Just like our skin, our blood vessels age. Just as a hose hardens and becomes brittle over time, our blood vessels lose their elasticity with age. However, there's no need to despair. Did you know that building muscle stimulates the secretion of substances that rejuvenate blood vessels from within?
This article explains the power of muscles that you should know to extend your healthy lifespan, and the potential of regenerative medicine for vascular care.
table of contents
Why muscles are called hormone organs | The function of myokines
Muscles were once thought to be merely tissues used for movement. However, recent research has revealed that muscles are also endocrine organs that secrete various physiologically active substances (hormones). These are collectively called "myokines." Representative myokines include IL-6 (interleukin-6) and irisin.
IL-6, secreted from muscles during exercise, promotes fat breakdown and suppresses inflammation in the body. Irisin, also known as the exercise hormone, is expected to convert stored fat (white adipose tissue) into fat that burns (brown adipose tissue) and protect nerve cells.
These substances circulate throughout the body via the bloodstream, improving the function of vascular endothelial cells and acting as a maintenance mechanism for the entire body, such as suppressing the progression of arteriosclerosis.
Reference: J-stage | Physical activity and myokines in COPD patients
The function of nitric oxide (NO) to widen blood vessels and lower blood pressure
The benefits of using muscles aren't limited to the secretion of chemicals. The physical stimulation from exercise is also important. When you exercise and your heart rate increases, the blood flow rate increases, causing friction against the inner walls of blood vessels. This frictional stimulation acts as a switch for the secretion of NO (nitric oxide) by vascular endothelial cells. Conversely, this switch is not activated when you are at rest.
When the switch is activated and nitric oxide (NO) is secreted, it acts on the muscles (smooth muscles) surrounding blood vessels, relaxing them and widening them. As a result, blood flow becomes smoother and blood pressure decreases. The effects of NO are not limited to exercise; continued use also contributes to stabilizing blood pressure at rest. Furthermore, NO also has an effect of preventing oxidation of blood vessels, which directly contributes to preventing arteriosclerosis.
In other words, exercise itself is an act of producing vasodilators in the body without side effects. Before relying on medication, let's use our own muscles to awaken the function of dormant blood vessels.
Regenerative Medicine Perspective | Vascular Care at the Cellular Level
Exercise is good for the body because it causes cells to release repair substances. Regenerative medicine, which has attracted attention in recent years (such as stem cell therapy and culture supernatant therapy), can be described as an approach that directly introduces repair substances such as cytokines and exosomes into the body through medical intervention. Here, we will explain the mechanism of regenerative medicine based on research reports.
How stem cells repair blood vessels | Research report
Until now, many details about how administered stem cells actually repair blood vessels remained unclear. However, a report published in 2020 by a Japanese research group (including the Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster) is beginning to unravel these mysteries.
Research has shown that when stem cells find damaged vascular endothelial cells, they attach themselves tightly to them, creating tiny tunnels called gap junctions between the cells. It has been discovered that these gap junctions directly supply energy sources such as glucose to the weakened cells. In other words, the stem cells provide energy, and the vascular cells that receive this energy begin to regenerate on their own.
This research overturns the conventional theory that stem cells differentiate into damaged cells or initiate regeneration by giving commands such as cytokines, revealing the existence of a new approach in regenerative medicine.
How blood vessels rejuvenate | Research report
Furthermore, a 2015 overseas study reported that administering mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) restored the function of damaged vascular endothelial cells. Specifically, the activity of eNOS (nitric oxide synthase), an enzyme essential for widening blood vessels, was restored, and the formation of plaque (atherosclerotic plaque) that clogs blood vessels was suppressed.
Regenerative medicine aims to repair the blood vessel cells themselves that have been damaged by aging. Combining daily self-care through exercise with cellular-level medical care is the key to living a healthy life in this era of extended lifespans.
Reference: Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells Activate Angiogenesis via Gap Junction–Mediated Cell-Cell Interaction
Reference: Mesenchymal Stem Cells Ameliorate Atherosclerotic Lesions via Restoring Endothelial Function
summary
Building muscle contributes to overall health and well-being. Muscles are not merely a source of strength; they are vital organs for keeping blood vessels youthful. Every squat and every step up and down the stairs activates the blood vessel repair mechanism in your body.
If exercise is difficult for you, or if you desire more proactive care, regenerative medicine is another option. Why not start taking action today to protect your blood vessels, tailored to your lifestyle?
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Supervised by: Yuzo Terakawa (Board-certified Neurosurgeon)
