercise.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04465110.

Grape seed proanthocyanidins improves mitochondrial function and reduces oxidative stress through an increase in sirtuin 3 expression in EA.hy926 cells in high glucose condition

Proanthocyanidins are phenolic compounds abundant in the diet, commonly found in grapes and derivatives, foods known for their health-promoting benefits. There is previous evidence showing the antidiabetic activity of proanthocyanidins, however, their mechanisms of action have not been fully elucidated. This study evaluated the capacity of grape seed proanthocyanidins extract (GSPE) to modulate oxidative stress, nitric oxide levels, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, and sirtuin expression in endothelial cells EA.hy926 under high glucose condition. In addition, the possible toxic effects of GSPE was evaluated in a zebrafish embryos model. The results showed that GSPE was able to enhance cell viability and avoid the disturbance in redox metabolism induced by high glucose. Moreover, GSPE was able to avoid mitochondria dysfunction and the increased in p53 and poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase expression induced by high glucose exposition. These effects were attributed to the increase in expression of sirtuin 3, a protein able to regulate mitochondrial function. GSPE in an effective concentration did not show toxic effects in zebrafish embryos model. Taken together, these data elucidate the key molecular target of GSPE for future pharmacological interventions in diabetic patients.

The management of prehypertension in young adults

The incidence of prehypertension (blood pressure 120-139 and/or 80-89 mm Hg) in young adults worldwide ranges from ~37.5% to 77.1%. Identifying high-risk groups of prehypertension in young adults is helpful for early and effective interventions and treatments to reduce the occurrence of future hypertension and organ damage. This review summarized the epidemiological characteristics, disease intervention measures, and disease progression characteristics of prehypertension to provide a basis for the development of targeted intervention measures for young adults with prehypertension.

Nitric Oxide and Decreases in Resistance Exercise Blood Pressure With Aerobic Exercise Training in Older Individuals

An exaggerated blood pressure response to resistance exercise is a marker of masked hypertension and a risk factor for future essential hypertension. Habitual aerobic exercise decreases systolic blood pressure (SBP) during resistance exercise in older individuals, but the underlying mechanisms have not been explored. This study tested the hypothesis that nitric oxide (NO) mediates a reduction of resistance exercise SBP with aerobic training in older individuals. Normotensive older adults participated in a 6-week program as a part of the aerobic training group (n = 23, exercised for an average of 4.4 d/wk and 59 min/d) or the control group (n = 26, asked not to modify their lifestyle during the experimental period). The aerobic exercise intervention increased plasma concentrations of nitrite/nitrate (NOx, end products of NO) and decreased SBP during a one-hand arm curl exercise at 20% and 40% of one-repetition maximum and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (an index of arterial stiffness). In the control group, there were no differences in these measures before and after the experimental period. Changes in plasma NOx concentrations during the study period were correlated with changes in resistance exercise SBP. Stepwise regression revealed that changes in plasma NOx concentrations during the experimental period are a significant factor of changes in resistance exercise SBP, independent of age, sex, and changes in serum lipid profile, maximal oxygen uptake, resting SBP, and other variables. These results suggest that NO is associated with decreases in resistance exercise SBP with aerobic training in older individuals and help us better understand why habitual aerobic exercise prevents cardiovascular disease.

Effects of acute grape seed extract supplementation on muscle damage after eccentric exercise: A randomized, controlled clinical trial

Background/objective

High intensity eccentric exercise causes muscle damage. Polyphenol supplementation is one nutritional intervention available to limit muscle damage, but there is a lack of published data concerning the use of polyphenol-rich grape seed extract (GSE). This study investigated the effect of acute GSE supplementation on muscle damage markers after eccentric exercise.

Methods

Sixteen healthy male university students (mean age: 20.3 ± 0.4 years, height: 176.1 ± 4.7 cm, weight: 69.9 ± 10.2 kg) were included. Participants were randomly assigned to GSE group (n = 8) or placebo group (n = 8); 300 mg/day of GSE or placebo was consumed from the time of eccentric exercise to 72 h after exercise. For the eccentric exercise, the elbow flexor muscle was activated using a modified preacher curl machine at 25 repetitions for 2 sets. For the muscle damage markers, maximal muscle strength, muscle soreness, and creatine kinase (CK) level were measured.

Results

There was no difference in maximal muscle strength and muscle soreness between groups in the recovery stage after eccentric exercise (p > 0.05); CK level, a marker of cell membrane damage, was significantly decreased 96 h after exercise in the GSE group compared with the placebo group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Acute GSE supplement can be an effective way to decrease cellular membrane damage after eccentric exercise. These results could be helpful in the application of GSE supplementation as a nutritional intervention to reduce muscle damage after high intensity strength training, especially in the early stage of a new strength training program. However, a larger scale study is necessary to validate these results.