Apple Polyphenols

Apple polyphenols are a subcategory of antioxidants. Like all antioxidants, polyphenols stop free radicals in their tracks. Free radicals are any molecules in the body that have lost an electron due to chemical exposure or toxins. They go around the body stealing electrons from other healthy cells and molecules turning them into free radicals as well. The continuation of stealing electrons from healthy cells cause diseases, aging, cancer and the breakdown of the body.

Antioxidants are important in this process because they can donate electrons and essentially stop free radicals from harming the body. What makes apple polyphenols such an important antioxidant is that they do so much more than just stop free radicals. They have been shown to have benefits that fight diseases, cancer, aging and a certain polyphenol procyanidin b-2 can restart the hair growth process.

For the past decade or so, scientists have been doing studies on the properties of apple polyphenols and the effects they have. Here's two studies that are very interesting: Apple polyphenols are proving to be a valuable hair growth agent. Investigation of the topical application of procyanidin oligomers from apples to identify their potential use as a hair-growing agent.

BACKGROUND: Procyanidins are a family of condensed tannins, which have been shown to possess hair-growing activity in both the in vitro and in vivo murine models. AIMS: We report a 12-month clinical study aimed at treating male pattern baldness by external application of 0.7% apple procyanidin oligomers. PATIENTS/METHODS: A double-blind clinical test involving a total of 43 subjects was performed. Twenty-one men in the procyanidin group and 22 men in the placebo control group were subjected to analysis. In the first 6 months, we compared the procyanidin and the placebo groups to assess the medicinal effects of procyanidin oligomers. The application time of the procyanidin group was subsequently extended to 12 months, and the time course of its remedial value was examined. RESULTS: The increase in total number of hairs in a designated scalp area of the procyanidin group subjects after the 6-month trial was significantly greater than that of the placebo control group subjects (procyanidin, 3.3 +/- 13.0 (mean +/- SD)/0.50 cm(2); placebo, -3.6 +/- 8.1/0.50 cm(2); P < 0.001, two-sample t-test). Time course-dependent improvement in hair density was observed in the procyanidin subjects. No adverse side effects were observed in any of the subjects. Procyanidin therapy thus shows potential hair-growing activity.

J Cosmet Dermatol. 2005 Dec;4(4):245-9.
Takahashi T, Kamimura A, Kagoura M, Toyoda M, Morohashi M.
Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Ibaraki, Japan
PMID: 17168871 [PubMed]

They also have anti cancer effects, apoptosis. This is a process where the harmful cells (cancer cells) are basically told to commit suicide.

Apple procyanidins induce tumor cell apoptosis through mitochondrial pathway activation of caspase-3.

Various epidemiologic and experimental in vivo and in vitro studies have suggested that polyphenols derived from fruits, vegetables and beverages might decrease the risk of developing lifestyle diseases, such as cardiovascular disorders and cancer. Apples are a major dietary source of polyphenols. Here we investigated the antitumor activity of apple polyphenols (APs) and procyanidins, namely condensed tannins, both in vitro and in vivo studies. APs and procyanidins inhibited the growth of transplanted B16 mouse melanoma cells and BALB-MC.E12 mouse mammary tumor cells, and increased the survival rate of the host mice-transplanted B16 cells. Among the APs, the apple procyanidins specifically, rather than other polyphenols such as chlorogenic acid, (-)-epicatechin, phloridzin and procyanidin B-2, had a major effect on cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in vitro. The apple procyanidins increased mitochondrial membrane permeability and cytochrome c release from mitochondria and activated caspase-3 and caspase-9 within the tumor cells. In addition, we separated eight procyanidin fractions according to the degree of polymerization using normal-phase chromatography, and detected strong anti-tumor activity in the procyanidin pentamer and higher degree fractions. Our results indicate that the oral administration of apple procyanidins inhibits the proliferation of tumor cells by inducing apoptosis through the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway.

Carcinogenesis. 2008 Mar;29(3):585-93. Epub 2007 Sep 7.
Miura T, Chiba M, Kasai K, Nozaka H, Nakamura T, Shoji T, Kanda T, Ohtake Y, Sato T.
Department of Pathologic analysis, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 66-1, Hon-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8564, Japan. tomisato@cc.hirosaki-u.ac.jp
PMID: 17827407 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

The two studies above have shown that apple polyphenols have anti cancer and hair growth effects. Colon cancer is the one most affected by apple polyphenols when they are taken orally. Other cancers have also been affected. More studies have shown that apple polyphenols have effects against external aging by promoting the health of skin cells and rejuvenation. Internal aging is also effected by promoting organ health, destroying the free radicals and strengthening fibers.

Apple polyphenols are being extensively studied as a hair growth agent. Scientists found a potential hair growth agent known as procyanidin b-2 contained in apple polyphenol supplements. A similar procyanidin was also found in grape extracts, proanthocyanidin. The procyanidin b-2 from apples was 150% more effective in hair regrowth than the proanthocyanidin from grapes.

Here's another study on hair regrowth:

Procyanidin oligomers counteract TGF-beta1- and TGF-beta2-induced apoptosis in hair epithelial cells: an insight into their mechanisms.

Kamimura A, Takahashi T, Morohashi M, Takano Y.

Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. ayako.kamimura@kyowa.co.jp

Procyanidin oligomers are polyphenol compounds we have identified in apples and barley which have hair growth stimulant effects, and which are able to promote hair epithelial cell growth and induce anagen induction of the hair cycle in the in vivo murine model. For the purpose of examining the hair-growing mechanisms of procyanidin oligomers, we examined their relationship to the TGF-beta signal pathway, known to be a regulator of catagen induction, and the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade linked to cell proliferation. Addition of TGF-beta(1) or TGF-beta(2) to hair epithelial cell cultures dose-dependently decreased cell growth and induced apoptosis; however, addition of procyanidin B-2 to the culture neutralized the growth-inhibiting effects of both TGF-beta(1) and TGF-beta(2) and protected the cells from apoptosis. The same effects were observed with procyanidin B-3. We confirmed that procyanidin B-2 upregulates the expression of MEK-1/2 in cultured murine hair epithelial cells. We speculate that the hair-growing activity of procyanidin oligomers is at least linked to their growth-promoting effects on hair epithelial cells that follow MEK activation and their protective action on TGF-beta(1)- or TGF-beta(2)-induced apoptosis that is assumed to trigger catagen induction in the hair cycle.

PMID: 16778458 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Basically, procyanidin b-2 starts the hair regrowth cycle by stimulation. Procyanidin b-2 works by inhibiting the factors that signal the beginning and end of the hair cycles. A hair regrowth stimulant.

The way that apple polyphenols work against disease is amazingly simple. When damaged or diseased cells are present and polyphenols are introduced, the polyphenols send a message to the diseased or damaged cells to basically commit suicide. So to put it in perspective, polyphenols tell damaged cells to "self destruct". The medical term is called "apoptosis".

In all studies, it's been proven that apple polyphenols have beneficial effects with no negative side effects even in extremely high amounts.
With all of these studies becoming popular... apple polyphenols are taking a strong place in the natural health supplement market.

I wish you the best in all health.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.