Grape Seed Extract?

[KellyBelly]

Hi everyone!

So I've heard/read lots about how grapeseed extract can help prevent Noro, so I finally ordered myself some from Amazon. The ones I got are 400mg, and it got all 5 star reviews. However, I've just found out that some common side effects are nausea, dizziness, and diarrhea. Now I'm freaking out, because I really want to take these, but I'm super afraid of the side effects. Has anyone on here taken them, and if so, have you experienced any negative reactions?

Thanks so much!!

[McEwan]

KellyBean

Both my husband and I take 2 - 100mg GSE capsules every day. Neither one of us has ever had any side effects. I would take a couple more everyday if they weren't so expensive, but I figure we are taking them as a safeguard, and if either one of us felt we were in a high risk situation, I would double the dose for a couple of days.

I tried to post links for you for the GSE studies on noro, but I can't until I'm a regular poster here. So exact phrase Google this: "Effect of grape seed extract on human norovirus" That should bring you to the US Nat'l Library of Medicine, where the actual research study was published. And also exact phrase Google this: "Grape seed extract bolllixes norovirus" which should bring you to Sciende Daily article reporting the studies results.

Really impressive results. But then again, our gut isn't a stainless steel plate, but taking it can't hurt! Actually, GSE has so many other really wonderful health benefits as well.
I was a little concerned with taking GSE with the ocassional Naproxen (an NSAID) I have to take for chronic pain (drug that is in Aleve) because of a slight increased risk of bleeding in the stomach, but I take very few Naproxen and my health is good. I haven't experienced any problems at all.

I seriously doubt you will experience any adverse effects at all. I researched GSE before I started them in December, reading everything I could about drug interactions and side effects. The risk is so very minimal. GSE is very well tolerated by the vast majority.

The one thing though, is that GSE hasn't been studied for long term use - only 8weeks of use have been studied. I plan on stopping May 1 anyway, when noro season is way down. I'll start them up again come November (to April).

Don't fear the GSE - down the hatch. I think you'll be just fine, we are.

[Sparklylikeaholiday]

I can't say regarding noro... but I can definitely attest to the fact that it DOES boost your immune system.

I have an auto-immune disease (where your immune system attacks your own body). I started taking the grape seed extract b/c I'd read about the noro thing... within 2 days, my disease flared up!!! It took me a while to put 2 and 2 together to realize that it was the grape seed extract boosting my immune system (which was in turn, attacking me LOL). I stopped taking it and I went back to the way I was.

For those of you with normal immune systems - the immunity boost will be good. :-) For me though, I was just adding fuel to the fire. But anyway - the point was... I can personally say that taking the GSE *did* boost my immune system. :-)

[Sparklylikeaholiday]

P.S. Same of olive leaf extract too...

[McEwan]

GSE does have many health benefits, but when it comes to noro - a good immune system doesn't do any good. Noro goes after everyone equally. A healthy immune system will certainly mean the infected will recover without complications, but that's about it. The research regarding GSE and (surrogate )noro is:

" researchers observed that under treatment with grape seed extract, at low doses, the spherically-shaped murine (mouse) norovirus-1 coat proteins clumped, and showed "obvious deformation and inflation," according to the report. At higher doses, the researchers saw no coat proteins, only protein debris. "This provides evidence that [grape seed extract] could effectively damage the [norovirus] capsid protein, which could reduce viral binding ability and infectivity accordingly," ... Science Daily

And just a little IMO about grape juice - I don't think a drop of grape juice applied to noro (surrogates) on a stainless steel plate would do anything to the virus at all except maybe make it purple. GSE is the magic bullet for mouse noro on a stainless steel plate. Who knows if it would do anything to noro in the human gut.

But yes Sparkley I agree with you and I'm sorry you had a bad experience - I hope you are doing well these days.

Perhaps it wouldn't hurt for all of us to check with our doctors (or even pharmacists) before taking any supplements we are unsure of.