Vinia is a dietary supplement derived from red grapes that’s used to support cardiovascular health including healthy blood pressure levels. The brand describes their product as a “clinically proven blood flow superfood” based on 15 years of research and development and $50 million invested.
But is Vinia actually proven in clinical studies to improve cardiovascular health and blood pressure levels? Does the supplement contain any questionable additive ingredients? And how do real users describe and rate its effects?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review clinical trials on Vinia to give our take on whether or not the supplement is likely to be effective. We will review its Supplement Facts label to determine if there are any unhealthy additive ingredients and share a real, unsponsored user review of Vinia.
Clinical Trial Review - Is Vinia Proven to Work?
Vinia has been studied in several clinical trials published in legitimate medical and scientific journals.
One such trial, published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, found that Vinia improved arterial dilation, which is a measure of cardiovascular health. Interestingly, it did not improve blood pressure at the dose currently being sold (400 milligrams).
As shown in the graph above, from Vinia’s website, blood pressure was significantly reduced in the 200 mg dose group, but the red grape powder dose in Vinia is currently 400 mg.
Another clinical trial on animals published in the same journal found that Vinia’s red grape powder may have cardiovascular benefits, but the dosage used does not appear to be the same dose as in Vinia. The animal trials used a dose of 400 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg), while Vinia has 400 mg total.
The beneficial effects on cholesterol oxidation documented in this study come from an in vitro (test tube) study, which is a weaker standard of evidence than trials with human participants.
These are the two clinical trials linked to on the Clinical Trials page on Vinia’s website.
We consider Vinia likely to improve cardiovascular health due to its proven effects on arterial dilation at the dose used in the supplement. We do not find the effects on cholesterol or blood pressure to be as convincing, because we can't identify any evidence that Vinia at the dose currently being sold is effective in human trial participants for these outcomes.
Below is a YouTube video published by Vinia’s manufacturer BioHarvest Sciences documenting how the supplement works:
Is Vinia Superior to Regular Resveratrol?
Much of Vinia’s marketing claims center on the fact that it includes a type of resveratrol called piceid resveratrol which is supposedly more soluble and effective than regular resveratrol.
While we have no reason to doubt Vinia’s claims about the solubility of their type of resveratrol, we don’t believe there is enough evidence to suggest that Vinia is more effective than standard resveratrol overall.
None of the clinical trials that Vinia funded compared their supplement to standard resveratrol, so while Vinia may theoretically be superior, we have no reason to believe so at this stage.
Regular resveratrol has also been shown to be effective for cardiovascular health in clinical trials.
A 2022 meta-study analyzed data on resveratrol supplementation and cholesterol levels. The researchers found that resveratrol significantly decreased total cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels.
Another medical review found that resveratrol supplementation can have positive effects on certain cardiovascular diseases.
A 2013 test tube study found that piceid was actually less bioavailable than regular resveratrol, and was “more difficult in being uptaken by cells.” This implies a higher dose of piceid may be needed to get the same benefit as regular resveratrol.
Based on the available research, we do not believe there is enough evidence to state that Vinia is superior to regular resveratrol overall for cardiovascular health.
Real, Unsponsored Vinia User Review
One of the most popular YouTube reviews of Vinia comes from a creator named Brennan Jones. His grandmother used the supplement for four months and they document changes to her blood pressure and cholesterol levels:
Does Vinia Cause Side Effects?
No serious side effects were noted in either of the trials on Vinia. One patient reported heartburn but it was not attributed to the supplement. Heartburn can also be caused by foods.
We don’t believe that Vinia is likely to cause side effects, because resveratrol is a well-studied compound and the supplement is free of any harmful additive ingredients like artificial sweeteners.
That being said, the clinical trials only lasted a maximum of 12 weeks in duration. We would recommend that consumers planning to take this supplement for extended periods of time speak with a doctor first.
Can an Amino Acid Benefit Heart Health?
The heart health supplement we would recommend is L-Citrulline Powder from Nutricost.
L-citrulline is an amino acid and a nitric oxide precursor. This means that when consumed, it increases nitric oxide production in the body which widens blood vessels.
A meta-study on citrulline supplementation found that at or above doses of 6 grams per day, the compound reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels.
The great thing about citrulline is that because it’s a simple amino acid, it’s very cost-effective. 600 grams currently costs $29.95 on Amazon, which equates to a cost-per-serving of only $0.50 even at a maximal 10 g serving.
For comparison, Vinia costs $139 for a one-time purchase and provides 90 servings, which equates to a cost-per-serving of $1.54.
Interested consumers can check out Nutricost L-Citrulline Powder at this link to its official Amazon listing. The powder is somewhat acidic, so it may be best to mix with water and drink with a straw.
We’re not suggesting that l-citrulline is as effective as Vinia for cardiovascular health; just that it’s a low-cost supplement that consumers may wish to speak with their doctor about, or even consider supplementing in addition to Vinia.
