Mangosteen Help for Atherosclerosis

Stroke and heart attack are among the leading causes of death. Lack of oxygen supply to the brain and heart causes stroke and heart attack, respectively. The integrity of the blood vessels is important in determining whether or not an organ will suffer from injuries brought about by the lack of blood supply.

What is Atherosclerosis?

Your arteries are the blood vessels which transport the oxygen-rich blood from your heart towards your other organs. A condition called atherosclerosis impairs them from doing their job efficiently. In atherosclerosis, there is a build-up of plaque along the walls of your arteries consisting of macrophages, cholesterol crystals, and calcium deposits. In time, the plaque hardens and decreases elasticity of the blood vessel wall.

Atherosclerosis may be present in people yet not show any symptoms. However, it could be lethal when it progresses and ruptures, or when the enlargement of the compensating artery leads to aneurysm.

The process of plaque formation is gradual. It takes years before it puts your organs in danger. At first, there is some injury to the lining of the blood vessel wall, calling in the white blood cells towards the affected site. This provokes an inflammatory response which further damages the lining. Large, unstable LDL (bad) cholesterol molecules are then allowed to penetrate and reach the inner layers of the artery. The immune response creates free radicals which interact with the LDL molecules, resulting to oxidation of the bad cholesterol. The oxidized LDL aggravates the injury by releasing toxins, attracting more white blood cells and triggering the immune response which allows more LDL molecules to penetrate the vessel wall.

In time, the bad cholesterol, white blood cells and toxins form a lipid foam. The lipid foam is the building block of the plaque deposits within the arterial wall. Calcium in the blood is attracted to attach to the lipid foam, forming a hard shell over the deposit.

The blockage of blood flow due to the plaque within the lumen, or the dislodged plaque which settles in a smaller-caliber artery compromises the supply of oxygen necessary for normal functioning of cells and tissues within the different organs of the body. To compensate, the pressure rises within the arteries before the site of the blockage, to push the delivery of blood. This leads to high blood pressure which eventually tires out the heart because it is required to pump harder.

What are the Effects of Atherosclerosis on different organs?

Atherosclerosis can affect any artery in the body.

When it takes place in the coronary arteries, which supply the heart, serious consequences could occur, including heart attack. It eventually leads to death.

When the carotid artery and smaller vessels to the brain are occluded, stroke ensues.

In a similar manner, restriction of blood flow to other organs such as kidney, compromises its normal functions and leads to renal insufficiency.

Cutting off the blood supply to other parts of the body including the legs, results to gangrene formation. It may eventually require amputation.

What Puts Me at Risk for Atherosclerosis?

Your habits, diet and genetics all play a role in putting you at risk for atherosclerosis. Cigarette smoking, high fat diet, and lack of exercise are things you must avoid. If you’re on the heavy side, aim to lose some weight because obesity is likewise an important factor.

High levels of bad cholesterol (LDL), low levels of good cholesterol (HDL), hypertension, and diabetes mellitus all contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.

The goal in the management of atherosclerosis is to improve your diet and the avoidance of hazardous habits including smoking. Exercise is highly encouraged.

Controlling blood cholesterol and sugar levels, as well as your blood pressure are also important measures to take.

When the arterial narrowing is severe, surgery is an option.

What is Mangosteen?

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) is regarded as one of the world’s most amazing fruits because of its powerful medicinal properties. It has been used for over a thousand years as a natural treatment for various diseases.

If you’re not familiar with the fruit, that’s because the tree grows only in tropical climates, particularly in Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Vietnam and India.

It is round, with purple outer covering called the pericarp and white, sweet-tasting pulp inside which envelopes the seeds.

The beneficial properties are found within the pericarp and the pulp, but are highly concentrated in the former. The xanthones and polysaccharides are the components in mangosteen responsible for its medicinal properties.

Xanthones has been the subject of many researches due to the promising health benefits found in it. There are around 40 types of xanthones, and among the most studied are alpha mangostin and gamma mangostin. These have been found to have potent properties to maintain cardiovascular health.

How does Mangosteen Help in Atherosclerosis?

Gamma mangostin, one of the xanthones found in mangosteen, is a powerful antioxidant which helps tremendously in fighting off atherosclerosis. It prevents the oxidation of bad cholesterols (LDL) by free radicals. Oxidzed LDL is one of the culprits for the formation of plaques which clog the arteries. By fighting off free radicals, we are preventing the many sequence of events that contribute to atherosclerosis.

Polyphenols, which are substances also found in mangosteen, were found to be five times more potent than vitamin C as antioxidant.

Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) test done in laboratory shows that an ounce of mangosteen has 20 to 30 more times more capable of absorbing free radicals than other fruits and vegetables of the same amount.

It is worth mentioning that gamma mangostin is found to lower the levels of bad cholesterol without the potentially damaging effects to the liver, brought about by anti-cholesterol drugs. Patients who are taking drugs to lower their cholesterol levels are advised to have their blood checked regularly, to monitor the possible side effects of the drugs they are taking.

The supplementation of mangosteen in patients prone to developing atherosclerosis, coupled with a good diet, avoidance of smoking, and regular exercise, show remarkable results.

Aside from lowering the bad cholesterol, mangosteen also helps in raising the levels of good cholesterol and the over-all levels of cholesterol. These are important factors that could prevent the risk for atherosclerosis.

What Type of Mangosteen Supplement Do I Choose?

The many health benefits derived from mangosteen has made more companies jump into the bandwagon of producing different brands and preparations of mangosteen supplements. The availability of many options is a good thing, but the problem is how to choose wisely.

Mangosteen supplements come in juice and capsule form. The juice is a great tasting blend of mangosteen and other fruit extracts. It needs to be mixed with other pleasant tasting fruits to improve its taste. The capsule form, however, offers 100% mangosteen without the need for additives and stabilizers.

Preservatives are added to juices to prolong their shelf life. Benzene, which is formed from sodium benzoate- a preservative added to mangosteen juice, has hazardous effects to one’s health. Leukaemia is one of the known health risks of benzene.

Juice has to undergo processes such as pasteurization and irradiation which destroys the natural medicinal properties in mangosteen. However, if you are only after the taste, the juice form will do. That is, if your’re willing to pay for a higher price for the benefits that may no longer be there. The capsule form, on the other hand, doesn’t have to undergo the above processes. You are assured that the benefits you are after, are still intact, to effectively address your health concerns.