Cardio Protection
Coronary artery disease, or hardening of the arteries, is the primary cause of heart attacks.
It has been well established that elevated cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, smoking, obesity, and lack of exercise are all major factors associated with heart attacks. However, they only are present in about half of all fatal heart attacks.
In the 1990s, scientists beyond just blocking of the arteries, and considered the lining of the vessels themselves - or endothelium. Among its functions are regulating immune reactions, regulating inflammation, the ability of blood vessels to contract or widen, clotting, etc. As scientists continue to study heart attacks, the core of the problem seems to lie with the endothelium.
Many components can damage the arteries including glucose/sugar, trans-fats, LDL cholesterol, free radicals, and cytokines (regulators of inflammation). There are five (5) basic stages leading to heart attack. Understanding how polyphenols and Resveratrol aids in the prevention of heart disease requires an understanding of these stages.
- Accumulation and oxidation of fat by free radicals
- Inflammation within blood vessels
- Decreased vascular elasticity of blood vessels
- Increased clotting
- Damage or death of the heart muscle itself
Resveratrol and red-wine grape polyphenols attack these problems in many ways.
- They are a powerful anti-oxidant which reduce free radicals. Studies have also shown that polyphenols bind to LDL cholesterol, protecting them from peroxidation.
- Many scientific studies indicate that Resveratrol, Quercetin and other polyphenols act as potent anti-inflammatory agents.
- Polyphenols and Resveratrol have been shown to increase the production of nitric oxide, which promotes relaxation and constriction of the arterial smooth muscle, and allows the arteries to dilate in times of need.
- When the body senses and injury, it sends platelets to the injured area to form protective clots. These platelets can pile up and cut off blood flow, leading to death of heart muscles. Several scientific studieshave shown that Resveratrol reduces platelet aggregation.
- Scientists have found that when a particular enzyme (PARP) is overactivated, it can result in heart cell death. In 2006, Dr. Pillai from the University of Chicago discovered that the activation of SIRT genes by Resveratrol and other polyphenols, indeed protected the heart cells against PARP-activated cell death.
A study by Dr. Wallace at the University of Alberta in Canada evaluated the ability of red wine extract to decrease the electrical irritability of heart muscle cells. He concluded that both Resveratrol and Quercetin could significantly inhibit abnormal electrical flow through a heart muscle cell.
References:
Increase in lifespan and healthspan. The 2006 Harvard Medical School Study that fueled all the recent excitement about Resveratrol. In the words of the HMS press release... "Small Molecule Increases Lifespan and "Healthspan" of Obese Mice. Risk of Death Cut By 31 Percent for Obese Mice Treated with Compound, and Treated Mice Seen Living as Long as Lean Mice. In Obese Mice, Molecule Reversed Nearly All Pathways Activated In Mice By High Calorie Diets. Findings Suggest Broad Implications for the Treatment of Age-related Diseases, Including Diabetes and Heart Disease." More...
Cardio-protective properties of Resveratrol. A team at Taiwan National University College of Medicine concluded that
"Resveratrol is a potent antiarrhythmic agent with cardioprotective properties" in a study where rats were treated preventively with Resveratrol prior to occluding the coronary artery. More...
Grape extract protects the heart. After 18 weeks, rats at the University of Michigan that received grape extract had lower blood pressure, better heart function, reduced inflammation throughout their bodies, and fewer signs of heart muscle damage than rats that ate the same salty diet but didn't receive grape extract. The rats that received the blood-pressure medicine hydrazine, along with a salty diet, also had lower blood pressure, but their hearts were not protected from damage, as they were in the grape extract group. More...
