Resveratrol Lowers Bad Cholesterol in Women
In 2008, Tosca L. Zern, Richard J. Wood, Christine Greene, and Kristy L. West of the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT and Yanzhu Liu, Dimple Aggarwal, Neil S. Shachter, and Maria Luz Fernandez of the Department of Medicine at Columbia University in New York, NY, on the effect of grape polyphenols on plasma, inflammation and oxidative stress in both Pre- menopausal and Post-menopausal women.
Resveratrol and Cholesterol
To evaluate the effects of grape polyphenols on plasma lipids, inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress, a sample of 24 pre-menopausal and 20 post-menopausal women were randomly assigned to consume grape powder or a placebo for 4 weeks. The grape powder was mostly carbohydrates, but was rich in polyphenols such as, flavans, anthocyanins, quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol, and resveratrol.
Total cholesterol, total triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, also known as bad cholesterol, are three of the main risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD). The loss of estrogen has a deep effect increasing plasma lipids and apolipoproteins associated with CHD.
Resveratrol lowers LDL “Bad” Cholesterol
Plasma triglyceride concentrations, plasma LDL cholesterol and apolipoproteins were reduced after the intake of grape powder. Results were more marked in pre-menopausal women (15%), than in post-menopausal women (6%). Bad cholesterol oxidation was not modified by the treatment. However, whole-body was significantly reduced after the intake of the resveratrol supplement. The grape supplement also decreased the levels of plasma tumor necrosis which plays a major role in the inflammation process.
Resveratrol and Its Effects on LDL Lipoproteins
A year 2000 report coordinated by Jiangang, Zou, Yuanzhu Huang, Qi Chen, Enhui Wei, Keijiang Cao, and Joseph M. Wu investigated the effects of resveratrol on low density proteins (LDL) also known as the “bad cholesterol.” This team of researchers tested resveratrol on LDLs using two different oxidation systems.
LDLs were isolated from the plasma of two groups of volunteers. Half of these volunteers’ LDLs were oxidized using Cu(2)-induced oxidation and the other half were oxidized with an Azo compound. In both cases, resveratrol doses were added at different concentrations. Any modifications to their LDL levels resulting from the resveratrol dosage were then monitored.
Effects of Resveratrol on LDLs
The LDLs that were oxidized using Cu(2) experienced a 70.5% reduction in TBARS (Thiobarbituric Acid). Higher concentrations had a greater effect on reduction of TBARS than lower doses did.
In these samples, relative electrophoretic mobility (REM) was reduced by 42.3% and macrophage (white blood cell) degradation by 65.7%.
Use of the LDLs oxidized by the Azo compound were intended to further validate the findings in the Cu(2) oxidized LDLs.
Conclusions of Resveratrol Study
The results of this study show that red wine esveratrol has a significant impact on the bad cholesterol lipoproteins that cause plaque build up in arteries.
The use of resveratrol interrupted known reactors in LDLs that cause the build up of plaque and eventual heart disease. Thus, resveratrol is a viable prevention mechanism for heart disease.