The increasing incidence of lifestyle-based conditions–most notably those conditions that impact cardiovascular health, obesity, and blood sugar–has compelled consumers to consider natural solutions for these challenges. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cardiovascular events are a leading cause of death in the United States. And cardiovascular disease can impact people of all ages and backgrounds.

More and more consumers realize that a preventive approach to their health will promote both longevity and quality of life. And natural products are becoming a significant part of the protocol.

Cholesterol oxidation in the arteries causes buildup of plaque, which, in turn, causes the arteries to narrow, increasing the risk for a cardiovascular event. Although the process is complex, health professionals believe that oxidation starts slowly when certain factors damage the inner layers of the arteries. Over time, the arteries harden and begin to narrow, which restricts the normal flow of fresh, oxygen-rich blood.

Keep in mind that as you age, developing high cholesterol and other risk factors is inevitable. There are healthy lifestyle habits, including eating a good diet, exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight that can help reduce the risk. The good news is that certain dietary supplements really do promote cardiovascular health – and have been clinically validated.

New breakthrough for combating cardiovascular oxidation
In recent months, biotechnology company Allied BioNutrition, has unveiled a relatively unknown ingredient that provides compelling antioxidant properties and powerful cardiovascular health benefits. The ingredient is Licorice Root, in the form of a unique extract that comes from this natural ingredient.

Recently, the results from Allied BioNutrition’s double-blind, placebo-controlled study were published in the scientific journal Food and Nutrition Research. The study examined the effect of a unique licorice-root extract on the thickness of the artery wall (carotid intima-media thickness or CIMT) in individuals with increased oxidation in the arteries. CIMT is considered a strong biomarker of overall cardiovascular and arterial health.

People with increased oxidation, total cholesterol greater then 240mg/dl, were randomly allocated to 2 groups as follows: an experimental group that received 200mg of the licorice root extract and a placebo group. 110 participants were initially allocated to the 2 groups. After some withdrawals, 94 subjects ultimately completed the trial. After 1 year, the study yielded the following results:

• In the experimental group the thickness of artery (CIMT) decreased from 0.92 mm to 0.84 mm. In the placebo group CIMT increased from 0.85 to 0.88.
• In the experimental group total cholesterol decreased from 284 to 262 mm/dL. In the placebo group total cholesterol decreased from 291 to 289mm/dL
• 在实验组中,低密度脂蛋白(坏的管理者)秋lesterol decreased from183 to 173 mm/ dL. In the placebo group, the LDL (bad) cholesterol increased from 177 to 179.
• HDL or good cholesterol did not change in either group
• In the experimental group systolic blood pressure decreased from 138 to 125mmhg. In the placebo group, systolic blood pressure increased from 136 to 137.
• In the experimental group diastolic blood pressure decreased from 92 to 84. In the placebo group diastolic blood pressure increased from 89 to 90.

These results were extremely compelling. Following one year of licorice root extract consumption, mean CIMT, total cholesterol, LDL levels, and blood pressure decreased. This suggests that this ingredient may attenuate the development of oxidation and of related cerebral vascular issues.

Yacov Fogelman
The Ruth & Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
Biotechnology company Allied BioNutrition

Publication

Antiatherosclerotic effects of licorice extract supplementation on hypercholesterolemic patients: decreased CIMT, reduced plasma lipid levels, and decreased blood pressure.
Fogelman Y, Gaitini D, Carmeli E
Food Nutr Res. 2016 Apr 22

Read offline:

Related Articles:

	The protein TMEM147 is a novel regulator of cholesterol…In terrestrial vertebrate animals, cholesterol is a major sterol lipid with multiple, critically important biological roles. In cells, it is a key constituent lipid of the plasma membrane, affecting its…
	The root is an ideal system to study magnetobiology in…Given that the origin and evolution of life had occurred in the presence of the geomagnetic field (GMF), it is possible that GMF information has been exploited by organisms as…
	Bioinspiration on the lotus leaf surface to develop…The production and application of synthetic materials in food packaging has grown quickly over the past few decades, resulting in serious environmental concerns due to the resistance to degradation of…
	Soil and water bioengineering – Sustainable erosion…Accelerated soil erosion and loss is a serious environmental problem, particularly for the Mediterranean region, due to its long history of human pressures, seasonally contrasting climate and rugged topography. Anthropogenic…
	WRGSD: improving reliability and efficiency for coastal…Water-quality response grid-based sampling design (WRGSD) using optimization and multi-factors assessment can reliably detect a variety of the impact of human activities. The sampling design are optimized by clustering and…
	Global climate change and mental healthIn the past decade, several empirical studies and systematic reviews of the literature have documented the mental health impacts of global climate change. However, the range of impacts and their…