A-Z blood circulation Articles

What is Ginkgo Biloba?

Ginkgo biloba is the oldest known tree species on earth with an estimated age of more than 200 million years. A ginkgo tree can live up to 1000 years. The medicinal seeds are found only in the inedible fruit of the female trees. Ginkgo is the most frequently prescribed medicinal herb in Europe. It makes sense that the oldest known tree is used for concerns that become more prevalent as we age.

Key Benefits & Uses of Ginkgo

Ginkgo is used to increase blood flow to the whole body but especially to the brain and extremities. The active components are flavone glycosides and potent antioxidant molecules. Free radicals are unstable molecules that in their bid to become more stable must bump into healthy cells and cause damage. Ginkgo’s antioxidant properties neutralize free radicals and therefore reduce damage to vessels all over the body, including those in the brain. It has anti-aging properties because as an antioxidant it protects the body against environmental pollutants and other substances that lead to aging.

Ginkgo increases circulation by making the blood flow freely, thus enhancing oxygen delivery and waste removal from cells. It may also improve the communication between brain and nerve cells. Ginkgo is used by natural health practitioners for a variety of conditions including senile dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, macular degeneration, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), vertigo, impotence, cold hands and feet and intermittent claudication (poor circulation in the legs). Students have also used it as a memory enhancer.

Shopping For Quality Ginkgo Biloba Supplements

Ginkgo is commonly purchased as an encapsulated herb or tincture. Ginkgo products should be standardized as an assurance of the amount of active compounds they contain. Ginkgo can be found in combination products for memory, eye health, cardiovascular health and sexual functioning. These trees are widely cultivated for their leaves and seeds so there is no concern with the ecological impact of ginkgo use. Interestingly they are also planted in cities because they can tolerate the harsh urban environment.

Ginkgo contains components that have blood-thinning properties. Ginkgo biloba supplements should be used with caution by individuals with active bleeding, blood clotting disorders, high blood pressure and individuals on blood thinning medication, including aspirin, or anti-hypertensives. For the same reason, Ginkgo supplements should be discontinued before surgery or dental work. Ginkgo can alter the effectiveness of monoamine oxidase inhibitors, a type of anti-depressant.

Nattokinase is an enzyme extracted from natto, a boiled soybean fermented with a bacterium called bacillus natto. Medicinally, nattokinase is both an effective blood thinner, as well as an anticoagulant agent. Let's explore the effects a nattokinase supplement can have on your health.

Key Health Advantages of Nattokinase

A nattokinase supplement is especially useful for the treatment and prevention of deep vein thrombosis, as well ashelping lower the risk of pulmonary embolism (PE) and stroke. Both PE and stroke are caused by a thrombus or clot dislodging from the vessel wall, usually in the legs or thighs, and getting trapped in the smaller vessels going to the lungs and brain. Several factors make an individual more susceptible to thrombi formation. Diabetes interferes with your body's ability to break down clots, therefore increasing the risk of clot formation. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, and stress all increase the likelihood of developing clots.

Nattokinase has been shown to have pro-fibrinolytic properties. Fibrinogen plays a key role in the blood clotting cascade (I like the analogy of fibrinogen being the glue that holds the clot together). Anything that breaks down fibrinogen is then also helping to break down the clot itself. Nattokinase has also been shown to increase the body's own TPA (Tissue Plasminogen Activity), thereby increasing the efficiency of the body's clot-destroying superpower, plasmin.

Shopping For A Quality Nattokinase Supplement

Nattokinase is available in capsule form. Dosage recommendations vary greatly depending on the patient and intended action. Talk to your Naturopath or MD if you are taking nattokinase as a replacement for coumadin, as you may need higher doses. 

Important Information & Considerations

If you are currently taking an anticoagulant such as warfarin, do not start using nattokinase without first speaking to your doctor. Dosage adjustments may be needed and blood tests measuring clotting time (INR, PT) should be closely monitored at the onset of treatment.

Rutin is one of the main bioflavonoids used commonly in supplements. It has been found to help reduce inflammation and to protect the cardiovascular system. Rutin is actually made up of quercetin bound to a double sugar molecule called rutinose.

Healthcare practitioners will often recommend rutin supplementation for the support of healthy veins and in combination with vitamin C.

Benefits of Rutin & Bioflavonoids

Bioflavonoids are essential for the proper absorption of vitamin C. The body cannot produce them directly, so they must be ingested through the diet. These molecules are generally very useful in the protection of the circulatory system by helping to strengthen the vein and artery walls. Bioflavonoids have also been long used to reduce excessive immune responses by inhibiting pro-inflammatory signaling molecules in the body. This helps them be of benefit in the treatment of autoimmune disorders and allergies. All bioflavonoids are also excellent antioxidants that help to neutralize free radicals and protect the body against toxins that promote aging and damage to the cardiovascular system.

Cardiovascular Health

Rutin has both anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant properties. This means that it improves circulation and prevents platelet aggregation, which can help to prevent atherosclerosis and clot formation. It also strengthens the capillaries, and reduces the toxicity of oxidized LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Like other bioflavonoids, this is a potent antioxidant, combating free radical damage from a variety of sources. All of this combines to allow rutin to help lower the risk of heart disease.

Skin and Vein Health

Rutin also helps to maintain the health of the venous system, making it useful in the treatment of varicose veins and hemorrhoids. This bioflavonoid also helps the body to utilize vitamin C and to maintain collagen, both of which are important for healthy skin and tissue formation.

How Can I Get More Rutin?

Rutin is found in a variety of foods including: apricots, buckwheat, cherries, prunes, asparagus, rosehips and the white rinds of citrus fruits. Supplemental rutin is found in powdered form alone and in combination with vitamin C and in formulas targeting vein health. The optimal dosage ranges anywhere from 200-600 mg/day.