An antioxidant that targets cellular mitochondria appeared to reverse age-related vascular changes by 15 to 20 years in older adults, according to a small, first-in-human study published April 16 in Hypertension.
Twenty healthy adults in their 60s and 70s were enrolled in the randomized, placebo-controlled trial. They received the maximum recommended dosage of the supplement, called MitoQ, for six weeks or a placebo. Then, after a two-week washout period, they switched to the other treatment for six more weeks.
The brachial arteries of the participants taking MitoQ were dilated an additional 42 percent, appearing like blood vessels of people 15 to 20 years younger, according to a press release. If sustained, that improvement would be expected to reduce the risk of heart disease by about 13 percent, said lead researcher Matthew Rossman, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in the department of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado.
"This is the first clinical trial to assess the impact of a mitochondrial-specific antioxidant on vascular function in humans," said Rossman, noting previous studies showed similar effects in older mice. "It suggests that therapies like this may hold real promise for reducing the risk of age-related cardiovascular disease."
Rossman and colleagues said the observed improvement in brachial artery dilation is equivalent to a man increasing his aerobic exercise by 50 percent over three months, or for any adult to lose weight through a 30 percent calorie restriction over three months.
“Given that most (middle-aged and older) adults do not meet current guidelines for healthy lifestyle behaviors, MitoQ supplementation may represent an alternative or complementary pharmacological strategy for enhancing vascular endothelial function in this group,” the authors wrote.
MitoQ was found to decrease aortic stiffness among participants with high baseline levels. In addition, plasma concentrations of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL)—markers of oxidative stress—were 13 percent lower after six weeks of taking the supplement.
“These findings establish the experimental basis for conducting a larger scale clinical trial in older adults or clinical populations, particularly those associated with endothelial dysfunction and elevated aortic stiffness,” the researchers wrote. “In the broadest terms, our results provide initial support for the idea that MitoQ, and potentially other mitochondria-targeted antioxidants, may be an effective treatment for improving vascular function and possibly decreasing the risk of CVD and other clinical disorders of aging, including cognitive dysfunction and chronic kidney disease.”
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and MitoQ Limited, the manufacturer of MitoQ.
Daniel joined TriMed’s Chicago editorial team in 2017 as a Cardiovascular Business writer. He previously worked as a writer for daily newspapers in North Dakota and Indiana.