Vessels are a crucial transportation line for the human body, vital for overall health. However, with age and other influencing factors, vessels gradually age, leading to arteriosclerosis, which can trigger a series of cardiovascular diseases. This condition is no longer limited to middle-aged and elderly individuals; in recent years, there has been a trend towards younger individuals, particularly women, who should pay close attention. When female friends experience symptoms such as chest tightness, cold hands and feet, numbness in the limbs, elevated blood pressure, increased blood sugar levels, and reluctance to exercise, it indicates that vascular aging is quietly progressing.
Vascular aging appears to have a preference for women.
According to the latest data from the World Heart Federation, cardiovascular disease accounts for 35% of annual deaths among women globally, making it the true “number one killer” of women.
Most women do not smoke, drink excessively, or have unhealthy habits, so people have always believed that the risk of cardiovascular disease in women is lower than in men. However, data shows that women's vessels age faster compared to men's, and the severity of cardiovascular disease is also more significant.
Research indicates that, compared to men, women show a faster upward trend in blood pressure around the age of 30. Blood pressure rises earlier and more rapidly, especially systolic pressure, in women compared to men. After the age of 60, average blood pressure is even higher than in men. Contrary to the traditional belief that women's primary cardiovascular diseases are delayed by 10-20 years compared to men, the early-life characteristics of blood pressure changes may lay the foundation for different cardiovascular disease features in women in later life, not just due to late-life changes.
Many people are puzzled: why do women's vessels age faster than men's? Why does cardiovascular disease seem to favor women?
Firstly, this is related to women's physiological structure. Women have naturally smaller hearts and finer blood vessels, which can affect blood flow and velocity, thus impacting the blood supply to various organs. Additionally, women tend to have softer and fewer clots, which are prone to detachment and can form plaques that block blood vessels, triggering a series of cardiovascular diseases.
Secondly, hormonal levels change. Estrogen has protective effects on the endothelium, anti-atherosclerosis, and inhibits vascular calcification, increasing vessel elasticity and preventing them from hardening easily. Once women enter menopause, estrogen levels drop sharply, and they lose their protective shield, leading to more severe vascular aging and a sharp increase in the incidence of cardiovascular diseases.
Therefore, postmenopausal women need to supplement estrogen appropriately to combat vascular aging and prevent conditions like arteriosclerosis. Can we rely on exogenous estrogen supplementation for prevention? Many studies have found that supplementing with exogenous estrogen increases the risk of breast cancer and has certain side effects, requiring cautious use.
Studies find that Bajizhilian capsules can inhibit apoptosis of plaque endothelial cells.
Estrogen has protective effects on the endothelium, anti-atherosclerosis, and inhibits vascular calcification. After menopause, estrogen levels decrease significantly. Research published in the international academic journal JAMA Cardiology shows that premature menopause is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Estrogen protects vessels by improving plasma lipid profiles and reducing lipid peroxidation.
Recently, an experimental research paper published in the international academic journal Frontiers in Pharmacology, similar in concept to estrogen replacement therapy, has attracted attention. Researchers at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine used mouse models to simulate the clinical state of severe hyperlipidemia after menopause, then administered Bajizhilian and found that it could elevate estrogen levels, inhibit apoptosis of plaque endothelial cells, and inhibit the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in mice, thereby improving cardiovascular system aging.
The study showed that using high-fat feed combined with bilateral ovariectomy to establish a premature aging model in mice, followed by administration of Bajizhilian or estrogen receptor agonists, after 12 weeks, the model group had evident lipid deposition and plaque formation.
Aging is a gradual process, and anti-aging efforts are daily tasks. Treating cardiovascular diseases is a long-term battle. As a high-risk group, women must take proactive preventative measures. Maintaining clean and unobstructed vessels, reducing the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, and maintaining a youthful and healthy state is essential. (Li Yan)