Can Elastin Slow Arterial Aging? Vascular Flexibility and Heart Health
With an aging population, heart disease and related vascular conditions are growing in prevalence. A major factor contributing to heart disease is the aging of blood vessels, characterized by reduced flexibility and structural integrity.
Elastin is a protein that can provide elasticity to the body's soft tissues, and it may play a significant role in reversing arterial aging.
Here's more about how elastin supplements may help reverse vascular aging and arterial stiffness.
The Role of Elastin in Vascular Health
What is elastin, and how can it promote heart health? Elastin plays several important roles in vascular health. This is thought to be because it's a key part of blood vessel walls, which may regulate vasoconstriction and vasodilation. Optimally functioning elastin fibers may be important for regulating blood flow and blood pressure.1
Given this critical role in maintaining vascular flexibility, understanding how to preserve and restore functional elastin in arteries is an area of intense scientific interest.
Here's more about some of the important ways that elastin may work to support heart health and vasculature.
How Elastin Promotes Arterial Flexibility and Strength
Elastin is commonly produced early in life, with levels that are likely highest among younger individuals. Elastin fibers may create a flexible, supportive network within artery walls. In all likelihood, it works together with collagen to ensure that the blood vessels are able to widen and flex appropriately.1
Elastin may lend the blood vessels their flexible nature, while possibly giving them the ability to expand and contract to regulate blood flow and blood pressure. Collagen may provide the structure needed to prevent the blood vessels from expanding too much.1
Elastic Fibers Enable Aortic Wall Expansion and Recoil
The aorta is known to be the largest blood vessel in the body. It typically carries freshly oxygenated blood from your heart to the rest of your tissues.1
Vascular flexibility of the aortic wall is extremely important for optimal circulation and to ensure that the tissues across your body are receiving the oxygen they need.1
This flexibility is most likely determined by two major components: collagen and elastin. When the aorta is developing, elastin proteins can be organized into elastic fibers in the wall of the artery. (This process commonly applies to all other blood vessels in the body, too.)1
These elastic fibers are thought to last for the rest of your life, but during aging they may experience physical or biochemical degradation that changes the way they work. Aging typically leads to arterial stiffness, which limits the flow of blood - increasing blood pressure.
Can Elastin Help Slow Arterial Aging and Stiffness?
As we age, elastin in the arteries can decrease, leading to vascular stiffness. But what is vascular stiffness? It's thought of as a hardening of the blood vessels that limits their flexibility. This stiffness may contribute to high blood pressure and the development of heart disease.
However, supporting elastin formation may help maintain elastic arteries - effectively slowing arterial aging. This may keep the arteries from stiffening and may also help to slow down the progression of heart disease.
Boosting Heart Health with Elastin and Vascular Support
Elastin may be just one small part of the heart health equation. Lifestyle changes may also have a significant impact on vascular health.
Exercise, for example, is crucial to maintain vascular flexibility. Aerobic exercise such as jogging, biking, walking, swimming, or dancing may help slow the vascular aging process. It can also help improve blood flow and enhance the function of endothelial cells that control the dilation and constriction of blood vessels. Exercise is also thought to help stimulate nitric oxide production to promote blood vessel dilation and relaxation.2
Likewise, a heart healthy diet can support vascular flexibility, as well. Often recommended is a diet that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean proteins, and healthy fats that provide an abundance of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to support elastin production and can defend against oxidative stress.
Inflammation and oxidative stress may also be major contributors to elastin degradation and blood vessel aging. Chronic inflammation may accelerate the breakdown of elastin, leading to vascular stiffening. Strategies to target chronic inflammation - you may consider taking both anti-inflammatory medications or natural anti-inflammatory supplements such as curcumin or omega-3 fatty acids - which may help protect elastin and preserve vascular flexibility.3
Antioxidants that neutralize harmful free radicals and help reduce oxidative damage, may also help protect elastin. Foods that are rich in antioxidants, such as berries, green tea, dark chocolate, and other brightly colored plant-based foods may help combat oxidative stress and slow vascular aging..3
If you're interested in heart health supplements, certain nutrients may be worth considering. In particular, vitamin C, vitamin E, and omega-3 fatty acids may be helpful for protecting and maintaining natural elastin through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.3
Pyridoxamine, a type of vitamin B6, may also be a helpful vitamin for heart health by contributing to preventing the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that may lead to arterial stiffness. Copper and zinc are also considered to be important in the synthesis of elastin, so these minerals may be worth focusing on through diet or supplementation.4,5
The Best Elastin Supplement for Heart Health
For the best elastin supplement to support vascular health, look no further than the Body Kitchen Pro-Elastin Supplement. It's made with 1,000 milligrams of Prolastin elastin, which may help boost your natural production of elastin by over 250 percent. It may also help boost collagen production by over 100 percent.
This supplement is uniquely formulated for maximum absorption with highly bioavailable elastin. You can be confident that this elastin won't be destroyed during digestion, but that it will instead reach targeted tissues, such as your skin and blood vessels. This makes elastin one of the best supplements for heart health if vascular flexibility is one of your primary concerns.
In addition to supporting elastin production in the blood vessels, this supplement may also help to combat other signs of aging. It may be especially helpful for skin health and appearance, promoting plump, youthful looking skin.
Talk to Your Doctor Before Using an Elastin Supplement
There's not a lot of research available on oral elastin supplements or their potential side effects.
Most side effects that we know of are minor and short-term. Similar to other oral supplements, elastin supplements may cause digestive upset in some cases.
However, elastin supplements, such as Body Kitchen’s Pro-Elastin are made from marine sources, so people with allergies to fish or shellfish should avoid taking them. This supplement is also not vegan friendly.
If you have any concerns about elastin supplementation, be sure to speak with your doctor before using.