NMN, Resveratrol and Your Heart

Matters of the Heart

Five hundred thousand. That is the number of open-heart surgeries performed every year. Out of the top 10 most performed surgeries in the US, heart procedures take up three of those spots.

While genetics do play a significant role in those numbers, the unfortunate truth is that lifestyle and knowledge also have a massive impact on cardiovascular health. We’ve come to accept that as we age, our bodies decline. Age-related illnesses like heart disease, cognitive decline, arthritis, and many others are accepted as inevitable. But is this true?

Let’s sift through some of the facts and assumptions about heart disease.

What is heart disease?

According to the CDC, “Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States.”

There are six common types of heart disease:

• Arrhythmia: irregular heart beats
• Atherosclerosis: hardening of arteries
• Cardiomyopathy: the hardening and weakening of heart muscles
• Congenital heart defects: heart abnormalities present at birth
• Coronary artery disease (CAD): the buildup of plaque in arteries
• Heart infections: caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites

While factors like family history, sex and ethnicity can affect the likelihood of developing heart disease, other variables such as smoking, cholesterol levels, physical inactivity, obesity and high blood pressure all increase your risk of heart disease.

According you Lifeline, smokers can cut their risk of heart disease in half by simply quitting smoking.

Why do I keep hearing conflicting reports about the causes of heart disease?

For as much as we know about heart disease, the answer is complicated.

There are populations that have terrible diets, and their heart disease rates are as expected, while others like the region that inspired the name, the “French Paradox,” have healthy hearts (more on this later). Some people with a genetic predisposition to heart disease develop it later in life, and some don’t. Some people with healthy cholesterol have plaque-riddled arteries and others with what should be dangerously high cholesterol have relatively clear arteries.

Articles about heart disease are often littered with terms like “potentially”, “likelihood” and “may”. While we know enough to predict who may be at risk for heart disease, until plaque in the arteries, bacteria or other symptoms are officially diagnosed, we can only estimate our risk.

This is both good about bad news. The good news is a genetic predisposition or other risk factors of heart disease does not mean a guaranteed end result. It also means that just because numbers look “good” there aren’t underlying problems.

So how do I know what to change?

The three big lifestyle changes that will not only reduce your risks for heart disease but improve just about every other aspect of your life: diet, exercise and smoking cessation, which we have already touched on.

A heart-healthy diet is a topic of controversy. While some doctors and nutritionist recommend limiting beef, others say that grass-fed beef actually has properties that benefit your cardiovascular health. A Mediterranean Diet is often recommended, which is largely based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish.

We strongly recommend that you spend a bit of time researching various nutritional plans and work with your doctor to choose which is best for you.

When it comes to exercise, one thing is clear, we aren’t getting enough. Too many will settle for their three 30 minute sessions a week while believing they’ve hit the mark. Granted, three thirty minutes of exercise a week is better than nothing, however, Johns Hopkins recommends at least five days of 30 minute aerobic exercise, two non-consecutive days of resistance training, as well as stretching everyday.

As mentioned earlier, if you are a smoker, you can reduce your risk of heart disease by half simply by quitting. Smoking damages your heart in many ways, it:

• Disturbs regular heart rhythms.
• Causes inflammation in the arteries potentially leading to plaque buildup.
• Increases your blood pressure and heart rate.
• Lowers your HDL (“good cholesterol”) and raises your LDL (“bad cholesterol).
• Stiffens veins and reduces their elasticity.
• Thickens blood, reducing the amount of oxygen that can be carried.

Medical News Today reports that 1 year after smoking cessation, the risk of heart disease is cut in half. After 5 years, arteries and blood vessels widen. After 15 years, the risk of developing heart disease is the same as a non-smoker.

What else can help reduce my risks of heart disease later in life?

We mentioned earlier the “French Paradox”. Research has shown that France enjoys a much lower rate of coronary heart disease, despite regional diets containing high levels of cholesterol and saturated fats. This phenomenon puzzled researchers until they isolated the possible source of the resistance to heart disease: the moderate consumption of wine, red wine to be specific.

Red wine contains the plant compound called Resveratrol. Resveratrol is found in the skins and seeds of grapes and other berries and is one compound found in the increasing category of dietary substances called “nutraceuticals”.

Laboratory studies have shown that Resveratrol does offer cardiovascular benefits by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress on the body as well as increasing endothelial function. While studies focusing on short term affects of Resveratrol have been inconclusive as to the exact mechanism these benefits are achieved, long term studies have shown that Resveratrol does indeed appear to offer health benefits that may produce a reduction in cardiovascular disease.

Another compound that supports healthy cardiovascular functioning is nicotinamide mononucleotide, or NMN. NMN is a necessary precursor in production of the life-essential co-enzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). NAD+ is found in every cell and serves many important functions in the body: it reduces oxidative stress, sustains genetic expression and is vital for energy synthesis in mitochondria to name a few.

The production of NAD+ in our bodies also declines as we age, increasing the likelihood of various disorders that we’ve come to believe are a part of aging, one of which is heart disease.

Laboratory studies have shown that NMN supplementation not only offers cardio-restorative properties in aging mice, it offers cardio-protective benefits in the case of an event and have actually reversed the affects of aging on mice.

NMN has been proven safe for human consumption and is does not carry the risks that other supplements carry, like Niacin, another precursor of NAD+.

At Paragon Health Longevity, every batch of our Resveratrol and NMN is clinically tested to ensure the highest quality available. We believe that everyone deserves the chance to experience longer and healthier lives. By adding NMN and Resveratrol supplementation to a healthy diet and exercise program, you will feel more alert and energetic throughout the day and enjoy better sleep at night, all of which will lead to a healthier heart and happier you.