Hormonal
Adiponectin (APN) exerts cardiovascular protective effects by activating AMPK and eNOS pathways, promoting endothelial cell survival, reducing inflammation, and inhibiting atherosclerosis progression.
Maintaining healthy adiponectin levels is crucial for heart health. Since adiponectin levels drop in obesity and diabetes, focusing on reducing visceral fat and improving insulin sensitivity through diet and exercise can help restore these protective hormonal signals. While direct supplementation is not currently standard clinical practice due to production complexities, lifestyle interventions that mimic APN's effects (like exercise-induced AMPK activation) are beneficial.
APN promotes endothelial cell survival, differentiation and migration. Adiponectin suppresses monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells. In macrophages, adiponectin reduces foam cell formation and the inflammatory response. Adiponectin promotes the polarization of macrophages toward antiinflammatory M2. Adiponectin decreases the proliferation and migration, and increases the differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells.
Why this rating
Supported by extensive animal models (ApoE-KO, APN-KO) and consistent human observational studies, though clinical trials of exogenous APN are limited.
Source
Role of Adipokines in Cardiovascular Disease
Wayne Bond Lau et al. · Circulation Journal · 2017
DOI 10.1253/circj.cj-17-0458
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