Grape Seed Extract Health Benefits

I found grape seed extract after I had been taking Pycnogenol for 1 yr in 1995. It has been 21 yrs of taking these OPCs. I got rid of all allergy and sinus meds and never back to an allergist since Sept 1995. The main reason I got on OPCs, we were told MAY prevent cancer(s). One happy camper here.

Well, Let me first say, I've had fibroids and ovarian cysts for over 7 years. They have progressively gotten worse and worse as far as heavy clotting periods, PMS, and weight gain. Basically my life revolves around my periods. I don't "do" western medicine so I only go to the doctor to find out what's going on. I'm also a vegetarian. My job is that of performer, so I've had to be meticulous about scheduling shows around my cycle. I'm so excited right now I had to share this immediately. It's early days, I'm only into day 4 of my period, but the change has been incredible. For a whole week before my period I did castor oil packs over where I consider the fibroids are. I rented movies, and spent every evening for about an hour and a half with the pack on my belly, and a heating pad over the area. Also, from the first day of my period I've been taking 2 (100mg) grapeseed extract tablets 3 times a day. They give me a bit of lose stool, but that's the least of my problems after all the bleeding I've endured over the years. Ok the report is: So far my bleeding has been cut in half, if not even more. A few very small clots, as apposed to huge clots. I feel different. I don't feel exhausted, and I'm thinking a miracle has happened to me. I don't know if it's the grape seed or the packs, but I am going to continue this procedure. I'm not sure how often I should do the packs, but I read in this forum that the grapeseed should be done only during your period to keep it's potency on your system. Oh, also something else. I had been taking BSM for over a year, (no decrease in bleeding, but other very good effects) and I read on this forum that House of Herbs had the most iron, so I orderd a whole case of it.. but the label is very sparse, and I think it might be sulfured, and that is not good because it thins the blood, so the only other thing I've changed is that I've cut OUT the sulfured BSM. I will update as I find out more, but right now I'm extremely happy. Day 4 and it's been a walk in the park!!!

I recently moved to Albuquerque, NM from Colorado Springs, CO. I was working as a consultant and had to drive back. The morning I woke up, I had a lot of mucous in my throat and thought it would go away. An hour into my drive, it was still there. Two hours into my drive I started sneezing. After 6 hours of driving, I got to my mother's house in the Springs looking half dead and feeling absolutely terrible. I had cold symptoms. I was at the point that I knew if I went to bed, I would awake up feeling 20 times worse. My mother suggested "Grape Seed Extract" pills. She had gotten the idea from my sister who had found out about it the same way I had... word of mouth. It was 4pm when I took the first one. I was staying at a friends house and warned her I was getting sick. I forgot about the pill. At around 8pm, I wasn't sneezing and actually felt a little better. I took one before going to bed dreading my wake up. I can honestly say I woke up feeling great. I took three more that day as instructed on the bottle. Never got the symptoms again. This happened in September which is when I usually get that bad cold of the year. I have tried all the "cures" on here from the tomato tea to plain ACV, to hydrogen peroxide. Nothing ever worked like this has. Unbelievable really. I am testing my theory again with my son. He is almost 5 and is getting very sick. He took one tonight and I feel due to his age, I will keep it to one a day. We will see how he does in the morning.

I bought my bottle at whole foods though I imagine most health food stores carry it. Take 3 a day, 1 in the morning, afternoon and before bed. It's just a capsule, though my mother had solid pills. This was a life saver for me and I imagine if ACV doesn't work for all, this might. Literally took a few hours for me to feel better and more energized.

WARNING: Grapeseed Extract could CAUSE venous insufficiency in some.

Googling, I found this disturbing link. Disturbing especially because the problem with my legs' circulation did start AFTER I began taking the yummy & expensive organic grape seed extract powder I ordered. (I started taking it for pancreas problems, which it also did not help.)

Most things on google say GSE is GOOD, to get rid of the problem but here were supposedly 5 reports of cases caused by it -- and this link came at the TOP of the google results.

http://factmed.com/report-GRAPE SEEDS AND%20PHOSPHATIDYL CHOLINE%20AND RESVERATROL-causing-VENOUS INSUFFICIENCY.php

About this FactMed analysis covering adverse side effect reports of GRAPE SEEDS AND PHOSPHATIDYL CHOLINE AND RESVERATROL patients who
developed VENOUS INSUFFICIENCY. FactMed provides MD-approved analysis to help both patients, researchers, and physicians accurately assess the risk profile for more than 20,000 different pharmaceutical products. The below report offers compiled information from Food & Drug Administration and FactMed user submissions.

Between January 2004 and October 2012, 5 individuals taking GRAPE SEEDS AND PHOSPHATIDYL CHOLINE AND RESVERATROL reported VENOUS INSUFFICIENCY to the FDA. A total of 5 GRAPE SEEDS AND PHOSPHATIDYL CHOLINE AND RESVERATROL drug adverse event reaction reports were made with the FDA during this time period. Often the FDA only receives reports of the most critical and severe cases; these numbers may therefore underrepresent the complication rate of the medication.

I started taking Grape Seed Extract recently and soon afterward began having anxiety (which is not usually a problem for me in the same situations I am currently in), heart palpitations that I thought would never end on some days and when there were no regular heart palpitations it felt like there was congestion or rumbling in my chest (similar to what I might have felt if I was congested with bronchitis).

I didn't link it to the Grape Seed Extract right away, but after a week or so I stopped taking it and within 36 hours I was back to how I usually feel. I waited a few days and took it again, and that day and into the next the symptoms were back so I won't be taking it anymore.

I'm currently six months post partum and decided to start taking Grape Seed Extract for general health and younger looking skin. I was told to take 1mg for each pound I weigh (120lbs/120mg). The pills are 100mg each, so I was taking two a day with the understanding that excess would be excreted through urine. That day I started having heart palpitations, severe night sweats and anxiety/depression spells. This continued for two weeks (I thought it might be an adjustment period) before I reduced to one pill a day (100mg). The issues continued. I then stopped taking the GSE and all symptoms disappeared by the next day. I waited a week and tried it again. All negative symptoms came back in full force. In all my research on the internet, I'm not finding anyone with any issues like this regarding grape seed extract. I have two theories regarding my reaction and wanted to hear everyone else's feedback.

1. I'm thinking I might have post partum depression and the grape seed extract is amplifying it.

2. I had an epidural and petocin during my labor and my body is reacting poorly to all those drugs leaving my system.

These are merely guesses.

Age: 32, Weight: 120, good general health - no diagnosed issues, moderate exercise and a fairly healthy diet consisting of many fruits, vegetable, minimal meat and minimal processed foods. I do have alcoholic drinks almost every night (typically 1-3).

Thanks all!

I tried grapeseed extract for menstrual flooding associated with fibroids. I took 3 - 90 mg tablets 4 times a day and my menstrual was the closest to normal it's been in years. Also mother tried it for the same problem and was well pleased! I am happy!

I recently saw a report about trials conducted on grapeseed extract and mrsa the trials were done in kuwait and it said that 43 strains of mrsa were killed by grapeseed extract. I do not know how many strains there are, but it seems like an easy enough test. If I had mrsa I would be taking grapeseed extract not to be confused with grapefruit seed extract. Also Jesus is the ultimate healer so pray when taking it. I would and do. Jim

I am astonished that there is nothing on this website about grape seed extract. I was taking 9mg of hydro morph contin plus 900 mg of gabapentin four times per day for pain from peripheral neuropathy when I was told about grape seed extract (pycnogynol) and upon starting to use it at three doses of 50mg each per day I was able to reduce the other medications to two of each in three doses per day, a reduction of 50%, with a resulting lessening of the pain and numbness. On researching it I found that it is supposed to help any nerve pain, including arthritis, and helps ADD &ADHD symptoms. It also helps with behavior and attention problems in people with autism. My cousin used it for her autistic son and found that a dose of less than 1mg per pound of body weight was optimal as too much made her seven year old chatter non stop.

EC: Thanks, Al! A page on GSE is a terrific idea. Lots of enthusiasm out there about the natural health benefits of grapes and grape byproducts. Any other fans of this extract among ECers?

Grape Seed Extract for bladder infections -- Yes! Isn't it wonderful, and it's so much cheaper than D-Mannose and Doctors! I just posted about it on my blog. So glad to see others have tried it too.

Grapeseed Extract cured my Urinary Tract Infection

I scheduled a doctor's visit for what I thought was a UTI (frequent urination with discomfort, bloated abdomen, back pain, etc) but they could not see me til the next week. So I bought grapeseed extract capsules and took 2 daily in conjunction with drinking water at every opportunity. (To help flush out any bacteria. )

The day before my appointment, my symptoms had stopped and I was never diagnosed with a UTI, though the doctor said my symptoms matched a UTI diagnosis, and that mine had probably cleared on its own. I didn't mention the grapeseed extract; I was just glad my symptoms were gone. It took about 5 days of grapeseed extract daily.

Hi Casafina! Would u please tell us how much Grapeseed exract u r taking daily? Thank you for your time!

kitty

Hi Andy! Can you please tell me how much of the Grape Seed Extract you have been taking? Once a day or more? In what form? Thanks kitty

Broken Capillaries on my nose for ever!!!! I just recently added Grape Seed Extract to my supplement list and it would appear to be working. I had first thought too much caffiene so I cut that out, then maybe I had a "booze" nose cut that out, then it was o still there must be years of sun damage. I had been covering with concealer and with in the first week of adding grapeseed extract I was able to go out with out any concealer. I take plenty of other supplements but my thinking is that it was the only thing that I had added after reading on here about it as a possible solution.

I was diagnosed with small vessel capilaritis - red spots on my legs that look like pupura. They would appear almost on a daily basis and take a week to fully heal and fade away. I went to 12 doctors and no one could tell me what to do for them. I found an article on the internet that suggested that oligomeric procyanidins OPCs have shown to improve capillary vessel strength.

I have been taking grape seed extract supplements (from the local health food store) for about two years now and have virtually no capilaritis now. I want to share this with people because it seems that most doctors do not know of anything you can for this condition. These grape seed supplements have helped me greatly. Andy