Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women. It also means that doing everything you can to protect your heart health is absolutely vital if you want to live a long life and have as much time as possible with your family. Thankfully, researchers have discovered one nutrient that could help you ward off four dangerous conditions that lead you down the road to heart problems.
A multi-faceted life-saving nutrient – Scientists from the Linus Pauling Institute and College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University, and the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington decided to study a naturally occurring nutrient, called alpha lipoic acid, to discover whether or not it could help in the battle against heart disease.
Heart benefit #1 – Lowers cholesterol- Alpha lipoic acid supplementation lowered the levels of triglycerides (a type of fat) in the blood. If you’ve ever had your cholesterol checked, they measured your triglyceride levels since high triglycerides are a precursor to heart disease.
Heart benefit #2 – Reduces blood vessel inflammation- The researchers also discovered that taking alpha lipoic acid reduced the number of “adhesion” molecules on the wall of the arteries, which prevented a cycle of inflammation that results in fat being deposited in the arteries and blood vessel blockage — a dangerous condition that can cause you to have a heart attack or stroke.
Heart benefit #3 – Inhibits formation of arterial lesions- The study found that lipoic acid supplements reduced atherosclerotic lesion formation (a narrowing and hardening of the arteries due to plaque build-up) in two types of mice that are widely used to study cardiovascular disease, by 55 percent and 40 percent, respectively.
Heart benefit #4 – Reduces weight gain- The supplements were also associated with almost 40 percent less body weight gain. Let’s say that again… According to the researchers, alpha lipoic acid prevents weight gain in three ways – through appetite suppression, an enhanced metabolic rate, and by stimulating higher levels of physical activity, to increase caloric expenditure and further reduce weight.
To sum it up, the scientists said that alpha lipoic acid was “valuable as a preventive mechanism before people have advanced cardiovascular disease,” but that it may also, “help retard the process at any stage.”
How to get the alpha lipoic acid you need- Clearly, alpha lipoic acid could be one of your best tools to preventing heart disease and living a long, healthy life. According to the researchers, although the nutrient can be found in green leafy vegetables, potatoes and meats, especially organ meats such as kidney, heart or liver.
If you’re ready to get heart healthy, add alpha lipoic acid to your daily regimen to lower your triglycerides, prevent inflammation and plaque build-up in your blood vessels and maintain a healthy weight.
