#Does grapefruit lower blood pressure trial

'The things that are not true are that grapefruit has some kind of magical power, or contains some kind of fat-burning enzyme, that you're going to eat it and burn calories while you're sleeping,' Collins said. Here's where its reputation drifts into the realm of fable. In the past, grapefruit has been the very symbol of a 'diet' food. They might be able to switch your prescription to something unaffected by grapefruit, or even advise you to simply watch the timing of when you eat it.

But talk with your pharmacist or health care provider to clarify what's safe. If you enjoy grapefruit or grapefruit juice and take such medications, there's no need to panic, Collins said. Too much drug increases the risk of side effects too little means the drug may not work as well. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can cause too much or too little of a drug to stay in the body. It particularly affects certain anti-cholesterol statin drugs, as well as some medicines used to treat high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats and even allergies. But grapefruit's reputation for interfering with some medications is well-deserved. One cup of red or pink grapefruit sections has as much lycopene as a medium 4-ounce tomato. Pink and red grapefruit are good sources of beta carotene (a source of vitamin A) and lycopene, an antioxidant 'cousin' to beta carotene that has been linked to lower stroke risk. Grapefruit also is laden with natural plant compounds called phytochemicals, specifically flavonoids, which studies show can help fight stroke and heart disease. 'In addition, it's a reasonable source of potassium,' which is important for maintaining healthy blood pressure, said Karen Collins, a registered dietitian in western New York who specializes in cancer prevention and heart health. Department of Agriculture, half a medium grapefruit has only 41 calories and nearly half a day's recommended supply of vitamin C. Some of that reputation is fact, and some is myth.įacts first: According to the U.S. Grapefruit looks sweet and friendly, but you might have heard it possesses powers far beyond those of ordinary produce.

National Hypertension Control Initiative.

Pets and Your Health / Healthy Bond for Life.

Secondary objectives will investigate the role of GSE to improve inflammatory- and oxidative stress- status, as well as its effect on endothelium function.

The primary objective of the proposed study is to demonstrate the effectiveness of GSE to lower blood pressure in pre-hypertensive individuals.

Given this, the objectives of this study are as follows:

#Does grapefruit lower blood pressure trial

The proposed trial aims to verify the blood pressure lowering effect of GSE in an 'at risk' population for hypertension and to explore the extent to which other pathways of chronic disease may be modulated by GSE consumption. Furthermore, GSE for use in the present trial has been used in previous human clinical trails and shown potent vasodilator properties in vitro and blood pressure lowering in metabolic syndrome patients. This extract has been granted Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status by Food and drug administration (GRAS Notice # GRN 000125, dated, FDA, USA).

We will use a purified grape seed extract (GSE) in the proposed trial. Polyphenolic compounds from various plant foods can promote blood pressure regulation and vascular health through protection of the endothelium from oxidant and or inflammatory stress and or stimulation of smooth muscle relaxation. Lifestyle, particularly the diet, is critical in the prevention and management of hypertension. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures meeting criteria for 'pre-hypertension' double the absolute risk of stroke and ischemic heart disease over an extended age range from the 4th to the 8th decade of life. Why Should I Register and Submit Results?Įlevated blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.