Grape seed extract could be a useful weight management supplement, suggests a small study, the first to test the effects of the extract on calorie intake in people. The researchers from Maastricht University in the Netherlands found the supplement to reduce the calorie intake of people with above average energy requirements by four per cent over a 24 hour period. A long-term trial is needed to find out whether this reduction could be sustained over a longer period and therefore stop weight gain. In vitro experiments have previously shown that polyphenols, the antioxidants present in high quantities in grape seed extract, stimulate the breakdown of fat. Grape seed extract has also been shown to reduce food intake in rats.
