Flavonoids and cardiovascular disease

Flavonoids are regular constituents of food plants. It constitutes a large class of polyphenols that are found ubiquitously in the plant kingdom and are thus present in fruits and vegetables regularly consumed by humans.

Many epidemiologic studies have reported that increased consumption of flavonoids reduces the rate of mortality from cardiovascular diseases, indicating a prospective role for flavonoids as potential against in preventing or decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Quercetin, the most abundant flavonoid in foods, is one of the most active, and best studied.

Flavonoids have been shown to inhibit the oxidation of plasma low density lipoprotein or LDL, decrease platelet function and to modulate cytokines and eicosanoids involved in inflammatory responses.

If LDL becomes oxidized, it will be precursor to arterial damage and atherosclerosis.

Additional study suggests that flavonoids can increase endothelial flow-mediated dilation, thereby regulating vessel function by enhancing the bioavailability of basal and stimulated nitric oxide and increasing the resistance to contraction caused by elevated Ca2++ levels under certain pathological conditions.
Flavonoids and cardiovascular disease

Can arginine improve heart health?

Arginine is an amino acid found in many foods such as dairy products, meat, poultry, fish, seeds and chocolate. Most nuts are also rich in arginine.

L-arginine was first found to boost nitric oxide and arterial physiology in a series of Stanford studies published in 1992.

Rabbits with high cholesterol levels supplemented with L-arginine developed significant improvement in arterial and endothelial function compared to non-supplemented animals.

Because of the importance of nitric oxide in cardiovascular disease, there has been growing interest over the past years in using arginine to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases.

Several relative small scale studies of L-arginine have been carried out in humans. Some have shown modest improvements in blood pressure with L-arginine.

Rat studies even suggest that L-arginine may mitigate the high blood pressure seen in salt-sensitive individuals when exposed to a high-salt diet.

Arginine also helps to prevents abnormal blood clotting by stimulating the production of plasmin and by increasing vasodilation reducing heart attacks and stroke risk.
Can arginine improve heart health?