Grape Seeds are a main source of OPC AntioxidantsOPC Antioxidant is made from grape seed extract and pine bark extract. They are considered Super Antioxidants and are scientifically known as Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins – OPC’s, Proanthocyanidolic Oligomers – PCO’s, Procyanidins or Proanthocyanidins.
Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins (OPC’s) are considered Super Antioxidants because they are unique phytochemicals known as flavonoids that have powerful antioxidant capabilities. OPC is highly water soluble so your body is able to absorb it quickly.
Clinical trials were performed to compare the effectiveness of OPC Antioxidants versus vitamin C and vitamin E with astonishing results. OPC Antioxidants may be as much as 50 times more potent than vitamin E and 20 times more potent than vitamin C in terms of bioavailable antioxidants. In fact, OPC Antioxidants work with the antioxidant glutathione to restore and recycle oxidized vitamin C which actually increases vitamin C’s effectiveness.
OPC Antioxidants are naturally occurring substances that are found throughout nature and are present in a variety of food and botanical sources. The two main sources of commercial OPC Antioxidants are grape seed extract (Vitis vinifera) made from wine grapes and pine bark extract, known as Pycnogenol, made from from the French maritime Pine Tree.
Pycnogenol was the first source of OPC Antioxidants discovered and the process used to extract it was originally patented in the 1950’s. Pycnogenol is not a generic name for OPC Antioxidant, it is simply a trademarked name for pine bark extract.
Benefits of OPC Antioxidants
Because of the unique properties of OPC Antioxidants, including their ability to cross your blood-brain barrier and their high water solubility, OPC Antioxidants have been shown to produce some remarkable benefits when taken regularly. Here are just a few examples:
- OPC Antioxidants can help protect your brain and spinal nerves against free radical damage.
- OPC Antioxidants can help protect your liver from damage caused by toxic doses of acetaminophen.
- OPC Antioxidants can help to strengthen and repair connective tissue, including that of the cardiovascular system.
- OPC Antioxidants can help support your own natural immune system.
- OPC Antioxidants have proven effective in slowing certain characteristics of the aging process.
- OPC Antioxidants help to moderate your body’s allergic and inflammatory responses by reducing histamine production.
Currently, there are numerous studies in various stages of completion, testing the effectiveness of OPC Antioxidants in the treatment of some devastating diseases and ailments including: Asthma, Fybromyalgia, AIDS, Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes, and Macular Degeneration.
OPC Antioxidants have proven to be very effective and beneficial antioxidant that could be the anchor of your supplementation program.
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