OPC Grape Seed Extract 1000mg | 300 Capsules | Vit4ever

OPC Grape Seed Extract 1000mg by Vit4ever

What actually happens to the seeds when grapes are pressed for wine or juice? At Vit4ever, they don't end up in the compost heap, but are processed into OPC grape seed extract, a concentrated source of oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC). This extract is standardized to 70 percent OPC and provides 1000 mg of extract, with 700 mg of OPC, when taking two capsules per day. A bottle contains 300 vegan capsules, enough for five months.

What OPC exactly is

OPC is the collective name for a group of polyphenols, plant substances that occur naturally in the skin and seeds of grapes, but also in, for example, cranberries and pine bark. Chemically, they are chains of flavan-3-ol molecules linked together. The extract is standardized to 70% OPC. What many people do not know: grapes build up these substances as a kind of natural protection of the seed against sunlight and insects. During the grape harvest, the seeds often remain as a byproduct of wine or juice production, and it is precisely in them that the highest concentration of OPC in the entire grape is found. Many people wonder whether OPC from grape seeds differs from OPC from, for example, pine bark; the difference lies mainly in the precise composition of the chains. Within the broader family of polyphenols, which also includes substances such as resveratrol and quercetin, OPC from grape seeds distinguishes itself mainly by the relatively short chain length and the high concentration that is bundled in this extract.

Why 70 percent OPC is used as a standard

Not every grape seed extract is the same. The concentration of OPC varies greatly per manufacturer and per production method. Vit4ever standardizes the extract using the HPLC method (high performance liquid chromatography), a laboratory technique that accurately measures how much OPC is actually in the extract. At 70 percent OPC, you know that you receive 500 mg of extract per capsule with 350 mg of OPC, or 700 mg of OPC per day with two capsules. Without such standardization, you are effectively buying an extract whose actual strength can vary per batch, sometimes by a factor of two or more. The difference therefore is not in the name grape seed extract on the label, but in the number behind it. Vit4ever has each batch independently tested for the actual OPC content, so that the 70 percent on the label is really in the bottle. This control takes place separately from its own production, in an external laboratory, and is intended to prevent a batch with a lower content from still being sold.

From grape seed to capsule

The path from grape seed to capsule takes a few steps: first, the seeds are separated from the rest of the grape, dried and ground, then follows an extraction process where the OPC-rich substances are separated from the fiber mass and concentrated into a powder. Only when the OPC content is at the required level does the powder go into the capsule.

A simple formula, two capsules per day

The capsule from Vit4ever contains, besides the grape seed extract, only a plant-based capsule shell of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. There are no fillers, colorings, or magnesium stearate in it, which makes this product suitable for those who prefer a short, recognizable ingredients list. The recommended intake is one capsule twice a day, for example one with breakfast and one with dinner. A bottle of 300 capsules of OPC grape seed extract will last five months in this way, which amounts to approximately 150 day doses. Store the bottle dry and dark, well closed and out of reach of direct sunlight, so that the quality of the extract is preserved until the last capsule.