Reduce Artery Blocking Lipid-Inflammation

As blood flow is obstructed, people suffer diminished energy and cognition. 

Progressive arterial blockage can manifest as coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, and other bodily impairments.¹

Factors that contribute to arterial occlusion include chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and elevated lipids.¹

Placebo-controlled human trials have found that a fruit extract can lower artery-damaging lipids, thus providing a non-drug approach to support cardiovascular health.^2,3

How Occlusive Heart Disease Develops

Coronary artery disease develops as plaque builds up in blood vessels feeding the heart muscle.

As coronary blood flow diminishes, the heart becomes oxygen and nutrient deprived. The first sign of a problem can be angina pain and/or heart attack.⁴

Many factors initiate and worsen atherosclerosis. Prevention before severe coronary artery obstructions (or aortic stenosis) manifests is considered the most effective strategy.¹

This includes lowering inflammatory markers and lipids like triglycerides apolipoprotein B, and LDL when elevated.

The Lipid Link

A contributor to cardiovascular diseases is a person’s lipid profile.

High blood levels of certain lipids (fats) promote atherosclerotic lesions. Over time, occlusive plaque reduces blood flow and boosts heart attack/stroke risk.

For example, elevated levels of oxidized low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDL), can damage endothelial cells that line arteries. Endothelial dysfunction is a key factor in the initiation and worsening of atherosclerosis.

High triglycerides increase oxidative stress and the production of pro-inflammatory biochemicals.⁵ Elevated triglycerides also induce artery-clogging blood clots by increasing production of certain clotting factors.⁶ 

Excess triglyceride levels are associated with small-dense LDL particles, very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), and other particles that promote atherosclerosis.^7,8

Maintaining healthy lipid and inflammatory levels is a key factor in cardiovascular risk reduction.

Clinical Results

Animal studies found that amla fruit reduces LDL and triglycerides.^9-12

To test these findings in people, scientists developed an amla fruit extract standardized to a 60% content of tannins.

This standardized tannin concentrate delivers an amla extract dose that has a long-lasting antioxidant effect.

In a 12-week clinical trial,³ volunteers with metabolic syndrome (a cluster of conditions that increase cardiovascular disease risk) were divided into three groups:

• One took a placebo twice daily,
• Another took 250 mg of amla extract twice daily, and
• A third group took 500 mg of amla extract twice daily.

Both of the amla doses were shown to be more effective than placebo at improving the measured outcomes. But the higher dose showed substantially greater reductions in cardiovascular disease risk factors.

In the group taking 500 mg twice daily of amla extract:³

• LDL cholesterol decreased 21.8%,
• Protective HDL increased 22.2%,
• Triglycerides decreased 19.2%,
• Endothelial function was restored to normal range (indicated by improvement in Reflective Index (a validated method to evaluate endothelial function) > 6%).
• The inflammatory marker CRP decreased 53.8%, and
• Levels of the body's antioxidant, glutathione, increased 53.2%.

Each of the above effects have been shown in other studies to reduce cardiovascular risks. There were no serious adverse effects.

Vascular Risks and amla Fruit

Elevated lipids are not the only cause of atherosclerosis. Other cardiovascular risk factors include:

• Endothelial dysfunction. When endothelial cells lining the walls of blood vessels lose normal function, it promotes atherosclerosis.^13,14 Cell and human studies show that amla extract enhances production of nitric oxide, a compound that signals arterial walls to relax and maintain blood flow.^2,3,15-17In a clinical trial of hypertensive patients on medication, amla extract has shown modest improvement in blood pressure in participants receiving amla extract as compared to placebo.²⁵
• Oxidative Stress. Clinical and preclinical studies have demonstrated that amla reduces oxidative stress in three ways: It inhibits production of free radicals that damage blood vessels, neutralizes existing free radicals, and boosts production of natural cellular antioxidants such as glutathione.^3,18-23,26
• Chronic Inflammation. Inflammation contributes to the formation of atherosclerotic plaque. The inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) is an independent predictor of coronary heart disease.³ In preclinical and clinical studies, amla has demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties.^24,25

Summary

Multiple factors contribute to cardiovascular disease. Studies on animals and humans show that amla fruit extract broadly reduces these risk factors.

In a clinical study, taking 500 mg of amla extract twice daily significantly reduced endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress, along with elevated triglycerides and LDL.

Improvement in protective HDL levels was also observed.

The most effective way of assessing individual responses to amla or any lipid controlling compound is with blood tests that include LDL, HDL, C-reactive protein, and other vascular risk markers.

Material used with permission of Life Extension. All rights reserved.