NEW YORK, Sep 08 (Reuters Health) -- Flavonoids, compounds found in red wine and purple grape juice, help arteries respond to increased blood flow, a team at the University of Wisconsin reports in the September 7th issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
In addition, the study results show that the compounds slow the processes that help LDL, a cholesterol component, contribute to the buildup of fatty plaques in arteries.
In the study, Dr. James H. Stein and colleagues had 15 patients known to have coronary artery disease drink purple grape juice (7 cc per kilogram per day) for 14 days. The investigators found that at the end of the study period, the ability of the patients' arteries to dilate in response to an increased flow vasodilation increased 6.4%, and LDL oxidation slowed by 34.5%.
Previous studies have shown that purple grape juice decreases the "stickiness" of blood components called platelets, reducing the risk of clotting, another cause of heart problems.
"Previously, much of the potential benefit of consuming purple grape juice was attributed to its apparent ability to make the blood less likely to clot," said the study's senior author, Dr. John Folts of the university's Coronary Thrombosis Research and Prevention Laboratory, in a statement. "What this study shows us is that drinking the juice appears to have a beneficial effect on two other primary contributors (to heart disease) as well.... drinking purple grape (juice) may promote these heart healthy mechanisms."
"Combined with what we have learned from previous studies on grape juice's ability to decrease platelet activity, it makes sense to include daily consumption of purple grape juice as part of a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat," said Folts in a statement.
