Atherosclerosis develops through a combination of inflammation and pro-atherogenic lipids, making it reasonable to ask whether a combination of anti-inflammatory nutrients might help reduce cardiovascular risk. This concept was examined in an animal study published in the Journal of Nutrition (epublished March 16, 2011). The researchers created an “anti-inflammatory dietary mixture” (AIDM) containing resveratrol, lycopene, catechin, vitamin E, vitamin C, and fish oil. Male human C-reactive protein (CRP) transgenic mice and female ApoE3-Leiden transgenic mice were divided into placebo and treatment groups and followed for six weeks. In the CRP transgenic mice, the AIDM significantly reduced CRP and fibrinogen expression and lowered serum cholesterol and serum amyloid levels. In the ApoE3-Leiden mice, longer-term treatment with the mixture reduced atherosclerotic lesion development by 96% compared with placebo.
Additional research suggests that antioxidants may also help protect blood vessels. Vitamin E, which refers to a family of eight fat-soluble compounds including tocopherols and tocotrienols, has been studied in this context. A randomized, crossover study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry ( 2013 Jan;24(1):196-203.) examined a tocopherol mixture rich in gamma-tocopherol in 15 healthy young men. Participants consumed the tocopherol mixture or a placebo for five days before undergoing a 75-gram glucose challenge. The gamma-tocopherol–rich mixture was found to protect the lining of blood vessels from inflammatory changes induced by acute sugar intake, supporting the idea that specific antioxidant forms may help counter diet-related vascular inflammation.
