Grapes Effective in Reducing Organ Damage Associated with Metabolic Syndrome

According to a new study, polyphenols in grapes may protect against organ damage associated with metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome means that the person suffers from a group of risk factors that put him or her at a higher risk of developing chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes type-2 or stroke. The condition is present in about 34 percent of all adults living in the U.S.

The current study was led by E. Mitchell Seymour, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan Health System and was conducted on a set of obesity-prone mice models.

Researchers introduced grapes (a blend of green, red and black grapes) in the diet of these mice and assessed its effects on the heart, lung and kidneys - organs that are damaged due to metabolic syndrome. The study animals were given the grape-blend powder for about 90 days. A separate set of mice wasn't given any grapes and formed the control group of the study.

Study results showed that mice fed on grapes had low levels of inflammation markers. Grape intake was also associated with reduced levels of fat in the body.

In addition to reduced levels of inflammation markers, researchers found that eating grapes increased the levels of antioxidant defense, both in the liver and kidneys.

A related study, published in the journal Diabetes Care, had earlier found that polyphenols in grapes could offset the damage done by a high-fructose diet.

"Our study suggests that a grape-enriched diet may play a critical role in protecting against metabolic syndrome and the toll it takes on the body and its organs," said Seymour in a news release.  "Both inflammation and oxidative stress play a role in cardiovascular disease progression and organ dysfunction in Type 2 diabetes. Grape intake impacted both of these components in several tissues which is a very promising finding."

The study was presented at the Experimental Biology conference in Boston.