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Blood Vessel Health, Part I

This Journal covers blood vessel health and introduces Arterosil HP, a unique nutritional supplement for cardiovascular health, offered by Designs for Health. In terms of what can be done to enhance one’s health and well being, this writing on blood vessel health is an important one to consider for anyone who may have any of the cardiovascular risk factors outlined here.

The previous Journal writing covered subtle bioenergetic features of the heart related to mental, emotional, and spiritual considerations. This writing will deal with special health considerations of the heart’s vascular tree which can be improved by the use of a biologic agent derived from a green seaweed which grows near sequestered islands off of the southwest coast of Japan.

This seaweed is named Monostroma nitidum. It yields a compound called rhamnan sulfate. This chemical is the bioactive compound of interest in Arterosil HP.

There are many other nutritional supplements which directly support cardiovascular health. There are many good ones. The Arterosil HP is so special that a writing devoted to it is in order. Whatever positively affects the health of arteries will also positively affect the health of every other cell, tissue, and organ in the body.

Beyond what is presented here, some readers may want to see extended technical information and references from the research done on Arterosil HP and its components. At the end of my usual listing of Associated Reading references there is a more extended technical explanation of this important biochemistry plus a listing of supporting scientific references which validate the points made in this summary of blood vessel health. And there are many other research articles on the effectiveness of the principal ingredient in Arterosil HP which are available for your study.

A brief introduction to arterial form and function, and disease conditions follows. Special attention will be given to the inner blood vessel lining known as the endothelium and its overlying highly specialized micro thin gel like coating known as the endothelial glycocalyx, or, EGX. This EGX lines all elements of the arterial system, as well as the venous system, and the lymphatic system. Due to its production of a large array of vasoactive peptide chemicals, the EGX is thought to be the most metabolically active system in the body.

Circulation is fundamental to every organ and system in the body. Any molecule for exchange must move through the blood, pass through the glycocalyx layer, and cross through the endothelial barrier to reach its target tissue.

Arterial Form and Function

The cardiovascular system is a singular organ entity, inseparably consisting of the heart and blood vessels. For the purposes of this writing the health and diseases of the arterial system will be the points of focus.

The blood vessel network is composed of the arterial and venous conduits which move blood and its many contents from the heart and back to the heart. Because the arterial and venous systems, plus their capillary beds, are so densely arranged in the tissue matrix of the body, there is a mindboggling 60,000 to 70,000 miles of blood vessels in our body. One percent of this length is present as the large vessels down to the arteriolar vessels. The remaining 99% of this length is in the capillary bed. Depending one one’s body size, the surface area of all of these vessels, from aorta to capillaries covers an estimated 8500 to 11,000 square feet; half of which is arterial and half of which is venous. As a comparative reference, a 60 foot by 120 foot tennis court has a surface area of 7200 square feet.

The heart pulses and pumps non stop to move about 5 quarts of blood in a 150 pound person through this assembly of vessels. Because the arterial vessels are muscular and elastic tubes, these vessels also expand and contract to assist the movement of blood. As the elastic property of the arteries degrades with age and disease, the heart must work harder, elevating its pressure, to move and deliver oxygen and nutrients through the miles of the vascular network to the cells of the body.

The health and integrity of this organ system is arguably the most important system to consider in health and healthy aging. Because the venous system is not a high pressure system it is not susceptible to the array of disease changes which affect the high pressure arterial system. For the purposes of this writing, we will be considering how to improve the health of the arterial endothelium. Improving the health of the arteries will improve the health of the heart, and this will assist all of its other more subtle functional capacities.

This entire length of blood vessels is susceptible to a number of degenerative disorders; the most common one being atherosclerosis, which affects large to medium size vessels. Arteriolosclerosis is the name given to the same process which affects the smaller vessels known as arterioles. The arterioles connect the larger vessels to the immense capillary bed of finer and much smaller vessels. Atherosclerotic disorders also go by the common name of “hardening of the arteries.” The word atherosclerosis derives from Greek etymology: Athero = vessel, and sclerosis = hardening. Likewise, arteriolosclerosis means that the arterioles also become sclerotic, or hardened.

In earlier years as a general, vascular, and trauma surgeon I often operated on those who suffered from arterial and venous disorders. Many of the arteries were so diseased that they were completely closed by advanced atherosclerotic changes. Vessels could become completely calcified and were replaced by a process which rendered them as hard as rock.

All of these patients were smokers. As a student of this process, this degree of vasculopathy informed me dramatically enough to spur interest in how to understand and help the problem beyond the methodologies of vascular surgery interventions and advising for smoking cessation.

In addition to closures of iliac, femoral, popliteal, and carotid arteries, such extreme vessel disease could also include complete aortic closure. Many of these vessel closures could not be reopened by a direct surgical technique, but required some type of more extensive procedure consisting tunneling and suturing in place a bypass graft of autologous vein or synthetic graft material to get blood flowing again into the distal circuits.

I sometimes show patients a tubular Dacron graft used for aortic bypass while telling them stories about the kinds of bypass surgeries that I performed in the past. I have also shown clients pictures of extremity amputations performed in the unfortunate circumstances when blood flow could not be restored and the extremity part became gangrenous.

The leading cause of death in America is heart attack (myocardial infarction), accounting for 600,000 to 700,000 deaths annually. Cerebrovascular disease (stroke) is the fourth or fifth leading cause of death with about 150,000 events annually. Thus, the annual death rate from these 2 conditions of the vascular tree is as high as 850,000, but may exceed a million deaths according to some estimates.

Most Americans over age 45 are affected by some degree of atherosclerosis. It is said by the best vascular experts and specialists that the changes in the endothelial glycocalyx which lead to this disease starts 2 to 3 decades before overt clinical disorders are detected, or are encountered because of an emergent clinical event.

The most common morbidity and mortality complications of atherosclerosis and arteriolosclerosis are:

  • Coronary artery disease
  • Heart attack
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Carotid artery disease
  • Transient ischemic attack (TIA) in cerebral vessels
  • Stroke
  • Vascular dementia
  • Aneurysms…cerebral, aortic, iliac, mesenteric, extremities
  • Mesenteric (bowel) ischemia
  • Peripheral artery disease
  • Critical limb ischemia
  • Renal artery stenosis
  • Kidney failure
  • Thrombosis in any vessel
  • Pulmonary embolism

The most serious venous disease is thrombosis (clotting) in a peripheral venous circuit with subsequent dislodgment and embolism of the clot into the pulmonary vascular system. This leads to loss of the part of the lungs so deprived of their blood flow by the obstructing clot. Such clotting begins on the venous endothelium which is also covered by the EGX.

Atherosclerotic changes have been studied in arteries of people as young as 20 years of age. I learned in my first year in medical school, in 1973, that there were reports of early atherosclerosis in soldiers who died in the Korean War (1950-1953). More recent inquiry reveals that atherosclerosis can begin at younger ages, and can also begin in utero.

Atherosclerosis develops silently over decades of time and usually announces its presence with some serious clinical event, such as a heart attack or stroke. If you are over age 45 you can assume that some degree of atherosclerosis is present. Thus, age becomes a very important risk factor, especially when combined with poor lifestyle practices and genetic considerations.

As the body ages, the development of arteriosclerosis becomes more common, increasing the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Cardiovascular healthy lifestyle habits can improve blood vessel health and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Such habits include eating non processed foods, avoiding trans fats and industrial seed oil laden foods (adulterated omega 6 fatty acids), incorporating more omega 3 oils and less omega 6 oils, exercise, maintaining a healthy body mass (weight), not using tobacco products in any form, blood sugar control, and improving mental and emotional health. Consideration of genetics and family history of blood vessel disease is also very important. Smoking and nicotine use is the most damaging of these blood vessel risk factors.

The build up of blood flow restricting plaques and the loss of vessel elasticity are the 2 main pathological hallmarks of arterial degeneration. These changes begin in the vascular endothelium which comes under chemical stress as the EGX undergoes its own deterioration from all of the various chemical and mechanical insults. Thus, the initial injury is to the very delicate and thin endothelial glycocalyx, the EGX. The integrity of the EGX, which is not shown in the image above, becomes the initial and the most important consideration.

Vascular endothelial cells play a critical role in vascular homeostasis and health, versus disease. One of the earliest detectable changes in the development of atherosclerosis is endothelial cell activation and dysfunction due to inflammatory chemistry which develops as the EGX and underlying endothelium are directly damaged from factors such as smoking, hypertension, elevated blood sugar, oxidative stress and other types of inflammatory insults, such as homocysteine elevation. All of these deleterious processes create inflammation in the arterial wall.

Homocysteine is a normal amino acid metabolite in our body’s biochemistry processes. Due to genetic mutations in the key enzymes which metabolize homocysteine and due to nutrient deficiencies in the key B vitamins which drive these important enzymes, homocysteine elevation is a relatively common issue. Unfortunately, it seems that homocysteine elevation is an underappreciated concern in the medical industry. The problem with elevation of this chemical is that it is inflammatory to both blood vessels, brain, and bone. It is now accepted that inflammation chemistry drives all phases and steps of cardiovascular disease. Since homocysteine can be easily controlled by the use of robust B vitamin supplementation, it becomes important to check its blood level as well as one’s levels of vitamin B12 and folate.

From the clinical and scientific research done over the past 3.5 years of the COVID-19 phenomenon, the newest member of this list of damaging agents is the spike protein from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This protein binds to the ACE2 receptor sites on the vascular endothelium, damaging the endothelial cell structure, and initiating inflammation and clotting cascades in both arteries and veins. The spike protein created by the vaccines produces the same effects. There are now thousands of writings on the subject of the spike protein and how it damages the vascular system. You can type this subject into your browser and read on. The spike protein also damages lung lining, mitochondria, DNA structures, and brain cells. The so called mRNA vaccines increase inflammation, suppresses immunity, and increase the risk of cancer.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arteries characterized by the formation of plaques composed of lipids, reactive immune system cells, and deranged inflamed smooth muscle cells. Endothelial damage and dysfunction promote the infiltration of lipids and immune system cells into the arterial wall, leading to inflammation in the wall site and the formation of plaques. These plaques then become hardened by the deposition of calcium which occurs in the body’s attempt to buffer the acidity in the local environment of the vessel wall. All of this results in some degree of loss of vessel elasticity, arterial narrowing, blockage of blood flow, plaque rupture with platelet activation, clot formation and subsequent embolic clot showering into distal circuits. Such events are the main causes of myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction, and infarction of any other kind of tissue supplied by blocked arteries.

On the other hand, inflamed and dysfunctional endothelium has a rather rapid positive response to all healthy lifestyle measures which decrease and eliminate the various lifestyle risk factors mentioned in the paragraphs above. This includes nutritional measures such as a non inflammatory diet and nutritional supplements. Developing a diet beneficial to heart health is a good start to improving vascular health. Sugar, damaged omega-6 oils, trans fats and processed vegetable oils, and nicotine products need to be avoided. Adding in key nutraceutical supplements and pursuing all other healthy lifestyle measures will help preserve and enhance blood vessel patency and vessel wall elasticity from the aorta down to the finest and smallest capillaries.

The simple measures being used by the anti-inflammatory firemen in this image work to quench inflammation beneath the endothelium (subendothelial space). The Mediterranean diet is probably the best all around diet to support and enhance blood vessel health, as well as overall good health. These measures also work to neutralize inflammation at the level of the endothelium and most importantly at the level of the all important endothelial glycocalyx. Whatever preserves the EGX will also preserve the integrity of the arterial wall.

The Endothelial Glycocalyx…the EGX

Overlying the vascular endothelium, the glycocalyx is a membrane-bound mesh of very delicate hair like projections into which plasma-derived molecules integrate and diffuse across the vascular endothelium.

The discovery of the EGX is credited to J.H. Luft who conducted the initial electron microscope investigations in 1966. Since that time imaging techniques for studying the EGX have been greatly improved and now exist as its own special realm of study and development.

Extensive subsequent investigations revealed that the EGX is a membrane bound carbohydrate rich network made of glycoproteins, proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans and associated blood borne protein components existing as a less than micron thin gel like covering over the vascular endothelium. A dynamic equilibrium exists between this layer of soluble components and the flowing blood whose chemical components continually alter the composition and thickness of the glycocalyx.

Circulatory health is marked by arteries which display: 1) optimized permeability, 2) vasodilation, and 3) capillary recruitment. When healthy, the EGX serves as a vasculo-protective layer which regulates interactions between the blood and underlying endothelium by way of various processes which serve this triad of circulatory health:

  • optimized permeability…selectivity in what passes through the endothelium
  • mechano-transduction processes…senses shear stress due to blood pressure and blood flow dynamics
  • vasodilation…produces nitric oxide (NO) to control blood flow and blood pressure
  • platelet coagulation regulation, as well as clot dissolution
  • inflammation regulation
  • antioxidant production and storage, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD)
  • engages and recruits more capillaries to deliver O2, remove CO2, deliver nutrients, and remove cellular waste
  • chemical buffering…such as with excess sodium which contributes to causing vascular stiffness

The mesh like nature of the EGX restricts access of circulating plasma components (white blood cells, platelets, and lipoproteins) to the endothelial cells, allowing only a small amount of adhesion receptors to be readily available for these components to attach. On the other hand, a damaged EGX allows more of these receptors to be exposed, which can result in increased white blood cell adhesion to the vascular walls and WBC penetration into the wall. This will lead to inflammation, edema, plaque development, vascular wall remodeling, vascular leakage and poor circulation of nutrients.

In summary, damage to the EGX and underlying endothelium is most commonly caused by nicotine use, hypertension, elevated blood sugar, oxidative damage, and inflammatory biochemistry. Tobacco use can be stopped and these other risk factors can be mitigated by improved dietary choices and habits.

It is now known and accepted that the EGX is a highly dynamic membrane which responds with immediacy to the harmful agents, but it also responds immediately in a regenerative manner to beneficial agents.

Arterosil HP

A new therapeutic clinical practice has developed around the biochemistry of a class of compounds known as glycocalyx regenerating compounds, also called GRCs. The new bioactive GRC compound which has demonstrated the highest degree of efficacy in regenerating and maintaining a healthy EGX is a chemical known as rhamnan sulfate (RS), which is extracted from the seaweed Monostratum nitidum.

Rhamnan sulfate is currently the only substance known which creates such dramatic improvement in the EGX.

Arterosil HP is the world’s first GRC dietary supplement. It has received a patent award for being able to stabilize and regress vulnerable soft plaque. Over the past 20 years numerous cellular, animal and human studies have been conducted to evaluate the biological activities, mechanism of action, and the health benefits of rhamnan sulfate.

RS is the principal component of Arterosil HP. Other synergistic GRC vasculo-protective ingredients included in this formula are: grape seed extract, green tea extract, grape pulp, tomato, carrot root juice, bilberry, broccoli, green cabbage, onion, garlic, grapefruit, asparagus, papaya, pineapple, strawberry, apple, apricot, cherry, orange, blackcurrant, olive extract, and cucumber.

Rhamnan sulfate works because it provides bioactive sulfated polysaccharides to nourish the delicate projections of the EGX. These carbohydrate based polysaccharides act as building blocks for the hair like EGX branches which contain various glycoproteins, proteoglycans, and glycosaminoglycan constituents. By supporting the repair and regeneration of the endothelial glycocalyx, Arterosil HP supports the structure and the normal function (form and function) of the endothelial glycocalyx, the underlying endothelium, and the deeper vessel wall.

RS has been well studied for its cardiovascular health benefits for the past 20 years. In human and animal studies, RS has demonstrated EGX regenerative ability as well as independent beneficial effects on hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, hypertension, obesity, and inflammation. Such information is referenced in detail in the technical writing and references which follow the Associated Reading references below.

Nitric Oxide…NO

Nitric oxide is produced primarily in the vascular endothelium where it serves several important functions: vasodilation, anti-inflammation, and anti-oxidation. As such it is an important signaling molecule which maintains vascular homeostasis. It regulates platelet aggregation and adhesion, and thus, it serves to help regulate clot formation on the vascular lining.

(Nitric oxide is not the same molecule as nitrous oxide; also known as “laughing gas” which is used in dental offices as a sedative.)

Another important function of NO in the rest of the body is that it serves to prevent the proliferation of abnormal cell growth, as occurs in cancer growth. Insomuch as NO is anti-proliferative, in the blood vessel wall it helps prevent proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells. Such proliferation contributes to plaque formation.

The hallmark of endothelial dysfunction is defined by some clinicians and researchers as being the decline in NO production. Since EGX damage precedes endothelial dysfunction, the health of the EGX is the most important predeterminate of NO production.

Nitric oxide is produced in the endothelium via the enzyme endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) which requires the important amino acid arginine as the precursor for nitric oxide production. This is known as the endogenous pathway of NO production in the vascular wall.

There is also an exogenous pathway of NO production which occurs via the conversion of dietary nitrates (NO3) to nitrites (NO2) by nitrate reducing bacteria in the mouth. The NO2 molecules are then converted to NO in the stomach and elsewhere after absorption. A healthy oral and gut microbiome is needed for these conversions.

Foods which are high in inorganic nitrates (NO3) include: green leafy vegetables, beet roots, cabbage, leeks, celery, radishes, turnips, garlic, and dark chocolate.

From the vascular endothelium, nitric oxide diffuses into underlying smooth muscle cells in the wall of the vessel and causes the vessel smooth muscle to relax. This relaxation causes the walls of blood vessels to dilate which serves to increase blood flow through the vessels and decrease blood pressure. Thus, nitric oxide’s role in dilating blood vessels makes it an important regulator of blood pressure.

Nitric oxide is also produced by neurons and is used by the nervous system as a neurotransmitter to regulate functions ranging from digestion to blood flow to memory and vision. In the immune system, nitric oxide is produced by macrophages, which are a type of white blood cell that engulfs bacteria and other foreign particles that have invaded the body. The nitric oxide released by macrophages kills bacteria, other parasites, and tumor cells by disrupting their metabolism.

For the discovery of NO and the elucidation of its functions in the vascular, neurological, and immune systems, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to a triad of pharmacology researchers in 1998.

In conclusion, NO production in the vascular wall is decreased by anything which damages the EGX, and this list of things includes all of the cardiovascular risk factors referenced several times in the text above. This list also includes normal aging after 45 years.

Conclusion and Summary

According to Dr. Mark Houston, M.D., clinician and researcher at the Hypertension Institute in Nashville, TN, and globally respected vascular expert, Arterosil HP will reduce high blood pressure, but not lower normal blood pressure. As a hypertension expert and one of the principal clinical researchers on the effects of Arterosil HP, he believes that Arterosil HP, used over time, becomes the equivalent of one antihypertensive drug for those who are on antihypertensive polypharmacy regimens.

He also confirms that this compound will change soft unstable arterial plaques into hard and stable plaques, as has been verified by research. He recommends the use of Arterosil HP after stroke events and in the case of vascular dementia, as well as after coronary artery stent placements and after coronary artery bypass grafting.

The recommended dose is 2 capsules daily, either taken together in the morning, or divided as 1 capsule twice daily. In those with more advanced atherosclerosis, 2 capsules twice daily is appropriate.

This supplement is safe to take with any pharmaceutical, including statins, antihypertensive drugs, and blood thinning anticoagulants. It is also safe to use with other nutritional supplements. There have not been any renal or hepatic complications reported from its use.

The long term use of Arterosil HP is recommended as long as there is the potential for vascular impairment. A reduction of dosage may be indicated if relevant risk factors are brought under control. Furthermore, it should be possible for patients to reduce polypharmacy use with their physician’s cooperation, observation and guidance. There are still some physicians who are intellectually curious and able to be flexible in their clinical approaches.

Designs for Health has partnered with Calroy Labs where Arterosil HP was developed. An obvious concern that comes up is the cost of the supplement at almost $100 for a one month supply of 60 capsules used at 2 capsules daily. This equates to $3.33 per day for the standard recommended dosing.

Cigarettes and lattes and Big Macs and and big gulp soft drinks and chips and processed foods and daily intake of other toxic junk things costs considerably more than this supplement’s daily price point.

Arterosil HP’s price is driven by the labor-intensive and expensive process of harvesting the Monostroma nitidum seaweed and extracting rhamnan sulfate. The seaweed is wild crafted in a pristine area with minimal industrial activities, and harvested by hand by indigenous people in the traditional fashion.

The plant is monitored and tested for potential trace contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides, and radioactivity. Further quality controls are applied upon receipt of the raw materials, the extraction of the rhamnan sulfate, and the blending and creation of all of the ingredients into a finished product.

Calroy Labs maintains that their long-term goal is to make the product more accessible and affordable by investing in research and innovation that would allow them to grow, harvest, and manufacture this more efficiently in the future.

Currently, this valuable supplement can be purchased from Designs for Health, Calroy Labs, and Amazon. The price from all of these vendors is the same.

My website store operates through Designs for Health. You can purchase Arterosil HP from my DFH store link. The price here is the same. Here is the direct link to Arterosil HP.

Here is a brief summary of some main points about Arterosil HP:

  1. Arterosil HP regenerates the endothelial glycocalyx, which lines the entire vascular system – all 60 to 70,000 miles of it – from the largest arteries and veins to the smallest capillaries.
  2. Arterosil HP is the only dietary supplement in the world with a US patent for plaque stabilization and regression. Calroy Labs filed the patent application in 2017 based on its proprietary scientific studies, and in 2021 the US Patent and Trademark Office granted Calroy US patent #11,135,238.
  3. Arterosil HP is the only endothelial glycocalyx product that contains the clinically effective glycocalyx-regenerating compound, rhamnan sulfate. RS is the most extensively studied seaweed-based polysaccharide in relation to the endothelial glycocalyx, and is the most effective agent EGX regenerating agent known.
  4. Arterosil HP’s efficacy has been well studied — over 20 years of research with many published studies.
  5. No types of toxicities or metabolic complications have been reported!
  6. Arterosil HP is new in the health world and is being recommended and used more and more by researchers, educators, and clinicians in preventive cardiology, and is being recommended by more and more licensed health care practitioners.

Thank  you reading and considering this important health information.

A future Journal will cover other nutritional supplements from Designs for Health which support cardiovascular health. A synergy of nutritional elements supports the healthy function of everything.

Signing off from Crestone and Beyond

“Longevity is a vascular question. A man is as old as his arteries.”…..Sir William Osler, in 1892

Associated Reading

There is a general reading list below, and then the more extended technical reading and reference list following these general readings.

  1. Rhamnan sulfate extracted from Monostroma nitidum attentuates blood coagulation and inflammation of vascular endothelial cells…a 2019 abstract published in Nature Medicine. Beneath this abstract you will see other citations about this plant chemical. For instance, it has antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2.
  2. Rhamnan sulfate reduces atherosclerotic plaque formation and vascular inflammation…a 2021 article which reinforces the findings of plaque reduction by rhamnan sulfate. This article has an interesting listing of 68 more references.
  3. Rhamnan Sulfate in a Proprietary Extract of Monostroma Nitidum Regenerates a Compromised Endothelial Glycocalyx Shed Caused by High Glucose…this pioneering in vitro study, conducted using living human endothelial glycocalyx, produced statistically significant results showing: MonitumRS restored glucose-damaged human EGX up to 103.8% of its pre-damaged state, and did so in only 24 hours.
  4. Mediterranean Diet & Mortality Risk…recently published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings is an analysis of the link between the “Mediterranean lifestyle” (comprised not only of dietary food and habits but also such things as napping, physical activity, and time socializing with friends) and all-cause mortality, as well as cardiovascular and cancer-specific mortality. Results are summarized at this link.
  5. Researchers Reveal Six Essential Foods to Combat Cardiovascular Disease Risk…an 8-29-23 summary of ongoing research about good foods for the heart and blood vessels. “The PURE Healthy Diet Score recommends an average daily intake of: Fruits at two to three servings; vegetables at two to three servings; nuts at one serving; and dairy at two servings. The score also includes three to four weekly servings of legumes and two to three weekly servings of fish. Possible substitutes included whole grains at one serving daily, and unprocessed red meat or poultry at one serving daily.”
  6. Dr. Mark Houston on the Root Causes of High Blood Pressure…this is an enlightening 50 minute interview of Mark Houston, M.D. who I consider to be the world’s leading vascular biologist. He is based at the Hypertension Institute in Nashville, TN, where he runs a large clinic and also contributes important research. In this video he is interviewed by Andrew Wong, M.D., of Capital Integrative Health.
  7. Personalized and Precision Cardiovascular Medicine…collected and edited by Mark Houston in 2019, this is a collection of 40 chapters written by world experts on cardiovascular health.
  8. Controlling High Blood Pressure through Nutrition, Supplements, Lifestyle, and Drugs…written and published in 2021 by Mark Houston, M.D. See the description at this link.
  9. Saturated fat does not clog the arteries: coronary heart disease is a chronic inflammatory condition, the risk of which can be effectively reduced from healthy lifestyle interventions…a 2017 British Journal of Sports Medicine editorial by the well known British cardiologist Aseem Malhotra.
  10. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Activity of Rhamnan Sulfate from Monostroma nitidum…a November, 2021 publication in Marine Drugs Journal about the activity of this seaweed against SCV-2 and the spike protein.
  11. COVID Cardiovascular Complications…this is a June 14, 2022 writing on this website about an important study which revealed the magnitude of cardiovascular complications caused by SARS-CoV-2. The long list of associated readings at the end of this writing offers more opinion on the problems caused by the spike protein, whatever its source may be.
  12. Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine-induced myocarditis…posted here on 2-1-24 is a publication in Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety from 1-27-24 is another important report on the harms caused by the C-19 vaccines. An investigation into adverse reactions to the COVID mRNA gene therapy shots has found that reports of myocarditis following the shots were 223 times higher than the average of all vaccines combined for the past 30 years. They were especially strongly associated with children and young adults, with the final outcomes resulting in hospitalization and death. Besides children, the side effects were mostly reported in young adult males. “We need to study more about how the COVID-19 vaccine might cause heart inflammation to find ways to prevent it and make sure the vaccine is safe for continued use in all age groups,” the researchers concluded. You can read another account of this article here.
  13. A Systematic Review Of Autopsy Findings In Deaths After COVID-19 Vaccination…in a July 6, 2023 report by Dr. Peter McCullough, M.D., et al, important autopsy findings are noted. This submission was removed (censored) from the Lancet preprint servers within 24 hours. The New England Journal of Medicine also rejected the paper, as did the Journal of the American Medical Association. The preprint server medRxiv and others also refused to post it…Says Dr. McCullough, “We searched for all published autopsy and necropsy reports relating to COVID-19 vaccination up until May 18th, 2023. We initially identified 678 studies and, after screening for our inclusion criteria, included 44 papers that contained 325 autopsy cases and one necropsy case. Three physicians independently reviewed all deaths and determined whether COVID-19 vaccination was the direct cause or contributed significantly to death.” The findings…”The most implicated organ system in COVID-19 vaccine-associated death was the cardiovascular system (53%), followed by the hematological system (17%), the respiratory system (8%), and multiple organ systems (7%). Three or more organ systems were affected in 21 cases. The mean time from vaccination to death was 14.3 days. Most deaths occurred within a week from last vaccine administration. A total of 240 deaths (73.9%) were independently adjudicated as directly due to or significantly contributed to by COVID-19 vaccination.”
  14. 2 Types of Vaccinated or Long-COVID Patients Have a Higher Risk of Blood Clots…the second article in a 2 part series. The first article is here. From Part I…”Spike proteins damage the inner lining of blood vessels by binding to ACE-2 receptors on endothelial cells. ACE-2 has been identified as the primary receptor used by the SARS-CoV-2 virus for cellular entry, and endothelial cells are abundant in ACE-2 receptors, putting them, particularly, at risk of infection. Consequently, the spike proteins can enter the endothelial cells and activate inflammatory pathways, ultimately leading to blood clot formation.” From Part II…”Spike proteins can trigger microclotting through several pathways: 1) Induce blood clotting by infecting and damaging the endothelial cells that line the inner blood vessels, 2) Activate blood clotting spontaneously in the absence of thrombin and platelets, 3) Change the structure of proteins involved in clotting, resulting in large amyloid structures impervious to breakdown.”
  15. Can Spike Proteins Damage DNA, Increasing Cancer Risk?…important findings covered here regarding the spike protein’s effect on the p53 gene and the BRCA gene…”The study explains, “’Mechanistically, we found that the spike protein localizes in the nucleus and inhibits DNA damage repair by impeding key DNA repair protein BRCA1 and 53BP1 recruitment to the damage site.'”
  16. Dr. Peter McCullough, M.D., on spike protein and cancer risk…in a July 16, 2023 interview Dr. McCullough explains why repeated mRNA shots and boosters is a bad idea. These kinds of findings are going to pick up momentum, but will suppressed by mainstream media.
  17. 8 Ways Spike Protein Harms the Body and How to Remove It…this writing is written in a direct fashion and is informative. Some readers may be distracted by the fact that this information is written on a conservative site. This summary is accurate.
  18. Research articles on Rhamnan sulfate…a list of some research citations on RS.
  19. Endothelial glycocalyx research…a list of some of the major research articles on the EGX, of which there are more than 1100 citations.
  20. William Osler Quotes…sayings from one of the world’s greatest physicians.
  21. Phytochemicals…and a Great Seal of Natural Healing…a 2016 writing on this website where I comment about herbal medicine and the meaning of the seal of the American College of Surgeons. The fabulous symbolism and Latin inscription of this seal is unknown to almost all surgeons who probably just take it for granted without inquiring about it. I have never met a surgeon who understood what is depicted in this seal.

Extended Technical Data on Arterosil HP is presented here, copied from Designs for Health Tech Sheet Education webpage. Numbered reference citations are listed below this technical writing.

“The endothelial glycocalyx (EGX) is a major contributor to endothelial function. The EGX is a slippery, thin gel‑like layer with a mesh of glycoproteins, proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), and associated plasma proteins that line every artery, vein, and capillary in the body. These glycans provide binding sites for numerous enzymes and signaling molecules. 1‑3

Poor diet, aging, smoking, and inflammation have been associated with damage to this delicate and fragile structure of glycoproteins, proteoglycans (e.g., with heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate chains), glycosaminoglycans, and to the normal functions of the EGX. 4‑7

In healthy individuals, the scaffolding nature of the EGX limits access to circulating plasma components (e.g., leukocytes [white blood cells], platelets, lipoproteins) to the endothelial cells (ECs), allowing only a small amount of adhesion receptors to be readily available for these components to bind. However, a damaged or thinning EGX allows more of these receptors to be exposed, potentially resulting in increased leukocyte adhesion to the vascular walls and their penetration leading to subsequent edema, inflammation, arterial plaque development, and vascular wall remodeling — the hallmarks of many cardiovascular conditions. 8, 9

EGX structural damage can also lead to vascular leakage and poor circulation of vital nutrients. The EGX is the first line of defense and plays a vital role in vascular regulation and the activation and migration of blood cells by: (1) controlling the permeability of fluids and solute filtration and access of other circulating substances, such as
low‑density lipoproteins (LDL) to the endothelium; (2) modifying and amplifying the shear stress exerted on ECs by the circulating blood; (3) harboring antioxidant enzymes (e.g., extracellular superoxide dismutase) to protect the endothelium from oxidative damage; (4) regulating the interactions between blood cells and vascular ECs (i.e.., adhesion of white blood cells, platelets, and coagulation factors, etc.); and (5) functioning as a mechano-transducer for the endothelial cytoskeleton to stimulate nitric oxide (NO) synthesis by endothelial NO synthase (eNOS). 10‑13

Arterosil HP supports the structure and the normal functions of the endothelial glycocalyx and thus, the endothelium and vessel walls. Specifically, by providing exogenous sulfated polysaccharides, the bioactive compounds in Arterosil HP help repair and regenerate the endothelial glycocalyx. 14

The main bioactive component in Arterosil HP is rhamnan sulfate (RS), a polysaccharide extracted from a unique green seaweed, Monostroma nitidum. RS is a heteropolysaccharide with L‑rhamnose that may be covalently bonded to sulfate providing the primary repeating monosaccharides on both the linear and branched chains that occur in the EGX.

RS has been studied extensively for its cardiovascular health benefits. 15‑26

In human and animal studies, RS has demonstrated beneficial effects on hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, hypertension, obesity, and inflammation. 25‑30

RS isoforms significantly reduced LDL permeability of EC monolayers in human coronary artery cells. 25

In a randomized controlled trial, 4 weeks of Arterosil HP supplementation ameliorated the damage of the EGX and loss of endothelial function caused by a high‑fat/high‑sugar meal in 20 healthy human subjects. 31

Daily RS supplementation for 6 weeks was shown to significantly reduce total and LDL cholesterol in borderline or mild hypercholesterolemia patients. 27

RS acts as a building block for the glycocalyx, helping the biosynthesis of GAGs, and inhibiting EDX‑degrading enzymes. In an in vitro study where ECs were treated with heparinase II (a bacterial enzyme that degrades heparan sulfate), cells treated with RS maintained significantly higher content of heparan sulfate compared to the controls, indicating that RS may prevent the degradation of heparan sulfate.32 The RS‑treated cells also had lower permeability to LDL compared to the control cells. 32

In apoliprotein E (ApoE) knockout mice fed a high‑fat diet, RS significantly enhanced endothelial nitric
oxide synthase (eNOS) production in the aortic arch and significantly reduced proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells, decreased lipid deposition in the aorta, decreased blood velocity, and reduced plaque
angiogenesis. 32 Plasma cholesterol was 22.5% lower in female ApoE knockout mice fed a high‑fat diet and RS compared to the controls.32 Experimental animal models with hyaluronidase‑induced degraded EGX showed that the RS in Arterosil HP normalized leukocyte adhesion and leukocyte patrolling activity. 33, 34

Proprietary Fruit and Vegetable Blend
The addition of fruit and vegetable extracts that contain polyphenolic compounds known to impart antioxidant activities may help inhibit the degradation of endothelial glycocalyx by reactive oxygen species and enzymes. 3 Polyphenols such as resveratrol, quercetin, and catechins (found in plants, such as grape skins, onions, and green tea, respectively) are well‑known for their ability to help protect cells from free radical damage and activate pathways that support a healthy inflammatory response. 35

Resveratrol, which is found in grapes, supports endothelial function by activating numerous molecular targets such as sirtuin (SIRT)1, eNOS, nuclear factor erythroid 2‑related factor (Nrf2), and peroxisome proliferator‑activated receptor (PPAR). 36 The PPAR family of receptors plays an important role in regulating metabolic
function and energy homeostasis. The Nrf2 pathway is the main regulator of the body’s endogenous defense against
oxidative stress and associated damage.

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