So when researchers find that paracatemol can prevent myeloperoxidase from producing hypochlorous acid, it sounds really good. However, it seems like a bit of a bandaid approach to a more comprehensive problem. My guess is that even if people do successfully prevent tissue damage by lowering the incidence of free radicals through this, some other symptoms of heart disease would pop up elsewhere because the basic causes are still in place. High fat diet, lack of exercise. To really stave of heart disease changes in diet and lifestyle have to take place. Heart disease takes a long time to manifest symptoms, the first of which is often a heart attack. It’s unlikely taking paracetamol will turn that around. That said though, given what it does it would no doubt help people lower the risk of heart diease while they are turning things around. Overall a good discovery. Not a game changer though.
On the other hand resveratrol attacks heart disease on a number of fronts.
First, there is antioxidant effect of resveratrol in reducing free radicals. This is very important in preventing the elements of arterial plaques forming in the very first place. Arterial plaques begin when cracks appear in the arterial wall and LDL molecules flowing by in the bloodstream get caught in there. The crack in the artery is releasing free radicals (because it has cracked) and the LDL molecule is subsequently oxidized. The oxidized LDL molecule then begins to attack surrounding cells, including other cells in the blood vessel lining. This attracts white blood cells to the scene and inflammation begins shortly thereafter.
In the very beginning of this process, resveratrol’s antioxidant action counters the free radical activity that occurs when cracks form in the blood vessel lining and prevents free radicals from damaging the surrounding healthy cells. Additionally, resveratrol binds to the LDL cholesterol in the arterial crack and prevents it from oxidizing. Through these two actions resveratrol plays a large part in preventing arterial plaques (which can lead to a heart attack) from getting started.
Secondly, at the stage where an arterial plaque has started to grow, what is happening is white blood cells have been called to the scene to try and stop the damage being caused to surrounding cells by the oxidized LDL. Once at the scene the white blood cells do their job and engulf the oxidized LDL (trying to remove it). Whereas normally this would be a positive thing, the now engorged white blood cells cannot find it’s way back into the bloodstream and they now accumulate as foam cells. The smooth muscle lining of the blood vessel grows over this area, preventing the foam cells from getting out. Calcium forms a cap on the swelling and hardens this area of the artery.
In this scenario, resveratrol helps by inhibiting the production of the particlular protein that acts as an alarm bell at the site of the injury, calling white blood cells to the scene when the oxidized LDL starts causing cell damage. The white blood cells don’t show up, foam cells are not created and the plaque is not formed, thereby preventing a potential heart attack at this second stage.
Thirdly, one of the big changes in arteries once plaques have formed is, the endotheliem (the inner lining of the artery) ceases to be able to produce nitric oxide. Nitric Oxide is important here as it causes the relaxation or the constriction of the smooth muscle cells lining the artery walls, making the blood vessel widen or constrict depending on how much blood is needed to deliver oxygen to various parts of the body. Without nitric oxide the endothelium is unable to dilate in high oxygen demand situations (causing a shortness of breath). This failure of nitric oxide production is one of the first signs of heart disease.
Resveratrol, in this situation, quite simply enhances the production of nitric oxide by the endothelium, allowing it once again to dilate at times of increased need for oxygen.
Fourth, resveratrol prevents clotting in the blood. When a plaque breaks open, all of the underlying foam cells and debris are released into the bloodstream. The body sends platelets to stick onto these cells, and other debris, to prevent them from doing any further damage. The irony of this is the clotted platelets clump together, accumulate and quickly block off the artery. When this happens in arteries close to or feeding the heart, the result is a sudden heart attack.
In this situation, resveratrol prevents the platelets from clumping together, forming blockages, and allows the blood to continue flowing through the artery. This platelet anti-clustering property of resveratrol helps prevent a heart attack from happening, even at this late stage of heart disease.
As you can see, resveratrol works against the elements of heart disease to prevent a heart attack at every phase. It doesn’t work on any single factor in isolation from all the rest, as many pharmaceutical “solutions” do. On the contrary, it works on all factors simultaneously.
]]>It is not often recognized but high blood pressure can be very damaging to the lining of the arteries and cause the beginnings of more serious cardiovascular conditions. Just as running water can cause considerable damage to houses and infrastructure during flooding, so it is also inside your blood vessels.
In their experiment the researchers induced trauma to the aortas of male rats by increasing their blood pressure for 90 minutes causing them to hemorrhage. After the rats’ blood pressure was brought back to normal, the damaged areas of their aortas began producing high levels of free radicals, which caused even further damage and worsened the hemorrhaging.
Resveratrol was given to half of the rats in the experiment, after the trauma was stopped and their blood pressure was brought back to normal.
Twenty-four hours later, the researchers euthanized the rats and examined them. They found the rats that didn’t receive resveratrol had high levels of many free radicals around the damaged areas and further damage had begun.
In the rats that received resveratrol, they found much less damage in the trauma-induced areas and free radical activity had been reduced to normal levels.
The researchers noted in conclusion that resveratrol was effective in preventing endothelial dysfunction (damage to the blood vessel lining) and super-oxide production (proliferation of free radicals) that could result the hemorrhage of the aorta.
What this research shows is resveratrol can be very effective in treating the symptoms of cardiovascular disease in mammals (which as humans, we are), especially hemorrhaging in the the aorta, which if untreated could quickly result in shock and death.
Along with other mounting research, resveratrol is showing itself to be an important factor for heart health and preventing cardiovascular disease.
The problem with high blood pressure
Blood pressure indicates how much blood is passing through veins and arteries within a given amount of time. This movement always causes stress on arterial walls, but the higher the amount of blood moving through at once, the higher the stress will be.
More blood goes through narrower openings as the arteries form the plaques and are ruptured through the wear and tear fats and cholesterols bring to these elastic walls. In addition, blood platelets may accumulate (which so far researchers have not yet connected to diet although smoking and other lifestyle choices may be a factor) which block some of the open areas of the arterial pathways.
Both blockages and ruptures cause the openings in the arteries to become narrower. Ruptures cause scar tissue to form, which is what makes the openings narrower in that case. The direct result is an increase in blood pressure levels, as more blood is forced through smaller arteries and veins.
The end result of continuous high blood pressure is a condition known as hypertension. It’s just like it sounds; there is a lot of stress put on the walls of your arteries, and as they continue to deteriorate, they become even less able to hold up, wearing out quicker. Individuals with hypertension caused by high blood pressure run very high risks of stroke, arterial aneurysms, chronic renal failure, and heart attacks.
The Effects of Resveratrol
Resveratrol works to combat high blood pressure in the same ways it counteracts cardiovascular disease. Here’s a recap!
Summary
Resveratrol supplementation can greatly reduce blood pressure levels. It does through various means of relaxing the walls of the arteries by preventing inflammation and removing blockages. In turn, this reduction of pressure leads to a greatly decreased chance of stroke, aneurysm, and other major heart problems.
]]>Well, research into resveratrol and cardiovascular disease suggest that once again, this compound may have some positive effects in the fight against one of our society’s biggest problems. Let’s take a look!
Cardiovascular Disease
As with many of our most infamous diseases (cancer, heart disease, and so on) cardiovascular disease is a term which is used to describe a large range of complications. All of these problems, however, have one thing in common: they involve the arteries and vessels.
Specifically, cardiovascular diseases will lead to a hardening, or thickening, of the arteries and veins which carry blood to and from the heart. This hardening occurs when large amount of Low density lipoproteins (which carry cholesterol) begin to accumulate along the walls of our blood vessels.
This accumulation is known as plaque, and eventually the plaques cause ruptures along the arterial walls. The body can compensate for both the plaque and the ruptures. To combat the narrowing of the passages, arteries are often widened. Once the ruptures occur, they can be repaired with scar tissue.
Unfortunately, both of these solutions lead to the real problems of heart disease. Widening can sometimes be too great, leading to an aneurysm. When the body repairs the ruptures itself, there is always scar tissue left behind. As more repairs occur, more scar tissue appears, leaving ever narrowing passageways for the blood supply. Eventually, there is no room left for sufficient blood to pass between the organs, and death results.
Resveratrol combats hardening several ways
One of the biggest problems with heart disease is that it is cumulative, and the rupturing begins at a very early age. Thus, efforts to combat it should also begin early.
Resveratrol is effective both in the preventative stages of CD and in helping the body combat the disease themselves. First, it acts as an antioxidant, which means it stops inflammation of the vessels within the arteries. It does this by reacting with free radicals, in conjunction with other antioxidants. It can also combat the oxidization of LDL plasma, through the same mechanisms.
The compound has also been shown to prevent different platelets from accumulating, something which can also lead to blocking of the arterial pathways. Thrombin, 12-HETE, and a few other hormones have been shown to increase the accumulation of platelets. Resveratrol decreases their production, as well as limiting their communicative abilities.
Finally, resveratrol has been shown to facilitate the movement of nitric oxide into the arteries. Nitric oxide further helps to relax the blood vessels, again by ceasing the oxidization of LDL plasma.
We can’t stress enough the fact that the Western world’s number one killer is also its most subtle. From the time we are quite young, diet begins to cause those ruptures in our arterial pathways. Because there is a lot of room at first, this does not become significant until later on in life. By the time we begin to experience symptoms, however, the problem can be very advanced. Taking resveratrol supplements may stop cardiovascular disease before it even starts.
]]>One of the more promising theories to come out of the investigations into the French Paradox was that the vast amounts of red wine the French used to wash down their high fat foods somehow played a role. Studies began to prove this to be true, as various anti-oxidants were discovered in red wine which can combat heart disease. Further analysis revealed that one of the most important of these compounds, resveratrol, and heart disease prevention were closely linked.
We’re going to take a look at the reasons why resveratrol is thought to be effective in the fight against heart disease, but first let’s take a look at heart disease itself.
A broad term
Heart disease does not refer to just one condition, but rather several which may cause damage to the average human heart. As a whole, these conditions are the number one killer of Australians, Americans, Canadians, and people from the United Kingdom.
When we are talking resveratrol and heart disease, what we are usually looking at are inflammatory heart diseases. With this type of heart affliction, inflammation occurs around the heart in the tissues surrounding it or in the heart muscle itself.
Inflammation is actually a way the body has of fighting what it identifies as invasive threats, but in some areas it can be damaging. The heart is one of these areas. The molecules in the heart cells become oxidized in order to fight high glucose levels or plasma insulin found in obese patients or those with diabetes. This oxidization causes the cells to swell, the tissue or muscle of the heart swells in turn, and there is a decreased amount of blood running to and from the heart. It has to work much harder as well, and will eventually give out.
What resveratrol does
Resveratrol actually works in a few different ways when combating heart disease and the symptoms which underlie it. First and foremost, as mentioned earlier, resveratrol works as an antioxidant. That means it prevents those molecules from becoming oxidized, which means they can’t swell themselves and the organs in which they are contained. Blood continues to flow normally to and from the heart.
Resveratrol is naturally produced in plants to fight off invasions the plant recognizes as harmful. It does the same thing when taken by people. Vascular tissue diseases and the agents of arterial abrasions are recognized and neutralized by the compound, even in patients who are chronically obese.
Finally, resveratrol also keeps our genetic pathways from being altered when weight is gained. Researchers have demonstrated that 154 of 162 of these pathways undergo alterations when weight is gained. These alterations lead to most of the complications of obesity, including heart disease. Resveratrol prevents these alterations from taking place.
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