Medicinal Grapefruit

[Guest guest]

Medicinal Grapefruit

Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and More

Grapefruit that well known citrus fruit served at many breakfast tables across America. Powerful antioxidants are stored within its rind not to mention its wealth of vitamins A, C, D, K and vitamin B complex. Its range of nutrients consist of potassium, folic acid, calcium, phytonutrients and phosphorus.

Grapefruit is known to boost the immune system and aid in cold prevention. It can eliminate coughs and soothe that sore throat. Science has proved its usefulness in a host of conditions.

The New Diabetes Therapy

An antioxidant in grapefruit called naringenin, may have the ability to make the liver breakdown fat while at the same time building up insulin sensitivity., which naturally happens during long periods of fasting.

Researchers from Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Massachusetts General Hospital, have discovered that naringenin stimulates a family of small proteins named nuclear receptors. In turn causing the liver to break down fatty acids. The compound appears to imitate the actions of medications like lipid-lowering Fenofibrate and the anti-diabetic Rosiglitazone giving the advantages of both these drugs. If the outcomes of the study reach to humans, this dietary supplement could become a standard in the treatment of type-2 diabetes and hyperlipidemia.

The actions of naringenin had shown to increase two important pharmaceutical targets, PPARα and PPARγ a nd blocks LXRα The results are much like fasting for a long time.

The liver is the primary organ that is liable for regulating carbohydrate and lipid levels in the blood. After consuming a meal, the blood is intoxicated with sugars which stimulate LXR a, which makes the liver to manufacture fatty acids for long term storage. When fasting this process is reversed, fatty acids become released by fat cells that stimulate PPAR a in the liver and then get broken down to ketones. A similar method using PPAR y adds to insulin resistance.

This method is much like the Atkins Diet minus a lot of side effects.

The liver acts as if it is fasting and breaks down fatty acids instead of carbohydrates.

The flavonoid naringin is what gives grapefruit its bitter taste. Naringin breaks down in the stomach into naringenin. Past evidence had shown that the compound had cholesterol lowering elements and could improve some symptoms of diabetes.Naringenin blocking Hepatitis C

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital noted that naringenin may block the release of the hepatitis C virus from infected cells. HVC is attached to very low density lipoprotein (vLDL a bad cholesterol) when it is discharged from liver cells and the viral discharge is needed to pass infection to other cells could be blocked by naringenin.

If these results extend to humans, a mix of naringenin and anti-viral medication may let a patient be able to eliminate the virus from their liver. The results suggest that lipid-lowering medications along with supplements like niringenin could be used with conventional anti-viral therapies to decrease or even eradicate HCV from infected patients.

HCV is the primary cause of chronic viral liver disease in America. It infects around three percent of the world populace. Currently, anti-viral medications are effective in only about half of the patients. Seventy percent of them that develop chronic infection could result in cirrhosis or liver cancer. Due to the fact the virus does not blend its genetic material into the DNA of infected cells the way HIV does. This means totally eliminating the virus could be likely if new cells are not being infected by the discharged virus.

Massive amounts of research has advocated that HCV infects liver cells basically by attaching on to the natural lipoprotein-cholesterol metabolic pathway. Previous evidence had shown naringenin can decrease discharge of vLDL from liver cells. Researchers had looked to see if the compound could possibly lower HCV discharge from infected cells. The researchers did confirm that naringenin can decrease the discharge of HCV from infected cell lines and had proved that the compound halts the activity for discharging a particular lipoprotein that binds HCV.

This means that it is possible that non-toxic levels of a dietary supplement like naringenin could efficiently block HVC discharge. This method could possibly in the future be used as a treatment for patients who do not respond or cannot take conventional interferon-based treatment or may be used in a combination with other substances to heighten the rates of success.

Prevention for metabolic syndrome

In a study done with mice, niringenin could stop increases of cholesterol and alter insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism associated to metabolic syndrome.

Mice who had been fed a high fat diet supplemented with niringenin did not gain weight and at the same time other signs of metabolic syndrome were prevented.

Metabolic syndrome is noted by central obesity, hypertension, disturbed glucose and insulin metabolism. This syndrome has been associated to added risks of both type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

In the study researchers had divided mice into four groups, the control group had normal food, the other three groups had either a high fat or western diet (42 calories from fat) for four weeks. Two of the high fat groups also were supplemented with either one or three percent naringenin.

The mice who consumed only high fat diet became insulin and glucose tolerant and obese. When supplemented with naringenin the increases in triglyceride and cholesterol levels had reversed which stopped insulin resistance and totally normalized glucose metabolism.

Naringenin was observed to be associated with the stimulation of PPAR-gamma coactivator 1 alpha which lead to burning fat instead of storing it.

It was concluded that naringenin could correct numerous metabolic disturbances associated to insulin resistance, showing a promising therapeutic approach for metabolic syndrome.

Red grapefruit gives heart benefits

Researchers from Israel have noted that consuming a red grapefruit each day could decrease cholesterol by 15% and triglycerides by 17% and provide protection from heart disease.

The research which had included in vitro and human studies, was noted to be the first observation of various grapefruit types and their influence on humans who have hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis both of which have a major part in heart disease.

Grapefruit juice heightens absorption of CoQ10

Grapefruit juice appears to halt a protein in the membrane of cells called P-glycoprotein(P-gp) according to the outcomes of a study.

Japanese researchers had shown that a high cellular uptake of CoQ10 is attained in grapefruit juice.

CoQ10 plays a major role in bio-availability (the degree or rate in which a substance is absorbed into the body). Due to the fact that the co-enzyme lipohilic absorption is heightened in the presence of lipids. So when a supplement is taken separately from meals, the absorption of some formulas is lower

It is possible that by co-administering CoQ10 with grapefruit juice it makes an easy accessible way to improve intestinal absorption of CoQ10.

Grapefruit juice is well known for its interaction with other compounds in the digestive system. Chemicals which are in the juice and pulp have been noted to interfere with the enzymes that metabolize certain medications in the digestive system which include stains that lower cholesterol. This produces a possible toxic amount of drugs circulating throughout the blood.

However, this study advocates that grapefruit juices halting abilities could most likely benefit CoQ10.

For the study, Japanese researchers had used Caco-2 cells, a cell line used to model the lining of the human intestine. Cells had been cultured with CoQ10 powder(10 micromoles supplied by Kougen Co.) and grapefruit juice diluted to a concentration of one percent, purchased from Dole.

The outcome had shown CoQ10 uptake in the presence of grapefruit juice had been increased by almost fifty percent. This indicates that administering CoQ10 and grapefruit juice could height CoQ10 absorption.

Weight loss

A study conducted in 2006, by Dr. Ken Fujioka, from Scripps Clinic in San Diego, had conducted a three month study of 100 obese men and women and discovered that by eating one half grapefruit before meals had produced an average weight loss of 3.6 pounds and with some participants losing as much as ten pounds.

Participants in which consumed the grapefruit had remarkably lower levels of insulin in their blood after a meal, which researchers are presuming caused the weight loss. Researchers had further assumed that a plant compound contained in the grapefruit, not fiber, was liable for the weight loss due to the fact that those who had consumed grapefruit juice also loss weight regardless of the lack of fiber.

Protection from prostate cancer

Researchers from UCLA and Zhongshan University in China, had found that naringenin aided in the repair of damaged DNA in human prostate cancer cells. DNA repair is a vital part in cancer prevention since it halts cells from increasing.

Researchers remark that DNA repair by naringenin may aide in the cancer battling effects linked to a diet high in fruits and vegetables.

Grapefruit seed extract as a disinfectant

The extract is noted to be a very strong disinfectant for wounds, to sterilize fruits and vegetables, purify drinking water, sterilize dishes, counter tops, cutting boards and stop the growth of bacteria in pools and spas. The effective ingredient in grapefruit seed extract is manufacture from the seed and pulp of certified organically grown grapefruit. The method changes the grapefruit bioflavonoids into a very strong compound that eliminates Strep, Staph, Salmonella, E. Coli, Candida, Herpes, Influenza, parasites and fungi.

Researches indicate that the extract seems to interrupt cytoplasm membrane in a way that the organism cannot uptake required amino acids. Even though researchers are not sure exactly how this works, they are positive it is effective against numerous pathogens.

It has been tested many times and shown not to have any side effects and is non-toxic to humans and animals. On the other plus side it is environmentally friendly and biodegradable.

It is particularly useful in the sterilization of baby toys, bottles and clothes since it is non-toxic and does not harm babies. Only undiluted extract can irritate eyes and skin.

It appears grapefruit is joining the foods of super medicines.

Please note that grapefruit can interfere with certain medications such as stains. So please check with practitioner if you are on medications.

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/7800914-medicinal-grapefruit