Grapefruit Extract May Reduce or Improve Metabolic Syndrome
Grapefruit extract…naturally present in grapefruit…may help prevent the physiological changes that produce the condition known as metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.
Earlier studies have found that something present in grapefruit might be helpful to the body in regulating blood fats and sugars.
One recent study has found that people who ate one red grapefruit per day may reduce their cholesterol levels by 15% and their triglycerides by 17%. The grapefruit may also act to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Another study has determined that the naturally-occurring flavonoid naringenin may work similarly to the sugar-regulating hormone insulin. Naringenin appears to work by causing the liver to burn excess fat instead of storing it. This decreases the ability of liver cells to make cholesterol and thereby reduces insulin levels.
