As we get older, the metabolic stress from free radical oxygen becomes an increasing risk issue. The ensuing inflammatory response is what is considered as Inflammaging.
We know many health issues arise out of aging and not just from genetic disposition. Some of these age-onset health issues include Type 2 Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease, Hypertension, and Dementia. We often think of these health issues as separate diseases having their own causalities.
But these diseases may be morbidities of a larger disease. Metabolic Syndrome is an example of a multi-morbidity disease. Inflammaging may be another one.
Inflammation is a natural and necessary biological response to fight disease and infection. But inflammation is meant to be a temporary response.
Sometimes inflammation never goes back to a steady state. It is always active due to risk factors like continued presence of oxidants, carbohydrate-rich diet, and prolonged mental stress. If you’re an avid fan of botanical supplements, you are likely to take them because you recognize that chronic, low-grade inflammation is strongly correlated to many health issues.
And sorry to say… Antioxidants may not be good enough. We don’t know what dosage of antioxidants is clinically relevant. Our physiology tends to eliminate them too quickly. Inflammaging is a life-long issue that needs a long-term healthy strategy.
Here I focus on Inflammaging and my rationale on how to maintain cardiovascular health. I suggest 3 long term health strategies using natural supplements and lifestyle practices.
Practice Ketogenic Habits. When you practice ketogenesis, you are switching your body from storing glycogen to consuming white adipose fat for energy.
Fat metabolism produces ketone bodies like beta-hydroxybutarate, acetoacetate and acetone. Ketone bodies contribute to metabolic oxidative stress in the mitochondria. This stress disequilibrates the ratio of ATP to AMP and NAD+ to NADH. The levels of AMP and NAD+ rise relative to ATP and NADH.
Cells have adaptive anti-stress proteins that are sensitive to these changes in energy intermediates. These include Sirtuins-- the more popular of these anti-stress proteins-- AMPK and NrF2. These anti-stress proteins (sometimes called longevity proteins) turn on preservation mechanisms in all cells—including vascular endothelial cells and cardiac muscle. The anti-stress response is well documented to reduce the severity of damage caused by cardiac ischemia. Ischemia means low oxygen often a result of heart attack and atrial fibrillation.
Other habits promote ketogenesis and can be beneficial. For example, limit carb intake to less than 25g/day. Eat within an 8-hour period (time-restrictive fasting). Take herbal supplements that promote energy consumption when you are in a ketogenic state. Garcinia cambogia, Green Tea extract, Ginseng, and Eleuthero are popular herbal supplements. These habits contribute to turning on longevity proteins.
Boost Nitric Oxide (NO). Eat foods and take natural supplements containing nitrates.
In my prior blog Brain Biohack | Beetroot Powder Supplementation, I explain that NO functions as a vasodilator. It can offset hypertension caused by aged arteries that has lost its elasticity.
Inflammaging also accelerates NO depletion. NO naturally reacts with superoxide radicals to form peroxynitrite. Over time the lower presence of NO may contribute to elevation in blood pressure.
But there is another potential negative outcome. Peroxynitrite stimulates an enzyme called PARP-1. PARP-1 repairs damaged DNA and its activity rises in the presence of oxidants. PARP-1 utilizes NAD+ in the process. But the Sirtuins that regulate anti-inflammatory processes become active to higher NAD+ concentrations. Sirtuin and PARP-1 contradict one another and prolong the inflammatory response.
Consume Bee Propolis And Royal Jelly Daily. Bee products are superfoods because they have a wide variety of beneficial bioactive chemistry that promote longevity.
Royal Jelly in particular has unique compounds useful against inflammaging. You want to look for 2 specific fatty acids called 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10H-2DA) and 10-hydroxydecanoic acid (10-HDA). These fatty acids unequivocally promote collagen production.
Inflammaging disrupts the integrity of the extracellular matrix of the vascular endothelial cell layer. This layer becomes porous and less elastic. 10-HDA can stimulate the natural production of collagen. I suggest this in order to slow down the vascular changes caused by inflammaging.
Try these three strategies with our Longevity Bundle. CLICK HERE and save 10% on your purchase. It contains Bee Pearl Ultra Blend with lyophilized royal jelly, Keto-5, and Heart Beet organic beetroot powder.
We now know a lot about Inflammaging process, chronic inflammation and the long term effects on cardiovascular function. Dare to read more about it by clicking on the following references.
Ferrucci, L., & Fabbri, E. (2018). Inflammageing: chronic inflammation in ageing, cardiovascular disease, and frailty. Nature Reviews Cardiology, 15(9), 505–522. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-018-0064-2
Ungvari, Z., et al. (2018). Mechanisms of Vascular Aging. Circulation research, 123(7), 849–867. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.118.311378
Sadowska-Bartosz, I., & Bartosz, G. (2014). Effect of antioxidants supplementation on aging and longevity. BioMed Research International, 2014, 404680. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/404680
Barcena, M. L., et al. (2022). Cardiovascular Inflammaging: Mechanisms and Translational Aspects. Cells, 11(6), 1010. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11061010
Koppula, S., et al. (2021). Potential Nutrients from Natural and Synthetic Sources Targeting Inflammaging-A Review of Literature, Clinical Data and Patents. Nutrients, 13(11), 4058. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13114058
Kolb, H., et al. (2021). Ketone bodies: from enemy to friend and guardian angel. BMC medicine, 19(1), 313. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-021-02185-0
Cornara, L., et al. (2017). Therapeutic Properties of Bioactive Compounds from Different Honeybee Products. Frontiers in pharmacology, 8, 412. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2017.00412