Horse chestnut extract, is primarily used as a traditional remedy for vascular problems like chronic venous insufficiency, or CVI, a condition in which the veins do not efficiently return blood from the legs to the heart. Horse chestnut promotes normal tone of the vein wall, thereby improving circulation through the veins. Benefits can include reduced leakage of the capillaries and a reduction in lower leg swelling.

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Nattokinase. Vascular inflammation in the arterial walls can close off blood vessels as tightly as the build-up of plaque itself. Inflammation in the cardiovascular system is no different than inflammation elsewhere in the body. As a response to trauma, injury, or repeated insult to the body, inflammation sets off a cascade of events that becomes the root cause of the components of cardiovascular disease.

Without the proper mechanisms for managing chronic stress to the body and the inflammation that ensues, the body is vulnerable to uncontrolled inflammation and fibrosis which lead to plaque build-up and circulatory dysfunction.

Nattokinase is a profibrinolytic enzyme extracted and purified from the essence of natto, a fermented soybean food used by the Japanese for thousands of years as a traditional food medicine. Nattokinase was first identified in 1980 by Dr. Hiroyuki Sumi, M.D., Ph.D., who was researching thrombolytic enzymes to dissolve dangerous blood clots.

Nattokinase is especially therapeutic when targeting thrombi in the cardiovascular system.

Because enzymes are a natural component in a healthy body, there is very little risk or occurrence of toxicity.

 

Gotu kola. Among the supplements that help combat CVI, scientists believe that gotu kola is the most effective, mainly because it promotes healthy connective tissue, a key structural component of veins. Gotu kola stimulates the production of collagen, a protein found in the fibrous tissue of blood vessels and is effective not only at rebuilding weakened connective tissue in the veins, but also at inhibiting edema and improving microcirculation.

 

Butcher's broom has the ability to relive leg pain caused by poor circulation and related symptoms, including swelling, itching, cramping, heaviness, tension and numbness. One study, published in the 2002 edition of the German medical journal “Arzneimittel-Forschung,” examined patients with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition similar to varicose veins. The study found that butcher's broom extract administered for 12 weeks significantly reduced symptoms. It has been approved by Germany's regulatory commission for herbal therapies as a treatment for chronic venous insufficiency.

 

Bilberry. Bilberry contains potent antioxidants called anthocyanosides, which strengthen blood vessels and capillary walls and improve red blood cells. Bilberry supplements are used to prevent and treat circulation problems, including chronic venous insufficiency. Bilberry fruit are also antiangiogenic, meaning they can reduce the growth of blood vessels that may lead to varicose veins.

 

Bromelain. Varicose veins and spider veins have excess amounts of fibrin, a fibrous protein that promotes the clotting of blood. Bromelain is the digestive enzyme derived from the stems of pineapples that can break down fibrin and promote better circulation. It treats chronic venous insufficiency and may prevent the swelling and soreness caused by varicose veins.

 

Pine bark extract. The OPCs in pine bark extract bind to the collagen in blood vessel walls making capillaries stronger and more elastic, which subsequently improves circulation and reduces blood pressure. It has anti-inflammatory effects, and has been shown to reduce symptoms of chronic inflammation, a contributor to venous insufficiency and also reduces capillary permeability and fragility.  In an eight-week study in the U.K., pine bark extract was used to treat 21 patients who had suffered from severe chronic venous insufficiency for six years. After taking pine bark extract, everyone showed significant improvement in edema, as well as circulation problems, as opposed to the control group which showed no change. The researchers concluded that pine bark extract can play a significant role in the management of venous insufficiency and may also be useful in preventing sores that commonly appear on the legs of people with DVT. Pine Bark makes blood platelets less “sticky”, helping to reduce blood clots. 

 

Hawthorne Berry Extract. This herb acts as a vasodilator, increasing blood supply to the heart and improving circulation to the extremities by decreasing arterial resistance. hawthorn increases coronary artery blood flow, improves circulation, and lowers blood pressure.