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Recent Longevity News for the seven days ending 12/23/09.  You should consult your doctor if you are taking any medications.

Aromatase Inhibition Offers Little Benefit, Possible Harm to Men With Lo... - Medscape, 12/22/09 - "The inescapable conclusion from these data is that the 50% increase in testosterone levels was trumped by the much more modest 20% reduction in estradiol levels, leading to negative skeletal effects of anastrozole therapy in aging men" - Note:  I'm not sure that thought this though thoroughly.  Mortally in men is best when estrogen is around 25pg/mL.  I suspect that most have higher estrogen than that.  See:

  • High, Low Estradiol Levels and Mortality in Men With Systolic HF - Medscape, 5/19/09 - "Both low and high serum levels of estradiol, compared with mid-range levels, are significantly and independently associated with increased all-cause mortality in men with chronic systolic heart failure"
    Serum Estradiol Concentration Quintiles as Predictors of All-Cause Mortality in Men (With Quintile 3 as the Reference Group)
    Parameter Quintile 1 Quintile 2 Quintile 3 Quintile 4 Quintile 5
    Estradiol concentration (pg/mL) <12.903 12.90–21.79 21.80–30.11 30.12–37.39 >37.40
    3-y survival* (%) 44.6 65.8 82.4 79.0 63.6
    Quintile as mortality predictor,* HR (95% CI) vs quintile 3 4.17 (2.33–7.45) 2.15 (1.16–3.99) -- 1.22 (0.64–2.31) 2.33 (1.30–4.18)
    HR= hazard ratio

Antidepressants Linked to Increased Risk for Death, Stroke in Postmenopausal Women - Medscape, 12/22/09 - "In contrast, compared with women who did not use antidepressants, "those using SSRIs had a 45% increased relative risk of incidence stroke and a 32% increased risk of death in models stratified on propensity and adjusted for multiple covariates," the investigators report. TCA use in turn was associated with a 67% higher relative risk for all-cause death"

Quality of HDL Differs in Diabetics But Improves With Niacin Therapy - Medscape, 12/22/09 - "HDL cholesterol in individuals with diabetes has impaired endothelial protective functions compared with the HDL from healthy subjects, although treatment with extended-release niacin can improve these endothelial protective effects" - See niacin at Amazon.com.

Could acetaminophen ease psychological pain? - Science Daily, 12/22/09 - "These results indicate that acetaminophen use may decrease self-reported social pain over time, by impacting emotions linked to hurt feelings" - Note: Keep in mind that too much acetaminophen can cause permanent liver damage.  Some people take Tylenol which is acetaminophen and top that off with several cold medications that they didn't know also contained acetaminophen.

Fruits, Leafy Greens Are Good for the Eyes - WebMD, 12/22/09 - "These foods contain the carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which play an important role in vision and have a positive impact on the retina ... Lutein and zeaxanthin may help reduce disability and discomfort from glare, enhance contrast, and reduce photostress recovery times ... about 600 carotenoids can be identified in nature ... Lutein and zeaxanthin are found in kale and spinach, among other vegetables ... Of about 20 carotenoids found in human blood, only lutein and zeaxanthin are found in the visual system, the researchers write, suggesting these pigments play a "special role" in human vision" - Great, I'll definitely stock up on kale. That'd be as much fun as eating worms from my lawn.  See Jarrow Formulas, CarotenALL, Mixed Carotenoid Complex at Amazon.com.

Daily Pot Smoking May Hasten Onset of Psychosis - Science Daily, 12/20/09 - "The researchers analyzed data from 109 hospitalized patients who were experiencing their first psychotic episode. The results showed that patients who had a history of using marijuana, or cannabis, and increased to daily pot smoking experienced both psychotic and pre-psychotic symptoms at earlier ages"

Eat Fruits and Vegetable for Better Vision - Science Daily, 12/18/09 - "Carotenoids, found in green leafy vegetables and colored fruits, have been found to increase visual performance and may prevent age-related eye diseases ... macular pigments, such as lutein and zeaxanthin do have an effect on visual performance. Lutein and zeaxanthin can reduce disability and discomfort from glare, enhance contrast, and reduce photostress recovery times. They can also reduce glare from light absorption and increase the visual range"

Moderate Fish Consumption May Lower Risk in Patients with a History of Heart Failure - Science Daily, 12/18/09 - "Including fish in a balanced diet has long been associated with the prevention of heart disease, and scientists now believe that it can help preserve heart function in patients who have experienced heart failure. A new study in the Journal of Food Science reports that moderate fish consumption can help reduce the risk of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) in post acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients" - See Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.

Statins May Soon Be Given to Those With Excess Inflammation - U.S. News, 12/17/09 - "The Food and Drug Administration is considering expanding the use of cholesterol-lowering statin Crestor to those who have increased levels of inflammation—but not high cholesterol ... 2.8 percent of folks in the Crestor group developed diabetes compared with 2.3 percent of those who took placebos ... Experts still can't explain why Crestor would increase the likelihood of diabetes, but other research suggests that the entire class of statin drugs appears to have this downside ... found a 13 percent increased risk in diabetes in the statin users ... 1.5 percent of the placebo takers had a heart attack or stroke compared with 0.72 percent of the statin takers"

Cannabis damages young brains more than originally thought, study finds - Science Daily, 12/17/09 - "The damaging effects of this illicit drug on young brains are worse than originally thought ... daily consumption of cannabis in teens can cause depression and anxiety, and have an irreversible long-term effect on the brain"

Adding Niacin Boosts Effectiveness of Simvastatin/ezetimibe - Medscape, 12/16/09 - "In high-risk patients with hyperlipidemia, the addition of extended-release niacin provides superior results to therapy with simvastatin and ezetimibe alone ... At 64 weeks, compared with simvastatin and ezetimibe alone, the triple combination significantly improved HDL cholesterol (+21.5%), triglycerides (-17.6%), non-HDL cholesterol (-7.3%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B and A-I, and lipoprotein ratios" - See niacin at Amazon.com.

Sea of science deepens for fish heart benefits - Nutra USA, 12/16/09 - "left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) ... moderate fish consumption, defined as , was associated with 53 per cent reduction in the risk of developing LVSD compared to no/rare consumption of fish ... In addition, moderate fish consumption was associated with a lower inhibition of the nitric oxide synthase, an enzyme which produces nitric oxide – a potent vasodilator that relaxes blood vessels and improves blood flow" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com and glucosamine products at Amazon.com.

HbA1c Treatment Targets Cut CV Risk in Diabetics With Few Comorbidities - Medscape, 12/16/09 - "aggressive control of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels--that is, to no higher than 6.5% or 7%--significantly improves cardiovascular risk over five years, but only in patients who aren't too old or sick at the outset"

New study links DHA type of omega-3 to better nervous-system function - Science Daily, 12/16/09 - "The omega-3 essential fatty acids commonly found in fatty fish and algae help animals avoid sensory overload ... The finding connects low omega-3s to the information-processing problems found in people with schizophrenia; bipolar, obsessive-compulsive, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders; Huntington's disease; and other afflictions of the nervous system" - See Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.

Abstracts from this week's Doctor's Guide Nutrition/Dietetics plus abstracts from my RSS feeds (Click here for the journals, the PubMed ones at the top):

Exclusive Olive Oil Consumption Is Associated with Lower Likelihood of Developing Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients: The Hellenic Heart Failure Study - Ann Nutr Metab. 2009 Nov 27;56(1):9-15 - "70% of the LVSD patients and 76% of the non-LVSD patients reported exclusive olive oil consumption. Multi-adjusted analysis revealed that exclusive olive oil consumption in post-ACS patients with a first cardiac episode was associated with a 65% (95% confidence interval 0.14-0.87) lower likelihood of developing LVSD after adjusting for various confounders. No significant association was observed among participants with a previous history of ACS. Conclusions: Exclusive, long-term olive oil consumption seems to offer significant protection against the development of LVSD in post-ACS patients" - See olive leaf extract at Amazon.com.

Neat Tech Stuff :

Health Focus (Hardening of the Arteries/Atherosclerosis):

Related Topics:

Popular Supplements:

Popular Medications:

Alternative News:

  • Atherosclerosis - Life Extension Magazine
  • Extended-Release Niacin or Ezetimibe and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness - N Engl J Med. 2009 Nov 15 - "This comparative-effectiveness trial shows that the use of extended-release niacin causes a significant regression of carotid intima-media thickness when combined with a statin and that niacin is superior to ezetimibe"
  • Independent inverse relationship between serum lycopene concentration and arterial stiffness - Atherosclerosis. 2009 Aug 13 - "brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), a marker of arterial stiffness and markers of oxidative stress and inflammation ... Subjects in middle tertile (T2) and upper tertile (T3) had lower baPWV (1263+/-23 and 1265+/-14cm/s vs. 1338+/-21cm/s; p=0.009) and lower oxidized LDL (oxLDL) (53+/-3 and 55+/-3U/L vs. 66+/-3U/L; p<0.001) than those in lower tertile (T1). Subjects in T3 showed higher LDL particle size (24.3+/-0.08nm vs. 24.0+/-0.07nm, p=0.005) and lower C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (0.80+/-0.25mg/dL vs. 1.27+/-0.24mg/dL, p=0.015), compared with those in T1. Logistic regression analysis showed that baPWV decreased with the increment of lycopene concentration; log baPWV decreased by 0.21cm/s (95% CI -0.168;-0.045, p=0.001) per unit change in lycopene ... the estimated effect was attenuated by 35% ... This study supports the presence of an independent inverse relationship between circulating lycopene and baPWV. Additionally, reduced oxidative modification of LDL may be one of mediators on the mechanisms how lycopene reduces arterial stiffness" - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com.
  • Broccoli extract’s heart health benefits pinpointed? - Nutra USA, 9/7/09 - "Researchers from Imperial College London (ICL) report that sulforaphane, a compound most widely associated with broccoli, may activate a protein called Nrf2 in arteries ... the natural compound sulforaphane reduced inflammation at the high-risk areas by 'switching on' Nrf2 ... Atherosclerosis, known as hardening or furring of the arteries is a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the cause of over 50 per cent of deaths in Europe and the US ... When these cells were exposed to sulforaphane, a re-activation of Nrf2 in the disease-prone regions of the artery was observed. This indicated that the cells’ ability to protect themselves from becoming inflamed was restored" - [Abstract] - See sulforaphane at Amazon.com.
  • Activation of Nrf2 in Endothelial Cells Protects Arteries From Exhibiting a Proinflammatory State - Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2009 Sep 3 - "Treatment with sulforaphane, a dietary antioxidant, activated Nrf2 and suppressed p38-VCAM-1 signaling at the susceptible site in wild-type but not Nrf2(-/-) animals, indicating that it suppresses EC activation via Nrf2 ... Nrf2 prevents ECs at the atheroprotected site from exhibiting a proinflammatory state via the suppression of p38-VCAM-1 signaling. Pharmacological activation of Nrf2 reduces EC activation at atherosusceptible sites and may provide a novel therapeutic strategy to prevent or reduce atherosclerosis" - See sulforaphane at Amazon.com.
  • How Much Omega-3 Fatty Acid Do We Need To Prevent Cardiovascular Disease? - Science Daily, 9/1/09 - "a 200 mg dose of DHA per day is enough to affect biochemical markers that reliably predict cardiovascular problems, such as those related to aging, atherosclerosis, and diabetes. This study is the first to identify how much DHA is necessary to promote optimal heart health" - See Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
  • Low-carb Diets Linked To Atherosclerosis And Impaired Blood Vessel Growth - Science Daily, 8/25/09 - "Even as low-carbohydrate/high-protein diets have proven successful at helping individuals rapidly lose weight, little is known about the diets' long-term effects on vascular health ... mice placed on a 12-week low carbohydrate/high-protein diet showed a significant increase in atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque in the heart's arteries and a leading cause of heart attack and stroke ... our research suggests that, at least in animals, these diets could be having adverse cardiovascular effects that are not reflected in simple serum markers"
  • Why Low Vitamin D Raises Heart Disease Risks In Diabetics - Science Daily, 8/21/09 - "Low levels of vitamin D are known to nearly double the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes ... When people are deficient in vitamin D, the macrophage cells eat more cholesterol, and they can't get rid of it. The macrophages get clogged with cholesterol and become what scientists call foam cells, which are one of the earliest markers of atherosclerosis" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.
  • Lycopene linked to healthier blood vessels - Nutra USA, 8/13/09 - "Higher levels of lycopene in the blood are associated with lower stiffness in the arteries ... women with the highest average lycopene blood levels (more than 0.0431 millimoles per litre) had the lowest baPWV values, compared to people with the lowest average lycopene blood levels (less that 0.0342 mmol/L) ... According to their results, women with the highest average lycopene blood levels (more than 0.0431 millimoles per litre) had the lowest baPWV values, compared to people with the lowest average lycopene blood levels (less that 0.0342 mmol/L) ... these women also had lower oxidised LDL levels, as well as larger LDL particles ... Levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation, were also lower in the women with the highest lycopene levels" - See lycopene at Amazon.com.
  • Resveratrol prevents hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction via activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase - Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2009 Aug 7 - "Endothelial dysfunction secondary to persistent hyperglycemia plays a key role in the development of type 2 diabetic vascular disease ... These results provide new insight into the protective properties of resveratrol against endothelial dysfunction caused by high glucose, which is attributed to the AMPK mediated reduction of superoxide level" - Click here for a definition of endothelial dysfunction.  See resveratrol products at Amazon.com.
  • Daily Omega-3s Recommended for Heart - WebMD, 8/3/09 - "omega-3 fatty acids' strongest protective effect appears to be in people with established heart disease after a heart attack. In these people, a daily dose of DHA and EPA is associated with a 30% reduction in the risk of heart-related death ... But researchers say healthy people can also benefit from including omega-3s in their diet. Research shows a diet rich in omega-3s can also reduce the risk of hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), heart attack, sudden cardiac death, and heart failure" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
  • Influence of conjugated linoleic acids on functional properties of vascular cells - Br J Nutr. 2009 Jul 22:1-18 - "Based on these studies, it can be concluded that CLA exert several beneficial actions in cells of the vascular wall through the activation of nuclear PPAR. These actions of CLA, which may, at least partially, explain the inhibition of atherogenesis by dietary CLA, include modulation of vasoactive mediator release from endothelial cells, inhibition of inflammatory and fibrotic processes in activated smooth muscle cells, abrogation of inflammatory responses in activated macrophages, and reduction of cholesterol accumulation in macrophage-derived foam cells" - See conjugated linoleic acid at Amazon.com.
  • Daily Glass of Orange Juice Is Heart Smart - WebMD, 7/20/09 - "An antioxidant in orange juice called hesperidin improves blood vessel function and helps lower a person’s risk of heart disease ... An antioxidant in orange juice called hesperidin improves blood vessel function and helps lower a person’s risk of heart disease" - See hesperidin at Amazon.com or Natural Balance, Great Legs, 60 Capsules at iHerb.
  • Curcumin May Prevent Clogged Arteries - WebMD, 7/20/09 - "The current study suggests curcumin may thwart the development of atherosclerosis, or clogged arteries, a key risk factor for heart attacks and strokes ... Researchers in France fed 20 mice a diet supplemented with curcumin or a comparison diet not supplemented with curcumin. After 16 weeks, mice fed on the curcumin-based diet had a 26% reduction in fatty deposits in their arteries compared to mice on the comparison diet ... In addition, curcumin appeared to alter the genetic signaling involved in plaque buildup at the molecular level" - See curcumin products at Amazon.com.
  • High Carbohydrate Foods Can Cause Heart Attacks - Science Daily, 6/25/09 - "Doctors have known for decades that foods like white bread and corn flakes aren't good for cardiac health ... foods with a high glycemic index distended brachial arteries for several hours ... Enormous peaks indicating arterial stress were found in the high glycemic index groups: the cornflakes and sugar group ... During the consumption of foods high in sugar, there appears to be a temporary and sudden dysfunction in the endothelial walls of the arteries ... Endothelial health can be traced back to almost every disorder and disease in the body. It is "the riskiest of the risk factors,""
  • Dietary fibre intake is inversely associated with carotid intima-media thickness: a cross-sectional assessment in the PREDIMED study - Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jun 24 - "Our results suggest that high fibre intake is inversely associated with carotid atherosclerosis"
  • Study strengthens Vitamin K1's heart benefits - Nutra USA, 5/26/09 - "Subjects receiving a daily vitamin K1 plus multivitamin supplement experienced 6 per cent less progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC), or hardening of the arteries that leads to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease" - [Abstract] - See vitamin K at Amazon.com.
  • Vitamin C-rich foods may boost artery health - Nutra USA, 2/17/09 - "increased intakes of vitamin C and fruit and berries were associated with less thickening of the carotid artery ... one mg per decilitre increase in blood vitamin C levels was linked to a 4.1 and 4.0 mmHg in systolic and diastolic blood pressures" - [Abstract] - See vitamin C products at Amazon.com.
  • Vitamin C consumption is associated with less progression in carotid intima media thickness in elderly men: A 3-year intervention study - Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2009 Jan;19(1):8-14 - "Vitamin C containing foods may protect against the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in elderly men" - See vitamin C products at Amazon.com.
  • High-Dose B Vitamin Supplementation and Progression of Subclinical Atherosclerosis. A Randomized Controlled Trial - Stroke. 2008 Dec 31 - "high-dose B vitamin supplementation (5 mg folic acid+0.4 mg vitamin B12+50 mg vitamin B6) or matching placebo for 3.1 years ... High-dose B vitamin supplementation significantly reduces progression of early-stage subclinical atherosclerosis (carotid artery intima media thickness) in well-nourished healthy B vitamin "replete" individuals at low risk for cardiovascular disease with a fasting tHcy >/=9.1 micromol/L"
  • Resveratrol inhibits the mTOR mitogenic signaling evoked by oxidized LDL in smooth muscle cells - Atherosclerosis. 2008 Nov 24 - "Smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation is a major feature in atherosclerosis, since it contributes to the formation of the fibrous cap, thus to plaque stability, but also to arterial stenosis and post-angioplasty restenosis ... These data indicate that the mTOR pathway is activated by oxLDL via PI3K/PDK1/Akt, and is required for SMC proliferation. Resveratrol blocks specifically this pathway, thereby inhibiting oxLDL-induced SMC proliferation. These data highlight a new property for resveratrol that could contribute to the general anti-atherogenic properties of this polyphenol" - See resveratrol products at Amazon.com.
  • Anthocyanins battle blood vessel degradation: study - Nutra USA, 12/22/08 - "OPC was found to effectively delay SIPS (stress induced senescence) caused by exposure to rotenone, a chemical substance that is known to generate oxidative stress ... The ability of OPCs to delay senescence was associated with a decrease in the levels of a marker of DNA damage and DNA terminal ends (gamma-H2AX), suggesting that the possible molecular mechanism by which OPCs delay senescence in endothelial cells is through reduction in DNA damage" - See grape seed extract at Amazon.com.  I've been taking 50 mg three times per day for years.
  • Higher Blood Phosphorus and Calcium Levels in Coronary Arteries - Science Daily, 11/26/08 - "Higher serum phosphorus levels, even within the normal range, may be a risk factor for coronary artery atherosclerosis in healthy young adults"
  • Intakes of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and fish in relation to measurements of subclinical atherosclerosis - Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Oct;88(4):1111-8 - "After adjustment for potential confounders, intakes of long-chain n-3 PUFAs and nonfried (broiled, steamed, baked, or raw) fish were inversely related to subclinical atherosclerosis determined by cCIMT but not by iCIMT, CAC score, or ABI. The multivariate odds ratio comparing the highest to the lowest quartile of dietary exposures in relation to subclinical atherosclerosis determined by cCIMT was 0.69 (95% CI: 0.55, 0.86; P for trend < 0.01) for n-3 PUFA intake; 0.80 (95% CI: 0.64, 1.01; P = 0.054) for nonfried fish consumption; and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.73, 1.11; P = 0.38) for fried fish consumption" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
  • Pure dietary flavonoids quercetin and (-)-epicatechin augment nitric oxide products and reduce endothelin-1 acutely in healthy men - Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Oct;88(4):1018-25 - "Dietary flavonoids, such as quercetin and (-)-epicatechin, can augment nitric oxide status and reduce endothelin-1 concentrations and may thereby improve endothelial function"
  • Long-term effects of resveratrol supplementation on suppression of atherogenic lesion formation and cholesterol synthesis in apo E-deficient mice - Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2008 Jul 5 - "The concentration of total-cholesterol (total-C) and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) in plasma was significantly lower in the resveratrol-supplemented groups compare to the control group over the entire experimental period. The plasma HDL-C concentration was significantly elevated, and the ratio of HDL-C/total-C was significantly higher in the CF and RV groups than in the control group. Plasma paraoxonase (PON) activity was significantly higher in the 0.06% resveratrol group. The hepatic HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR) activity was significantly lower in the clofibrate and resveratrol groups than in the control group. Resveratrol supplements attenuated the presence of atherosclerotic lesions and periarterial fat deposition in the apo E(-/-) mice. The presence of intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in atherosclerotic vessels was diminished in the resveratrol-supplemented apo E(-/-) mice. These results provide new insight into the anti-atherogenic and hypocholesterolemic properties of resveratrol in apo E(-/-) mice that were fed a normal diet" - See resveratrol products at Amazon.com.
  • Lycopene as effective as statins for artery health: rabbit study - Nutra USA, 7/3/08 - "The results of our experiment in the high-fat diet rabbit model showed that lycopene and fluvastatin lowered serum levels of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, improved lipid metabolism, and reduced the amount of triacylglycerols ... Lycopene intervention reduced the increase in ox-LDL levels in rabbits on the high-fat diet, whereas fluvastatin did not show such an effect. The cause of this difference is at present not known, although the result speaks in favour of lycopene ... These findings provide a theoretical rationale for the use of lycopene as a preventive in atherosclerosis" - [Abstract] - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com.
  • Comparison of lycopene and fluvastatin effects on atherosclerosis induced by a high-fat diet in rabbits - Nutrition. 2008 Jun 26 - "Compared with the control, levels of total cholesterol, total triacylglycerol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, malonaldehyde, oxidized low-density lipoprotein, and interleukin-1 were increased and total antioxidant capacity and nitric oxide were decreased in the animals with a high-fat diet (P < 0.05). Intragastric administration of lycopene counteracted the change in these parameters (P < 0.05). In this case, the data showed that lycopene in the used dose was better than the fluvastatin intervention. Morphologic analysis revealed that lycopene and fluvastatin markedly reduced the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta compared with the situation in rabbits on a high-fat diet alone ... Lycopene, like fluvastatin, significantly attenuated atherogenesis in rabbits fed a high-fat diet" - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com.
  • Failure To Bridle Inflammation Spurs Atherosclerosis - Science Daily, 6/18/08 - "When a person develops a sore or a boil, it erupts, drawing to it immune system cells that fight the infection. Then it resolves and flattens into the skin, often leaving behind a mark or a scar ... A similar scenario plays out in the blood vessels. However, when there is a defect in the resolution response -- the ability of blood vessels to recover from inflammation -- atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries can result ... Some natural mediators that 'cool' this inflammation are derived from omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
  • Serum DHEA-S Level Is Associated with the Presence of Atherosclerosis in Postmenopausal Women with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus - Endocr J. 2008 May 21 - "intima-media thickness (IMT) ... Although simple regression analysis showed that log(DHEA-S) and IGF-I in men and log(DHEA-S) in women were significantly and inversely correlated with baPWV and IMT, only log(DHEA-S) in women was still significantly and inversely correlated with these atherosclerotic parameters after multiple regression analysis was adjusted for age, duration of diabetes, BMI, HbA(1C), systolic blood pressure, LDL-Cholesterol (C), serum creatinine, and smoking (Brinkman index). Serum DHEA-S level seemed to be associated with atherosclerosis in diabetic postmenopausal women independent of age, body stature, diabetic status, and other atherosclerotic risk factors, and might be a useful addition to other parameters for assessing the risk of atherosclerosis in this population" - See DHEA at Amazon.com.
  • Vitamin C consumption is associated with less progression in carotid intima media thickness in elderly men: A 3-year intervention study - Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2008 May 7 - "Vitamin C containing foods may protect against the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in elderly men"
  • Juicing may boost a fruit's antioxidant punch: study - Nutra USA, 5/2/08 - "The juices also outperformed the fruit for protecting against atherosclerosis, measured by the aortic fatty streak lesion area or AFSA. This value was reduced by 93 and 78 per cent for the purple grape juice and the fruit, respectively, and by 60 and 48 per cent for apple juice and apple, respectively ... The results show for the first time that long-term consumption of antioxidants supplied by apple and purple grape, especially phenolic compounds, prevents the development of atherosclerosis in hamsters, and that processing can have a major impact on the potential health benefits of a product"
  • Phenolics from purple grape, apple, purple grape juice and apple juice prevent early atherosclerosis induced by an atherogenic diet in hamsters - Mol Nutr Food Res. 2008 Apr;52(4):400-7 - "The results show for the first time that long-term consumption of antioxidants supplied by apple and purple grape, especially phenolic compounds, prevents the development of atherosclerosis in hamsters, and that processing can have a major impact on the potential health benefits of a product. The underlying mechanism is related mainly to increased antioxidant status and improved serum lipid profile"
  • Omega-3 may boost blood vessel elasticity - study - Nutra USA, 9/21/07 - "fish oil supplementation improved large artery elasticity, compared to placebo (15.51.5 versus 12.83.7 ml.mm.Hg-1 x 10, respectively)" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
  • Comparative effects of quercetin and its predominant human metabolites on adhesion molecule expression in activated human vascular endothelial cells - Atherosclerosis. 2007 Sep 17 - "both quercetin and its metabolites, at physiological concentrations, can inhibit the expression of key molecules involved in monocyte recruitment during the early stages of atherosclerosis" - See quercetin at Amazon.com.
  • Fish oil supplementation improves large arterial elasticity in overweight hypertensive patients - Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007 Sep 5 - "After 8 weeks follow-up, the large artery elasticity in the fish oil group, compared with its baseline, was significantly improved (C(1): 15.5+/-1.5 vs 12.8+/-3.7 ml mm Hg(-1) x 10), whereas no effects were found in the placebo group (C(1): 13.0+/-3.4 vs 13.4+/-3.8 ml mm Hg(-1) x 10), P=0.027, RM-ANOVA across the two groups" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
  • Vitamin K may reverse artery hardening, suggests study - Nutra USA, 12/11/06 - "A high-dose vitamin K supplement reduced calcium precipitates associated with hardening of the arteries by 37 per cent in rats"
  • l-Arginine, the substrate for NO synthesis: An alternative treatment for premature atherosclerosis? - Int J Cardiol. 2006 Jul 20 - "l-arginine administration may be useful in patients with premature atherosclerosis" - See iHerb or Vitacosticon l-arginine products.
  • Eat Your Veggies, Help Your Arteries - WebMD, 6/19/06 - "They found 38% less plaque in the arteries of mice that had eaten the vegetable-rich diet, compared with mice that had eaten no vegetables"
  • Veg 'prevents artery hardening' - BBC News, 6/18/06 - "US researchers found 38% less build up of fatty deposits in the arteries of mice who were fed a mixture of vegetables, including carrots and peas"
  • Combination Treatment Shown for First Time to Cause Regression of Atherosclerosis - Doctor's Guide, 11/16/05 - "reversal of atherosclerosis - a primary cause of stroke and heart attacks - can be achieved with a combination of Niaspan (prolonged-release nicotinic acid) and a statin ... ARBITER 2 clearly showed that statins alone are not enough to halt the progression of atherosclerosis even when the LDL-C target is met. However, the addition of Niaspan 1000 mg stopped the progression of atherosclerosis in 12 months ... a further 12 months of treatment with Niaspan and a statin actually achieves regression of atherosclerosis"
  • Why Our Arteries Become Clogged As We Age - Life Extension Magazine, 10/05 - "Two natural compounds—propionyl-l-carnitine (PLC) and PEAK ATP™—offer promise in restoring and maintaining healthy endothelial function while supporting cellular energy metabolism. PLC provides energy to the heart and vascular cells by promoting optimal energy metabolism in the mitochondria. PEAK ATP™ boosts energy levels and vascular health by restoring youthful levels of ATP in red blood cells, tissues, and organs" - See Ester Carnitine Propionyl at iHerb.
  • Grapeseed extract may stop arteries from hardening - Nutra USA, 6/23/05 - "grapeseed extract stopped cholesterol from building up in the arteries of guinea pigs, which in turn leads to the thickening and hardening of the vessels and the resulting condition, atherosclerosis" - See iHerb or Vitacosticon grapeseed extracts.
  • Too Little Magnesium Tied to Artery Troubles - HealthDay, 4/30/05 - "dietary magnesium intake was inversely related to coronary artery calcium levels ... Previous research found that changes in fat metabolism caused by magnesium deficiency are linked to the development of atherosclerosis and that magnesium intake is an important factor in controlling fat metabolism in the walls of arteries"
  • DHEA May Fight Heart Disease, But How? - WebMD, 7/23/03 - "Endothelial dysfunction is known to contribute to atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries ... men who received 25 mg per day of DHEA supplements for 12 weeks experienced significant improvement in endothelial function as well as insulin sensitivity compared with those who took a placebo" - See iHerb or Vitacosticon DHEA products.
  • High Dietary Calcium Intake Associated with Lower Age-Related Hypertension - Doctor's Guide, 7/16/03 - "In industrialized nations, SBP increases with age, whereas diastolic blood pressure (DBP) tends to decrease with age, thereby increasing pulse pressure (defined as the difference between SBP and DBP) ... higher calcium intake was associated with lower rates of age-related increases of systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure ... If the calcium intake of the general population were to increase to above 1,200 mg, the incidence of isolated systolic hypertension in the elderly might be decreased" - See drugstore.com/GNC calcium supplementsicon.
  • A Drink a Day Keeps Arteries Healthy - WebMD, 5/15/03 - "moderate drinkers had increased elasticity in both small and large arteries as well as lower heart rates compared with nondrinkers ... Beer drinkers had the highest blood pressure levels, followed by liquor and wine drinkers"
  • One Glass of Wine Per Day Improves Arterial Elasticity - Doctor's Guide, 5/15/02 - "Modest alcohol intake was defined as no more than one glass of wine or beer, or less than 30 mL of hard alcohol daily ... All drinkers, particularly wine drinkers, demonstrated increased elasticity in both small and large arteries, as well as lower heart rates, compared with nondrinkers ... The only negative effect associated with moderate drinking was a slight increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Beer drinkers showed the highest blood-pressure elevations ... moderate wine drinking is associated with higher arterial elasticity, lower pulse rate, and higher stroke volume"
  • Protecting Blood Vessels From Stress - WebMD, 1/15/02 - "vitamins can improve blood flow and prevent the long-term development of atherosclerosis -- or hardening of the arteries -- when given in combination with an amino acid known as L-arginine ... antioxidants might work together with L-arginine to prevent inflammation in the branch areas of blood vessels ... although antioxidants may not reverse or repair pre-existing damage within blood vessels, they may slow the long-term progression of atherosclerosis" - See iHerb and Vitacosticon l-arginine products.
  • Vitamin C, Fish, And A Gout Drug Target Artery Damage From Smoking - Intelihealth, 1/7/03 - "vitamin C and taurine, an amino acid in fish, reversed abnormal blood vessel response associated with cigarette smoking - a discovery that may provide insight into how smoking contributes to "hardening of the arteries,""
  • Evidence-based Products - Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals, 12/02 - "3g EPA/d and 3g DHA/d (ROPUFA) increased systemic arterial compliance in 38 dyslipidemic men and women, resulting in reduced pulse pressure and total vascular resistance ... Results showed that ROPUFA increased SAC—36 per cent with EPA and 27 per cent with DHA—compared with placebo" - See Mega Twin EPA at iHerb or Vitacosticon and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
  • Pycnogenol Helps Hypertension - Nutrition Science News, Spring '02 - "A new study conducted at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center in Tucson shows that pycnogenol, an extract of French maritime pine bark (Pinus maritima) may lower blood pressure in mildly hypertensive patients"

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