RELEVATE Benefits Beyond Brain Health

Cardiovascular Health

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RELEVATE includes well-researched nutrients from key food groups that provide cardioprotective benefits on top of neuroprotective benefits. Our product is rich in plant-based compounds, including certain polyphenols (myricetin, kaempferol, quercetin, catechins, and anthocyanins) and l-theanine. Food sources for these nutrients include fruits and vegetables, especially berries, tea, cocoa, and wine. A key role of polyphenols is to provide plants with natural protection from UV radiation and pathogens; this protection translates into protective functions in our bodies.

Well-established and peer-reviewed research provides weighty evidence that polyphenol consumption can support cardiovascular health through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions, improved lipid profiles, lowered blood pressure, and protection against atherosclerotic plaques.1–8

Additionally, l-theanine and catechins from green tea show particular strength in combating atherosclerosis. Green tea nutrients improve lipid levels in the blood by inhibiting their synthesis9 and regulate blood vessel tone through nitric oxide production.3,10 These functions translate to favorable heart health outcomes; both in observational studies11,12 and in clinical studies.13,14

Finally, we include omega-3’s DHA and EPA, which are linked to improvement in a host of cardiovascular measures, driven by diverse mechanisms: anti-arrhythmic, blood triglyceride-lowering, anti-thrombotic, anti-inflammatory, and blood vessel relaxation, to name a few.15 Omega-3 fatty acids play such a critical role in heart health that the American Heart Association recommends 1 gram per day of EPA+DHA for patients with cardiovascular disease.16 This recommendation follows years of robust research supporting the role of these fatty acids in cardiovascular health.

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Cited Research

  1. Cassidy, A. et al. High anthocyanin intake is associated with a reduced risk of myocardial infarction in young and middle-aged women. Circulation 127, 188–196 (2013).
  2. Mauray, A. Bilberry anthocyanin-rich extract alters expression of genes related to atherosclerosis development in aorta of apo E-deficient mice. Nutr. Metab. Cardiovasc. Dis. 22, 72–80 (2012).
  3. Dower, J. I. Supplementation of the Pure Flavonoids Epicatechin and Quercetin Affects Some Biomarkers of Endothelial Dysfunction and Inflammation in (Pre)Hypertensive Adults: A Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial. J. Nutr. 145, 1459–1463 (2015).
  4. Larson, A. J., Symons, J. D. & Jalili, T. Therapeutic Potential of Quercetin to Decrease Blood Pressure: Review of Efficacy and Mechanisms. Adv. Nutr. 3, 39–46 (2012).
  5. Egert, S. Quercetin reduces systolic blood pressure and plasma oxidised low-density lipoprotein concentrations in overweight subjects with a high-cardiovascular disease risk phenotype: a double-blinded, placebo-controlled cross-over study. Br. J. Nutr. 102, 1065–1074 (2020).
  6. Rienks, J., Barbaresko, J. & Nöthlings, U. Association of polyphenol biomarkers with cardiovascular disease and mortality risk: A systematic review and Meta-Analysis of observational studies. Nutrients 9, (2017).
  7. Hertog, M. G. L. Dietary antioxidant flavonoids and risk of coronary heart disease: the Zutphen Elderly Study. Lancet 342, 1007–1011 (1993).
  8. Dabeek, W. M. & Marra, M. V. Dietary quercetin and kaempferol: Bioavailability and potential cardiovascular-related bioactivity in humans. Nutrients 11, (2019).
  9. Velayutham, P., Babu, A. & Liu, D. Green Tea Catechins and Cardiovascular Health: An Update. Curr. Med. Chem. 15, 1840–1850 (2008).
  10. Siamwala, J. H. L-Theanine promotes nitric oxide production in endothelial cells through eNOS phosphorylation. J. Nutr. Biochem. 24, 595–605 (2013).
  11. Sasazuki, S. Relation between green tea consumption and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis among Japanese men and women. Ann. Epidemiol. 10, 401–408 (2000).
  12. Peters, U., Poole, C. & Arab, L. Does tea affect cardiovascular disease? A meta-analysis. Am. J. Epidemiol. 154, 495–503 (2001).
  13. Oyama, J. Green Tea Catechins Improve Human Forearm Endothelial Dysfunction and Have Antiatherosclerotic Effects in Smokers. . J. 74, 578–588 (2010).
  14. Steptoe, A. The effects of chronic tea intake on platelet activation and inflammation: A double-blind placebo controlled trial. Atherosclerosis 193, 277–282 (2007).
  15. Holub, D. J. & Holub, B. J. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils and cardiovascular disease. Mol. Cell. Biochem. 263, 217–225 (2004).
  16. Breslow, J. L. n−3 Fatty acids and cardiovascular disease. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 83, 1477S-1482S (2006).