Hormonal
Inhibiting Nuclear Factor-κB (NF-κB) activation using therapeutic doses of salsalate significantly improves endothelium-dependent vascular function in overweight or obese middle-aged and older adults.
For middle-aged or older adults with excess body weight, high levels of internal inflammation (specifically NF-κB activity) may be stiffening your blood vessels. This research suggests that a specific, high-dose non-acetylated salicylate (salsalate) taken daily for a short period can reverse this stiffness by calming that specific inflammatory pathway. While lifestyle changes remain foundational, this highlights inflammation as a direct, targetable cause of vascular aging in this demographic.
Our findings provide the first direct evidence that NF-κB, in part via stimulation of oxidative stress, plays an important role in mediating vascular endothelial dysfunction in overweight and obese middle-aged and older humans.
Why this rating
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design in humans, though with a small sample size (n=14).
Source
Nuclear Factor-κB Activation Contributes to Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction via Oxidative Stress in Overweight/Obese Middle-Aged and Older Humans
Gary L. Pierce et al. · Circulation · 2009
DOI 10.1161/circulationaha.108.804294
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