Frequent Questions

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What is muscadine grape seed extract and why is it useful?
Muscadines (Vitis rotundifolia) are a grapevine species native to the southeastern United States.   They have adapted to the warm, humid climate by producing antioxidants. The same antioxidant power that protects the plant also protects your collagen and skin cells.  

What are antioxidants and why are they important?
An antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing oxidative stress by free-radicals. Left unchecked, free-radicals start chain reactions that damage cells. Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by being oxidized themselves. Antioxidants are a family of antioxidants, but the most potent and best recognized is Resveratrol.  

What is resveratrol?
Resveratrol is a polyphenol antioxidant, which is produced naturally by several plants. It is sold as a nutritional supplement (NutraGrape™) as well as a cosmeceutical (The Vine®).  

What are free radicals and why are they a concern?
Free radicals are unstable oxygen atoms. They have an unpaired electron and seek to scavenge an electron from a stable atom, by a process called oxidation. Free radicals can damage important cellular molecules may be responsible for numerous age-related diseases.  Our skin is constantly assaulted daily by sunlight, pollution and other environmental free radicals. They degrade the collagen in the skin, which reduces elasticity and causes the skin to wrinkle or sag. Free radicals also damage the microcapillaries that carry nutrients to the skin. Studies show that 80% of skin aging is directly related to the damaging effects of free radicals.  

What is collagen and what does it do?
Collagen is a long structural protein which supports most tissues and gives cells structure from the outside. It is responsible for skin strength and elasticity, and its degradation leads to wrinkles that accompany aging.  

What are microcapillaries and how do antioxidants help?
Microcapillaries are the smallest of a body's blood vessels, and enable the interchange of nutrients between blood and the surrounding tissues. Antioxidants strengthen capillary walls and keep them flexible and unobstructed.  

Are there side effects if I take too much NutraGrape™?
There have been no reports of adverse effects of taking more than two NutraGrape™  capsules. Since it is a natural muscadine grape seed, our assumption is that any adverse effects from taking much higher dosages would be the same as eating too many grapes (i.e. diarrhea).   

What is the difference between NutraGrape™ and competitive products?
NutraGrape™ contains 325 mg per capsule of the muscadine grape seed, which has the highest ORAC value of any food tested.  Competitive products from other grapes (i.e. vitis vinifera or vitis lambrusca) may contain less of the beneficial antioxidants.  The NutraGrape™ manufacturing process involves freeze drying the grape seed. In our studies, competitive products that are air dried have lost some of their potency through that process. You’d have to take more to have the same health effects.