BP Support Formula 120 capsules

Manufacturer: Silk Road

BP Support Formula 120 Capsules

Dosing: 2 Caps/day

Nutritional Support for Normal Blood Pressure, Endothelial Function and Cardiovascular Health

Amount Per Serving:
Pomella® Pomegranate Extract 30% Punicalagins 400 mg
Curcumin C3 Complex™ 375 mg
MegaNatural®-BP Grape Seed Extract, 90% Polyphenols 150 mg
Japanese Knotweed Root Extract 65 mg
Resveratrol (from Japanese Knotweed) 13 mg
Other Ingredients: gelatin, rice flour, vegetable stearate.

Grape Seed Extract Effective in Supporting Normal Blood pressure

The one month study was done on 24 male and female patients diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, which is a combination of factors that add up to high risk for heart disease, including elevated blood pressure, excess abdominal body weight, high blood cholesterol fats, and high blood sugar.

The patients were divided into three groups of eight. The first group received a placebo while the second and third groups received 150 mgs and 300 mgs, respectively, of a new and unique grape seed extract, All participants' blood pressure was automatically measured and recorded for 12 hours after ingestion.

"Participants in the two groups receiving grape seed extract experienced an equal degree of reduced blood pressure. The average drop in systolic pressure was 12 mm. The average drop in diastolic pressure was 8 mm," says the study's lead researcher, Dr. C. Tissa Kappagoda, Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine) and Director of the Preventive Cardiology Program at UC Davis.

Dr. Kappagoda adds that the group taking the 300 mgs of grape seed extract also had reduced serum oxidized LDL cholesterol levels. "Generally, the higher their initial oxidized LDL level was, the greater the drop by the end of the study," he said.

The UC Davis research team is currently embarked on a second placebo-controlled human clinical study of grape seed extract, looking at its benefits for pre-hypertension patients with systolic pressure of 120-139, and diastolic blood pressure of 80-89. Three previous studies in animal models by this team have indicated that grape seed extract may also prevent atherosclerosis.

Pomegranate and Heart Health

Research from around the globe confirms that pomegranate is one of nature's most concentrated sources of antioxidants.[1-3] Extraordinary new findings indicate that compounds in pomegranate can do what scientists previously thought to be virtually impossible-namely, reverse the process of atherosclerosis

These studies indicate that pomegranate confers unprecedented cardiovascular protection by restoring endothelial health, lowering blood pressure, and protecting low-density lipoprotein (LDL) from damaging oxidation.

For years, scientists have believed that while antioxidants and other nutrients can slow additional atherosclerotic plaque buildup, they do little to reverse the process once plaque has already formed on the arterial walls. Now, a remarkable study from Israel indicates that pomegranate can actually reduce existing plaque formations in the arteries.

Nineteen patients from the Vascular Surgery Clinic in Haifa, Israel, were selected to participate in this three-year trial.9 All were non-smokers between the ages of 65 and 75, with asymptomatic severe carotid artery narrowing (stenosis) ranging from 70% to 90%. In other words, their arteries were so occluded by plaque buildup that only 10-30% of the original artery volume was available to permit blood flow. Ten of the 19 patients consumed 50 mL (1.7 ounces) of pomegranate juice daily, while the other nine received a placebo beverage. Both groups had similar blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels at baseline, and continued their ongoing drug regimens. Dietary and lifestyle practices were kept constant during the study.

Despite the patients' advanced atherosclerosis, ingesting pomegranate juice produced statistically significant reductions in the thickness of their carotid artery walls, which is correlated with decreased risk for heart attack and stroke. After only three months, the average thickness declined by 13%, and after 12 months, the thickness dropped 35% compared to baseline. During this same 12-month period, the average carotid artery thickness of the placebo group increased by 9%.

This study also measured various other parameters of cardiovascular health. One year of pomegranate supplementation reduced the peak systolic velocity of the blood in the carotid arteries, while systolic blood pressure itself dropped by 21%. Systolic blood pressure refers to the maximum arterial pressure when the heart beats. Pomegranate intake appears to clear so many obstructions in the carotid arteries that the blood encounters less resistance, enabling the heart to pump at a reduced pressure. Less pressure through a wider "pipe" results in less speed, or velocity.[4]

Another Israeli study confirmed that pomegranate reduces both systolic blood pressure and serum angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity.[5] After only two weeks, 50 mL of pomegranate juice daily lowered systolic pressure by 5%, while producing a 36% drop in ACE activity. Since a reduction in ACE activity has been shown to help prevent atherosclerosis independent of its effects on blood pressure, the researchers noted that pomegranate juice appears to offer broad-spectrum protection against cardiovascular disease.

Curcumin Positive Effects on Cholesterol

In laboratory tests on animals and in vitro, scientists have shown that curcumin prevents lipid peroxidation and the oxidation of cellular and subcellular membranes that are associated with atherosclerosis.[6,7,8,9,10] Moreover, curcumin acts to lower total cholesterol levels. Perhaps even more important, it prevents peroxidation of LDL ("bad") cholesterol. LDL peroxidation plays a key role in the development of atherosclerosis, so it follows that a substance that inhibits peroxidation should benefit cardiovascular health.

Still more intriguing than its ability to limit peroxidation is the finding that curcumin raises HDL ("good") cholesterol levels, even as it reduces LDL levels. In a small study of human volunteers, researchers reported a highly significant 29% increase in HDL among subjects who consumed one-half gram (500 mg) of curcumin per day for seven days. Subjects also experienced a decrease in total serum cholesterol of more than 11%, and a decrease in serum lipid peroxides of 33%.[11] Further human studies are needed, but these preliminary findings are promising. As one research team noted: "Administration of a nutritional dose of C. longa extracts [curcumin]...may contribute to the prevention of effects caused by a diet high in fat and cholesterol in blood and liver during the development of atherosclerosis."[6]

Resveratrol supporting healthy lipids and promoting arterial health

Resveratrol is a polyphenol most commonly found in red wine and grapes. It is also found in peanuts, certain berries, some pines, and the roots and stalks of Japanese knotweed. Resveratrol helps protect the cardiovascular system by supporting healthy blood lipids, promoting endothelial health, averting blood clots, and preventing heart damage related to ischemia.

Recent experiments have shown that the benefits of resveratrol include improvements in the health of the endothelial tissue lining blood vessels. This holds special significance for long-term cardiovascular health, as atherosclerosis is believed to begin when damage to specialized endothelial cells goes unchecked, leading to an inflammatory condition that culminates in endothelial dysfunction and possible vessel blockage.[12-19]

Resveratrol also benefits the circulatory system by eliciting a decrease in the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL); by fostering decreases in platelet aggregation; and by promoting relaxation of small blood vessels called arterioles.[20-23] Collectively, these mechanisms benefit the overall health of the cardiovascular system by decreasing factors that contribute to the development of atherosclerosis, and by decreasing the likelihood of undesirable clotting, which, in turn, decreases the risk of stroke.[24] Furthermore, new data indicate that resveratrol decreases the incidence of dangerous heart arrhythmias.[25]

References:

1. Aviram M, Dornfeld L, Rosenblat M, et al. Pomegranate juice consumption reduces oxidative stress, atherogenic modifications to LDL, and platelet aggregation: studies in humans and in atherosclerotic apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 May;71(5):1062-76.

2. Gil MI, Tomas-Barberan FA, Hess-Pierce B, Holcroft DM, Kader AA. Antioxidant activity of pomegranate juice and its relationship with phenolic composition and processing. J Agric Food Chem. 2000 Oct;48(10):4581-9.

3. Singh RP, Chidambara Murthy KN, Jayaprakasha GK. Studies on the antioxidant activity of pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel and seed extracts using in vitro models. J Agric Food Chem. 2002 Jan 2;50(1):81-6.

4. Aviram M, Rosenblat M, Gaitini D, et al. Pomegranate juice consumption for 3 years by patients with carotid artery stenosis reduces common carotid intima-media thickness, blood pressure and LDL oxidation. Clin Nutr. 2004 Jun;23(3):423-33.

5. Aviram M, Dornfeld L. Pomegranate juice consumption inhibits serum angiotensin converting enzyme activity and reduces systolic blood pressure. Atherosclerosis. 2001 Sep;158(1):195-8.

6. Mesa MD, Aguilera CM, Ramirez-Tortosa CL, et al. Oral administration of a turmeric extract inhibits erythrocyte and liver micro- some membrane oxidation in rabbits fed with an atherogenic diet. Nutrition. Sep 2003;19(9):800-04.

7. Quiles JL, Aguilera C, Mesa MD, Ramirez- Tortosa MC, Baro L, Gil A. An ethanolic- aqueous extract of Curcuma longa decreases the susceptibility of liver microsomes and mitochondria to lipid peroxidation in atherosclerotic rabbits. Biofactors. 1998;8(1- 2):51-7.

8. Ramirez-Tortosa MC, Mesa MD, Aguilera MC, et al. Oral administration of a turmeric extract inhibits LDL oxidation and has hypocholesterolemic effects in rabbits with experimental atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis. Dec 1999;147(2):371-8.

9. Quiles JL, Mesa MD, Ramirez-Tortosa CL, et al. Curcuma longa extract supplementa- tion reduces oxidative stress and attenuates aortic fatty acid streak development in rab- bits. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. Jul 2002 Jul 1;22(7):1225-31.

10. Sreejayan, Rao MN. Curcuminoids as potent inhibitors of lipid peroxidation. J Indian Physiol Pharmacol. Dec 1994;46(12):1013-6.

11. Soni KB, Kuttan R. Effects of curcumin administration on serum peroxides and cholesterol levels in human volunteers. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. Oct 1992;36(4):273-5.

12. Ungvari Z, Orosz Z, Rivera A, et al. Resveratrol increases vascular oxidative stress resistance. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2007 May;292(5):H2417-24.

13. Balestrieri ML, Schiano C, Felice F, et al. Effect of low doses of red wine and pure resveratrol on circulating endothelial progenitor cells. J Biochem (Tokyo). 2007 Nov 4; [Epub ahead of print]

14. Chen JZ, Zhang FR, Tao QM, Wang XX, Zhu JH, Zhu JH. Number and activity of endothelial progenitor cells from peripheral blood in patients with hypercholesterolaemia. Clin Sci (Lond). 2004 Sep;107(3):273-80.

15. Hill JM, Zalos G, Halcox JP, et al. Circulating endothelial progenitor cells, vascular function, and cardiovascular risk. N Engl J Med. 2003 Feb 13;348(7):593-600.

16. Wang XB, Huang J, Zou JG, et al. Effects of resveratrol on number and activity of endothelial progenitor cells from human peripheral blood. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2007 Nov;34(11):1109-15.

17. Wood JG, Rogina B, Lavu S, et al. Sirtuin activators mimic caloric restriction and delay ageing in metazoans. Nature. 2004 Aug 5;430(7000):686-9.

18. Ballard VL, Edelberg JM. Targets for regulating angiogenesis in the ageing endothelium. Expert Opin Ther Targets. 2007 Nov;11(11):1385-99.

19. Simionescu M, Simionescu N. Proatherosclerotic events: pathobiochemical changes occurring in the arterial wall before monocyte migration. FASEB J. 1993 Nov;7(14):1359-66.

20. Nagaoka T, Hein TW, Yoshida A, Kuo L. Resveratol, a component of red wine, elicits dilation of isolated porcine retinal arterioles: role of nitric oxide and potassium channels. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2007 Sep;48(9):4232-9.

21. Thirunavukkarasu M, Penumathsa SV, Koneru S, et al. Resveratrol alleviates cardiac dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetes: Role of nitric oxide, thioredoxin, and heme oxygenase. Free Radic Biol Med. 2007 Sep 1;43(5):720-9.

22. Cullen JP, Morrow D, Jin Y, et al. Resveratrol inhibits expression and binding activity of the monocyte chemotactic protein-1 receptor, CCR2, on THP-1 monocytes. Atherosclerosis. 2007 Nov;195(1):e125-33.

23. Wu CC, Wu CI, Wang WY, Wu YC. Low concentrations of resveratrol potentiate the antiplatelet effect of prostaglandins. Planta Med. 2007 May;73(5):439-43.

24. Opie LH, Lecour S. The red wine hypothesis: from concepts to protective signalling molecules. Eur Heart J. 2007 Jul;28(14):1683-93.

25. Chen WP, Su MJ, Hung LM. In vitro electrophysiological mechanisms for antiarrhythmic efficacy of resveratrol, a red wine antioxidant. Eur J Pharmacol. 2007 Jan 12;554(2-3):196-204.