Concentrated Polyphenols: Xeno Grape Extracts The Australian Extract
Powergrape
Discoveries by scientists like Sinclair and Baur about the health benefits from plant sources, especially polyphenols, have not escaped the notice of the nutrition industry. Just as Peter Voigt was drawn to the excitement of grape extracts and their potential health benefits, so were some of the largest manufacturers of health supplements in the world. One of the earliest was the Berkem Group, headquartered in Gardonne, France, with offices and manufacturing facilities in China, Thailand, and the United States. Since its inception in 1964, Berkem has focused on producing polyphenols and, starting in the early 1990s, has been refining the processes of plant nutrient extraction on an industrial scale. The company currently makes plant-based ingredients for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetic, and food industries.
It was the polyphenols in the red wine-and, therefore, the red grape-that were mostly responsible for these benefits. Unlike Voigt, who had worked with Pinot grapes in southern Australia, the scientists at Berkem decided to use Bordeaux grapes, which surrounded their main office.
Berkem applied a unique hydroalcoholic extraction process to the grapes, using both pure water and food-grade alcohol along with variations in pressure and temperature to obtain specific ratios of the different polyphenols, including resveratrol. The liquid produced was then spray-dried and called Powergrape. The Berkem scientists believed this concentrated polyphenol product would have a powerful anti oxidative effect and help to counter the negative effects of stress, smoking, pollution, poor diet, and especially overexertion. Specifically, they believed that during athletic activity, a powerful natural antioxidant might improve or reduce recovery time, reduce the effects of elevated free radicals that occur after extreme exercise, and also enhance endurance.
The researchers found a powerful antioxidant effect in the treated group, with a 60 percent increase in vitamin C levels and a 96 percent increase in ubiquinone, a powerful antioxidant involved in energy production in cells. There was also a marked increase in the plasma ORAC value of those athletes taking Powergrape, further indicating its antioxidant potential. Most Significantly, the researchers noted a 21 percent increase in physical performance among those taking the Powergrape supplements, compared with the control group. Scientists from the French Agronomic Research Institute (INRA) and Advantage Nutrition indicated that this product could reduce the risk of muscular damage, improve the explosive sports performance during effort, and improve recovery capability, particularly in athletes.
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