What is Grapefruit Seed Extract Good For?

Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) is a liquid substance extracted from the fruit and seeds of grapefruit.  Chemical analysis of GSE shows additional antioxidant constituents including Vitamin C, tocopherols, sterols, citric acid, liminoids, and other trace minerals.

GSE Benefits

Grapefruit Seed Extract has very high levels of disease-fighting, free-radical eliminating antioxidants and phytonutrients called bioflavonoids. One of these strong bioflavanoids include the chemical component hesperidin, a well-known natural immune-system stimulator and booster. Grapefruit Seed Extract is a broad spectrum bactericide, fungicide, antiviral, and antiparasitic compound. An in vitro study using human skin fibroblast cells indicates that GSE promotes healthy gram-positive and gram-negative balance.A study from “The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine” found that GSE was efficacious in killing over 800 bacterial and viral strains, 100 strains of fungus, and a large number of single and multi-celled parasites.

In a study reported in the “Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology” in 2004, GSE was found to protect against pancreatitis. In experiments on rats, researchers observed that GSE helped protect pancreatic tissue by offering antioxidant properties and improving pancreatic blood flow. Grapefruit-seed extract  may benefit gastric lesions caused by stress or ethanol. In animal-based study, rats were treated with grapefruit-seed extract  thirty minutes prior to being subjected to ethanol or another stressor.  The number and area of gastric lesions that formed were measured and compared to those in rats that did not receive grapefruit-seed extract. Lesion number and size were reduced by as much as 50 percent in the group receiving grapefruit-seed extract. depending upon the dosage. A preliminary study examined the effectiveness of GSE in participants with eczema and symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome ( IBS).  Patients received either 2 drops of a 0.5% oral solution of GSE twice daily or 150 mg of encapsulated GSE three times daily. After a month, IBS symptoms had improved in 20% of those taking the liquid, while all of the participants taking capsules noted definite improvement of constipation, flatulence, abdominal discomfort, and night rest. These findings need confirmation in double-blind studies.