Cardio-Plus®

Benefits of Cardio-Plus® for Heart Health

Cardio-Plus supports the cardiovascular system in a number of ways. This system is responsible for circulating blood, nutrients, and oxygen to the entire body. Keeping this system supported by essential vitamins through diet is important in its functioning. Cardio-Plus is an excellent source of niacin. Niacin has been shown to affect factors that contribute to supporting cardiovascular health.⁶ Cardio-Plus is also an excellent source of vitamin B₆. Maintaining adequate vitamin B₆ concentrations is important for heart health due to its role in homocysteine breakdown.⁷ Low vitamin B₆ has been associated with higher homocysteine levels.^8,9

How Cardio-Plus Provides Ingredients with Antioxidant Activity

Cardio-Plus provides a good source of antioxidant Vitamin C; one serving contains 15mg (17% DV) of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a particularly well-known antioxidant with high reducing power.¹⁰  Vitamin C,  Vitamin E (at 9% DV), and minerals such as selenium (at 5% DV) can carry out antioxidant activities.

How Cardio-Plus Supports Energy Metabolism*

Energy metabolism is a vital process in the human body and is especially important during exercise. B-vitamins — specifically riboflavin (B₂), niacin (B₃), and vitamin B₆  are required for metabolism of substrates that are used for energy production.¹  Riboflavin (B₂) is a precursor for coenzymes that function as electron carriers in reactions involved in energy production, including breakdown of carbohydrates and metabolism of lipids.^2,3 Cardio-Plus is an excellent source of riboflavin, niacin and vitamin B₆. Niacin (B₃) is a precursor to reducing molecules (NAD+ and NADP+) that are involved in energy production pathways, including glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation.² Vitamin B₆, also known as pyridoxine, functions as a co-factor in many biochemical reactions in the body.⁴ Its active form, pyridoxal 5’-phosphate (PLP), is primarily involved in amino acid synthesis and breakdown.⁴ A PLP-dependent enzyme is also responsible for breakdown of stored glycogen to glucose to be used in energy metabolism.⁴   

References:

^1. Institute of Medicine Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference, I., its Panel on Folate, O.B.V. & Choline. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. in Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B(6), Folate, Vitamin B(12), Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline (National Academies Press (US) Copyright © 1998, National Academy of Sciences., Washington (DC), 1998).

^2. Depeint, F., Bruce, W.R., Shangari, N., Mehta, R. & O'Brien, P.J. Mitochondrial function and toxicity: role of the B vitamin family on mitochondrial energy metabolism. Chemico-biological interactions 163, 94-112 (2006).

^3. Pinto, J.T. & Zempleni, J. Riboflavin. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) 7, 973-975 (2016).

^4. Parra, M., Stahl, S. & Hellmann, H. Vitamin B₆ and Its Role in Cell Metabolism and Physiology. Cells 7(2018).

^5. Ruparelia, N., Digby, J.E. & Choudhury, R.P. Current opinion in cardiology 26, 66-70 (2011).

^6. Kaplon, R.E., Gano, L.B. & Seals, D.R. Vascular endothelial function and oxidative stress are related to dietary niacin intake among healthy middle-aged and older adults. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985) 116, 156-163 (2014).

^7. Vanuzzo, D., et al. European heart journal 28, 484-491 (2007).

^8. Selhub, J., Jacques, P.F., Wilson, P.W., Rush, D. & Rosenberg, I.H. Jama 270, 2693-2698 (1993).

^9. Milani, R.V. & Lavie, C.J. Homocysteine: The Rubik's Cube of Cardiovascular Risk Factors. Mayo Clinic proceedings 83, 1200-1202 (2008).

^10. Institute of Medicine Panel on Dietary, A. & Related, C. in Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids (National Academies Press (US) Copyright 2000 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved., Washington (DC), 2000).