How Aging Humans Can Slow and Reverse Atherosclerosis

By Richard Hathaway

From: http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2010/mar2010_How-Aging-Humans-Can-Slow-and-Reverse-Atherosclerosis_01.htm



What You Need to Know: Slowing and Reversing AtherosclerosisLipid peroxidation—the continuous onslaught of free radical damage to cell membranes—is a primary aging factor implicated in a host of degenerative diseases.A little-known enzyme called PON-1 has drawn increasing scientific interest because of its demonstrated ability to block lipid peroxidation.Individuals suffering from obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, elevated homocysteine, and other inflammatory conditions have been shown to have low PON-1 levels.A correlation has been demonstrated between PON-1 levels and cardiovascular disease risk. Pomegranate and its extracts have been shown to powerfully increase PON-1 levels and activity in the blood.This effect is achieved through upregulation of PON-1 genes, stabilization of PON-1 levels, and protection from oxidative damage.Strong scientific evidence points to pomegranate’s PON-1-boosting effects as a key reason for its cardioprotective effect.Resveratrol and quercetin are also emerging as potential PON-1 boosters.

Summary
Lipid peroxidation—free radical damage to healthy cell membranes—is a primary aging factor implicated in the onset of numerous degenerative diseases. PON-1 (paraoxonase-1) is an under-recognized enzyme attached to beneficial HDL that has been shown to block lipid peroxidation. Recent research suggests that PON-1 may serve as a formidable defense against numerous diseases of aging, including heart disease, metabolic syndrome, arthritis, and certain cancers.26,29,32,49,50 PON-1 levels decrease with advancing age, contributing to a decline in the cardioprotective effect of HDL. Pomegranate has been shown to elevate PON-1 activity and support its activity in the body. It has been shown to upregulate the gene that governs PON-1 production, increasing its output in liver cells and elevating its concentration in the blood. Pomegranate extracts protect and sustain PON-1 activity at the molecular level, preventing its degradation, and maintaining its bond within the HDL molecular complex. Emerging evidence suggests that resveratrol and quercetin may exert similar effects on PON-1 levels and activity.