Grape Skin Extract

Comparing diets among Western countries, researchers have discovered that although the French tend to eat higher levels of animal fat, the incidence of heart disease remains low in France. This phenomenon has been termed the French paradox, and is thought to occur from protective benefits of regularly consuming red wine. Apart from potential benefits of alcohol itself, including reduced platelet aggregation and vasodilation, polyphenols (e.g., resveratrol) mainly in the grape skin provide other suspected health benefits, such as:

 

Alteration of molecular mechanisms in blood vessels, reducing susceptibility to vascular damage

Decreased activity of angiotensin, a systemic hormone causing blood vessel constriction that would elevate blood pressure

Increased production of the vasodilator hormone, nitric oxide (endothelium-derived relaxing factor)