Endothelial Cells – The Real Heart of Your Cardiovascular System!

When is comes to taking care of your cardiovascular system little to no attention is given to your endothelial cells.  Most all of the attention goes to your heart or your arteries and veins.  Yet, more and more research is showing that the health of your heart, arteries, veins and all of your cardiovascular system is dependent upon the health of your endothelial cells.

What Are Endothelial Cells?

Endothelial cells are the thin layer of cells that line the interior surface of all blood vessels.  It is commonly referred to as the endothelium.  It’s important to note that these cells line the entire circulatory system from the heart all the way down to the smallest capillary. When added up, the volume of these endothelial cells would cover the surface area of 8 tennis courts and weigh as much as the liver.  That’s amazing since the endothelium is only one cell thick and can’t be seen by the human eye.

Once discovered the endothelium was classified as an inert membrane whose primary function was to keep the blood in the circulatory system and out of the body’s tissues and organs.  Research over the last 25 years has shown that the endothelium is an active, multi-functional organ that plays a vital role in metabolic, immunologic, and cardiovascular health. The endothelial cells ultimately determine the health of your blood vessels and play a major role in preventing cardiovascular disease.

Life Enhancing Functions of the Endothelial Cells

Because the endothelial cells line every blood vessel they play an important role in the proper function of every organ in your body.  This gate-keeping role varies for each organ system.  For example, in the brain and retina the endothelial cells are tightly linked together to create a barrier that only allows selective molecules to pass through it.  In the liver, spleen, and bone marrow, the endothelial cells are loosely linked allowing for cellular trafficking between these intercellular gaps.  However, in the kidneys, endocrine glands, and intestinal villi, the endothelial cells have a different type of selective permeability to allow for efficient filtering, secretion, and absorption based on that organ’s function.

The following is a list of the known functions of the endothelial cells.  Each function plays an important role in cardiovascular health and your overall wellness:

• Angiogenesis – The formation of new capillaries is called angiogenesis.  It is regulated in part by the endothelial cells.  This function is extremely important in wound healing.  It also plays a significant role in muscle creation and in the heart’s ability to develop collateral vessels. These collateral vessels can help lessen the impact of a blood vessel blockage in the heart by providing alternative routes for blood flow.

  The development of collateral blood vessels also aids in athletic performance because it allows for better circulation.  This improved circulation brings needed oxygen and nutrients to the muscle tissue while facilitating the removal of the waste products created during energy production.  This allows you to work at a higher aerobic capacity with less lactic acid creation for quicker recoveries.

• Atherosclerosis – For developing countries, atherosclerosis is the most prevalent vascular disease. One of the functions of the endothelium is to facilitate blood flow.  It does this by providing a smooth surface that inhibits platelet adhesion and clotting.  It also tries to inhibit foreign substances from adhering to its cellular wall which can lead to plaque formations.  Large molecules like cholesterol and/or toxic substances like nicotine damage the intercellular junctions between the endothelial cells allowing deposits to build up.  This causes the smooth and flexible lining of your blood vessels to become rough and hard.

  It is these plaque formations that are at the heart of atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. As this process continues over time, the deposits or plaques become larger which narrows the interior of the blood vessel making it harder for blood to pass through.  This increases resistance to blood flow which can cause your blood pressure to increase.  The following contributing factors can cause the endothelium to lose its ability to prevent these formations:  smoking, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension or high blood pressure, and inflammation. Elevated homocysteine levels have also been associated with premature atherosclerosis.

  Atherosclerosis was once thought to be irreversible but new studies clearly show that when the proper biochemical environment is provided the injured endothelium can return to its undamaged state. Proper supplementation with L-arginine, the precursor for nitric oxide, has been shown to diminish lesion formation and reverse endothelial dysfunction.

• Blood Clotting – The narrowing of your blood vessels also causes blood turbulence that can lead to the formation of blood clots.  These blood clots, if large enough or if they pass through too narrow of an opening, can eventually lodge themselves in a blood vessel causing a blockage.  When this happens in the heart we call it a heart attack.  When it happens in the brain it is called a stroke.

  The endothelial cells produce a molecule called nitric oxide which is critical in the proper control of blood pressure.  Nitric oxide also inhibits platelet adhesion, activation, secretion, and aggregation, as well as promoting platelet disaggregation.  This is extremely important in preventing blood clots in the vascular system that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. It is also a critical factor in sickle cell anemia to help prevent red blood cells from changing, adhering to each other, and clinging to the vascular walls.  This helps to prevent blockages which cause most of the pain and tissue damage associated with sickle cell anemia.

  While using nitric oxide to prevent blood clotting, it’s interesting to note that the endothelial cells are also necessary for blood to clot. They synthesize the vitally important molecule called Factor VIII or von Willibrand’s Factor which is essential for blood clotting.  Without this molecule a person could bleed to death from a simple scratch.

• Blood pressure – Not only do the endothelial cells provide a dynamically-controlled structural barrier between the circulating blood and surrounding tissues and organs but they also produce signaling molecules that influence vasodilation and vasoconstriction.  Vasodilation causes blood vessels to relax allowing for greater blood flow.  This reduces blood pressure. Vasoconstriction causes blood vessels to tighten reducing blood flow and causing blood pressure to increase.

  It is currently believed that the endothelial cells are the controlling factor in the regulation of blood pressure. They produce both nitric oxide which is the most potent vasodilator and endothelin-1 the most potent vasoconstrictor.  The proper production of nitric oxide is fundamental to maintaining normal blood pressures because it maintains basal tone by relaxing the vascular smooth muscle cells.

• Specialized barrier function – Endothelial cells act as selective filters to regulate the passage of gases, fluid, and various molecules across their membranes.  This is especially important for the renal system and the brain.  It is also critical to the proper function of your immune system.  Your white blood cells or leucocytes are produced in the bone marrow.  They travel through the blood stream where the endothelial cells facilitate their passage into your body’s tissue to allow them to destroy foreign agents or antigens.

Endothelial Cells Produce Nitric Oxide

The health of your endothelial cells also plays a vital role in one other critical factor.  In fact, the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how the endothelial cells produced nitric oxide. If you review the five major functions of the endothelium you will note that nitric oxide is critically involved in three of the five functions.

Who would have ever thought that an environmental pollutant and an extremely reactive and potentially dangerous free radical could also be the most important signaling molecule in your body!  Since its discovery much has been learned about nitric oxide.  For example:

The creation of nitric oxide is dependent upon the health of your endothelial cells, an adequate supply of the essential amino acid L-arginine, a complimentary supply of L-citrulline, and a family of enzymes called nitric oxide synthesis or NOS.  However, when the endothelial cells are damaged by high blood pressure, high sugar levels, LDL cholesterol, and smoking this decreases nitric oxide production leading to a whole host of health and wellness issues.  One such health issue that affects the endothelial cells is atherosclerosis.

Can Atherosclerosis be Reversed?

At one time most health care professionals would have said “No” to this question.  However, in the late 1950s this began to change when an accomplished engineer by the name of Nathan Pritikin (who at an early age was diagnosed with heart disease) began a personal journey to correct his cardiovascular problem through nutrition rather than medication.  Although Nathan Pritikin developed a large following, it wasn’t until Dr. David Lehr, a well-known Miami cardiologist, risked his career by joining forces with Mr. Pritikin.  Their 1977 and 1978 interviews on 60 Minutes were foundation in helping to propel the message that a focus on nutrition and exercise, rather than drugs and surgery, were valid methods for improving health and preventing heart attacks.  The Pritikin Program is now one of the most effective programs for reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease.

In 1998 the Nobel Prize in Medicine was given to three American researchers who discovered how the endothelial cells converted L-arginine into nitric oxide, the master signaling molecule of the cardiovascular system.  In his 2005 National Bestseller NO More Heart Disease, Nobel Laureate Dr. Louis J. Ignarro made the following statement:

“My colleagues, Ferid Murad and Robert Furchgott, and I had discovered ‘the atom’ of cardiovascular health – a tiny molecule called nitric oxide.  NO – as it is known by chemists – is produced by the body specifically to help keep arteries and veins free of the plaque that causes stroke and to maintain normal blood pressure by relaxing the arteries, thereby regulating the rate of blood flow and preventing coronaries. Nitric oxide is the body’s natural cardiovascular wonder drug.”

Also in the 1990s Dr. J. Joseph Prendergast began his own personal journey to help reverse the atherosclerosis in his own arteries.  As he researched this field and talked to those on the cutting edge of vascular research he began to formulate an L-arginine / L-citrulline protocol that has evolved over the years.  His formulations have had remarkable result for himself personally as well as for his patients.  Because a large portion of his patient population are diabetics the potential incident of cardiovascular complications are extremely high.  Yet, in helping over 7,000 patients follow his L-arginine / L-citrulline protocol for healing the endothelial cells and improving their ability to properly produce nitric oxide, he has less than 1% who experience cardiovascular issues. It is a phenomenal record the was recognized by the 2008 Father of the Year Award from the American Diabetes Association.

It is Dr. Prenderast’s formulation that is the basis for the creation of ProArgi-9 Plus from Synergy WorldWide, which many consider to be the premier L-arginine / L-citrulline product to aid the cardiovascular system.

Two Excellent Sources for Additional Information

It’s amazing how a simple lining of cells on the interior walls of your blood vessels could have such a profound affect on your cardiovascular health and overall wellness.  Yet that is exactly the case with your endothelial cells.  Their health is critical to your health and your body’s ability to produce nitric oxide.

High blood pressure, high sugar levels, cholesterol, and smoking will damage your endothelial cells.  Properly bringing in a good source of L-arginine, L-citrulline, and targeted antioxidants can help reverse the damage to the endothelial cells.  This will help them stay healthy so that they produce a good supply of nitric oxide.  Your heart and other key organs will thank you.

The following two sources will aid you in further understanding the endothelial cells and how important they are to your cardiovascular health:

1.  For those who like scientific research, then click on “Endothelial Cells in Physiology and in the Pathophysiology of Vascular Disorders” from the Journal of the American Society of Hematology.  This long article will provide you with a very detailed analysis of the functional role of the endothelial cells.  This article also contains over 450 references to provide you with a wealth of additional sources about the endothelium.

2.  For those who prefer a visual summary of the role of the endothelium, Paul Conterio and Richard Logsdon have produced an excellent video about the endothelial cells and the cardiovascular system. It’s well worth your time and attention. 

ProArgi-9 Plus Can Benefit Your Endothelial Cells

ProArgi-9 Plus is a clinically proven L-arginine / L-citrulline nutritional supplement designed to help repair your endothelial cells so that they can properly produce nitric oxide. The product formulator for ProArgi-9 Plus is Dr. J. Joseph Prendergast who incorporated Nobel Prize winning science, with cutting edge vascular research, to develop a clinically proven, natural supplement that has benefited thousands of his patients and tens of thousands of people around the world.