Pectin supplement health benefit by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

 

Pectin is a grouping of acidic structural polysaccharides, found in fruits and vegetables and mainly prepared from 'waste' citrus peel and apple pomace. Grapefruit pectin and apple pectin supplements are sold in health food stores. Pectin has many health benefits including a prebiotic effect, lowering cholesterol and glucose levels and may also have potential for weight management. Diet Rx has apple pectin as one of the ingredients. Diet Rx works great as an appetite suppressant.

 

Grapefruit Pectin supplement, 1000 mg

Grapefruit Pectin is a natural substance derived from the pulp and peel of the grapefruit. It is an excellent source of water-soluble fiber that has a gel-forming effect when mixed with water. Pectin is derived from the Greek word pectos, which means solidified or gelatinated. As a dietary fiber, Grapefruit Pectin supports good intestinal health.

Grapefruit Pectin Supplement Info:
 Grapefruit Pectin - 1000 mg * 
 

See Grapefruit Pectin supplement to purchase or for more information


Suggested Use: As a dietary supplement, take 1 or 2 grapefruit pectin capsule 1 to 2 times daily, preferably with meals.
* Grapefruit pectin daily value not established.

Diet Rx weight control management with pectin
 Those who use medical marijuana may find that their appetite is increased and they tend to overeat. This natural appetite suppressant works without stimulants. Diet Rx has no added caffeine, ephedra, ephedrine alkaloids, Citrus-Aurantium  synephrine, hormones, guarana, or stimulating amino acids. 

Benefits of Diet Rx with pectin
All natural appetite suppressant, decreases appetite so you eat less
Helps you maintain healthy blood sugar levels
Helps you maintain healthy cholesterol and lipid levels
Provides a variety of antioxidant from two dozen herbs and nutrients
Provides healthy fiber
Improves energy
Balances mood
Improves mental concentration and focus
Improves will power and choice of food selection

Diet Rx is available for sale. You can also find out the ingredients in this product, and see a list of hundreds of high quality natural supplements

Grapefruit pectin and cholesterol
The effects of grapefruit pectin on patients at risk for coronary heart disease without altering diet or lifestyle.
Clin Cardiol. 1988 Sep;11(9):589-94. Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville 32610.
The effect of grapefruit pectin (Citrus paradisi) on plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and the low-density lipoprotein:high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio was studied. The study design was a 16-week double-blind, crossover (placebo or pectin) using 27 human volunteers screened to be at medium to high risk for coronary heart disease due to hypercholesterolemia. The study did not interfere with the subjects' current diet or lifestyle. Grapefruit pectin supplementation decreased plasma cholesterol 7%, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol 11%, and the low-density lipoprotein:high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio 10%. The other plasma lipid fractions studied showed no significant differences.

 

Pectin and cancer prevention or treatment
UK researchers found that particular components of pectin bind to, and possibly inhibit, a protein believed to ease the spread of cancer throughout the body. Modified forms of pectin may perhaps be beneficial in prevention or treatment of cancer. Modified pectin can kill or prevent the spread of tumor cells in the test tube. Certain sugars in pectin bind to galectin-3, a protein on the surface of tumor cells that helps the cells grow and spread throughout the body, and thereby slow or even reverse the spread of cancer cells, Gunning explained. The FASEB Journal, online October 2, 2008.

 

Pectin helpful in vitro against prostate cancer
 Crystal Jackson, at the University of Georgia, tested different forms of pectin - commercially available fractionated pectin powder, citrus pectin (CP), and pH-modified CP (PectaSol), was tested on hormone- (androgen) responsive and androgen-independent human prostate cancer cells. Fractionated pectin powder induced apoptosis (programmed cell death) by about 40 fold, compared to non-treated cells, for both types of cancer cells. Chemical treatment of the fractionated pectin powder using base (alkali) in order to remove the ester linkages of the pectin structure destroyed the ability of the pectin to induce apoptosis. Treatment of the pectin with pectinmethylesterase enzymes did not affect activity, indicating that the base-sensitive linkages played an important role in the apparent anti-cancer benefits. Both citrus pectin and the pH-modified citrus pectin had no effect on the cancer cells, but heat treatment of citrus pectin resulted in significant levels of apoptosis comparable to FPP.


The ingredient, with worldwide production estimated at 35,000 tonnes a year, is currently widely used as gelling agents in jams, confectionary, and bakery fillings, and stabilisers in yoghurts and milk drinks.

The majority of pectin used currently comes from citrus peel and apple pomace. Other sources of the ingredient, like sugar beet and pumpkin, have remained largely unexploited because of certain undesirable structural properties.

Source: Glycobiology
August 2007, Volume 17, Issue 8, Pages 805-819; doi:10.1093/glycob/cwm054
"Pectin induces apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells: correlation of apoptotic function with pectin structure"
Author: C.L. Jackson, T.M. Dreaden, L.K. Theobald, N.M. Tran, T.L. Beal, M. Eid, M. Yun Gao, R.B. Shirley, M.T. Stoffel, M.V. Kumar and D. Mohnen

 

Apple pectin has no influence on electrolyte levels
 Effect of pectin on some electrolytes and trace elements in patients with hyperlipoproteinemia.
Folia Med (Plovdiv). 1998;40(1):41-5. Clinic of Hematology, Higher Medical Institute, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Seventy three patients with hyperlipoproteinemia, aged from 40 to 69 years were treated with a natural product, based on high-esterified pectin granulated with sorbitol. The results of the comparative assessment of the electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride, ionised calcium, total and ionised magnesium) failed to reach statistical significance during the administration of the pectin product. Neither did the serum level of trace elements (iron and copper) change significantly during the observed period. The biochemical analysis of the serum level of certain electrolytes and trace elements indicate that daily administration of 15 g of high-esterified apple pectin for a three-month period has no adverse effects. Therefore pectin products can be included in the therapeutic schedule in the treatment of hyperlipoproteinemia.

 

Pectin not helpful in duodenal ulcer
Dietary supplementation with pectin in the maintenance treatment of duodenal ulcer. A controlled study.
Scand J Gastroenterol. 1988 Jan;23(1):95-9. Dept. of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Hospital.
Patients with recently healed duodenal ulcers diagnosed by endoscopy were randomly allocated to receive 10 g apple pectin USP powder twice daily, 150 mg ranitidine at night, or one tablet matching ranitidine placebo at night for 6 months. Recurrences occurred in 23 of 27 (85%) patients taking pectin, 6 of 28 (21%) patients taking ranitidine, and 20 of 28 (71%) patients taking placebo. At the doses taken, therefore, dietary supplementation with pectin did not reduce the incidence of duodenal ulcer relapse.

 

Pectin supplement questions

Q. In regular apple cider vinegar, how much pectin (fiber) is there in a tablespoon of vinegar, and how much do you think is good for you in a day's time.
   A. Pectin is a fiber that is normally removed from apple cider vinegar pills. We can't say how much apple cider vinegar tablets to take, that is a personal decision.

 

Q. Read your article on pectin with interest since I have been using PectaSol for the past year or so to help treat PC (I also underwent a year of ADT). In a study published in Glycobiology, the researcher came to the following conclusions: "Commercially available fractionated pectin powder (FPP) induced apoptosis (approximately 40-fold above non-treated cells) in both cell lines [LMCap],[LNCap C4-2] as determined by the Apoptosense assay and activation of caspase-3 and its substrate, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. Conversely, citrus pectin (CP) and the ph-modified CP, PectaSol, had little or no apoptotic activity.

 

 have been taking 1000mg grapefruit pectin daily for about a month to help with high LDL levels. On the plus side I have noticed weight loss, and the inflammation and limitations of thumb arthritis and trigger finger totally disappeared! On the minus side--I had developed symptoms that suggest an interstitial cystitis of sorts. Could be coincidental. Was wondering if the acidic nature of grapefruit pectin could be contributing and if so --what measures might you suggest to counter this. Have discontinued GP for 2 weeks now. Cystitis symptoms have dissipated and thumb pain/stiffness starting to return, not to original level yet.
    We have not heard of this potential side effect before and since studies with this supplement in humans are incomplete, it is not easy to know the causes or relationships with the symptoms you mention.