Longevity supplement improved artery function in a human trial
A commercial longevity supplement showed measurable improvements in artery function in a randomised controlled trial. It is the first controlled test of this specific mixture in humans. But who benefits, and why, remains unclear.
Researchers at the University of Surrey tested the supplement NOVOS Core in a trial where neither participants nor researchers knew who was taking the real supplement and who was taking a dummy pill. NOVOS supplied the supplement and helped fund the study, which was published in European Heart Journal Open.
NOVOS Core contains a mixture of ingredients including glycine, calcium alpha-ketoglutarate, glucosamine sulfate, fisetin, pterostilbene, hyaluronic acid, and extracts of rhodiola and ginger. The formula was tested as a whole; the contribution of individual ingredients was not examined.
What the study measured
Of the 61 initially enrolled participants, 43 were included in the primary analysis: 24 in the supplement group and 19 in the placebo group. The researchers measured the function of the inner lining of blood vessels, the endothelium. This layer normally responds to increased blood flow by releasing signals that relax surrounding muscle cells. That response generally declines with age.
After six months of supplementation, participants in the supplement group showed improvements in artery function and a reduction in systolic blood pressure compared to placebo. Participants had no severe hypertension and were selected as healthy non-smokers.
Important caveats
Attrition was considerable: of the 61 participants, 18 were not included in the primary analysis, largely for unexplained reasons. This may have affected the results. The placebo group was also on average older (60 years) than the supplement group (53 years) at enrolment. The authors acknowledge that a residual acute effect of the last dose cannot be fully ruled out at the final measurement.
NOVOS co-funded the study. Which specific ingredients are responsible for the measured effects is unknown. Larger follow-up studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Search terms to explore further: endothelial function aging, vascular aging trial, blood pressure supplement placebo-controlled