Grapes Protect against Organ Damage Related to Metabolic Syndrome

One of the major public health concerns in the U.S. is metabolic syndrome. Addressing this medical disorder, a latest study presented at the Experimental Biology conference in Boston suggests that consuming grapes may protect against organ damage, which is linked with the advancement of metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is a combination of several medical disorders such as excess deposit of fat near the waist, high levels of sugar in the blood, and high blood pressure, thereby increasing the risk of heart diseases, type 2 diabetes and stroke.

According to the study led by investigator E. Mitchell Seymour, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan Health System, the natural components known as polyphenols present in grapes play a vital role in this.

In order to prove their hypothesis, researchers checked the effect of a high-fat American style diet that included grapes, and one that didn't have grapes. They checked the effect on the heart, kidneys, liver and fat tissue in rats that were prone to obesity.

The researchers noticed that three months of diet that included grapes significantly lowered inflammatory markers throughout the body, especially in abdominal fat weight and kidneys when compared to those whose diet lacked intake of grapes.

Apart from this, consuming grapes increased markers of antioxidant defense, especially in the kidney and liver.

"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.  "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."