ACEND

COVID-19, Vascular Aging, and How ACEND® CI Can Support Endothelial Health

September 29, 2025  
Contributing Authors: Team TRILITY / ACEND

COVID-19 doesn’t just hit the lungs—it can leave a vascular fingerprint that looks a lot like “fast-forwarded aging.” A large, international analysis published in the European Heart Journal reports that people who’ve had COVID show signs of accelerated vascular aging—notably increased arterial stiffness—with the effect especially pronounced in women months after infection. (PubMed)

Why does this matter? As arteries stiffen and the endothelium (the inner lining of blood vessels) falters, risks rise for hypertension, atherosclerosis, and downstream events like heart attack and stroke. Early evidence suggests these changes can persist long after the acute illness—and may be detectable by gold-standard measures such as carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV). (PubMed)

ACEND® Chronic Inflammation (CI) was designed as a daily medical-food matrix to calm systemic inflammation, reduce oxidative stress, and support mitochondrial and endothelial function—precisely the domains implicated in post-COVID vascular aging biology. Below, we map the exact ACEND-CI ingredients you provided to the key mechanisms linked to COVID-accelerated vascular aging, with peer-reviewed references for each mechanism and ingredient.

The problem: how COVID accelerates vascular aging

1) Arterial stiffness rises after infection (especially in women). Multiple analyses show long-term increases in cfPWV and other stiffness indices post-COVID, with the most robust signal observed in women. (PubMed)

2) Endothelial dysfunction—reduced nitric-oxide (NO) bioavailability, upregulated adhesion molecules (e.g., ICAM/VCAM), and impaired flow-mediated dilation (FMD)—is a central feature linking SARS-CoV-2 exposure to persistent vascular risk. (MDPI)

3) Oxidative stress & inflammatory signaling (NF-κB; IL-6; TNF-α) and innate immune complexes (e.g., NLRP3 inflammasome activation) strain vascular cells and smooth muscle. (PubMed)

4) Microbiome–vascular crosstalk shifts after infection; dysbiosis and endotoxemia can amplify systemic inflammation that impairs endothelial tone. (See supportive cardiometabolic/tea/polyphenol data below.) (Europe PMC)

How ACEND® CI maps to these mechanisms

Formulation (as provided):
ACEND Proprietary Blend (1338 mg): Betaine Anhydrous; N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC); Quercetin Dihydrate; Curcumin (CurcuRouge®); Boron (Bororganic™ Glycine); Green Tea Extract (Epicatechins); Grape Seed Extract (Proanthocyanidins); Dihydroquercetin; Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856 (LactoSpore®, 280M CFU); Black Cumin Seed Extract (Nigellin®); Luteolin; Dihydromyricetin; Astaxanthin (AstaFerm®)
Vitamins / Minerals Blend (829 mg): Magnesium Citrate; Calcium Citrate; Potassium Bicarbonate; Dicalcium Phosphate; Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C); Potassium Chloride; Zinc Citrate; d-alpha Tocopheryl Succinate (Vitamin E); Selenium Methionine (Selenium); Niacinamide (B3); Menaquinone-7 (Vitamin K2); Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3); d-Calcium Pantothenate (B5); Pyridoxine HCl (B6); Biotin (B7); Manganese Citrate; Riboflavin (B2); Chromium Picolinate; Thiamine Mononitrate (B1); L-5-MTHF Calcium (BioFolate®); Potassium Iodide; Methylcobalamin (B12).
Other Ingredients: Citric Acid; L-Malic Acid; Natural Flavor; Silicon Dioxide; Reb M (Fermented Sugarcane); Organic Acacia Gum (Prebiotic Fiber).

A) Endothelial NO biology, FMD, and arterial stiffness

  • Curcumin (CurcuRouge®): Human trials show curcumin improves endothelial function (FMD) and reduces large-artery stiffness over 12 weeks, likely via oxidative-stress reduction and increased NO bioavailability. (PMC)
  • Grape Seed Extract (OPCs): RCTs in adults with prehypertension demonstrated improved vascular endothelial indices and reduced pulse wave velocity after 12 weeks. (PMC)
  • Green Tea Epicatechins: Controlled trials and meta-analyses support tea-driven improvements in endothelial-dependent vasodilation (FMD). (Note: some work suggests whole tea matrices outperform isolated EGCG for FMD specifically—ACEND includes epicatechins within a polyphenol matrix.) (Europe PMC)
  • Menaquinone-7 (Vitamin K2): MK-7 has been shown to slow progression of arterial stiffness in high-risk cohorts and improve stiffness indices in postmenopausal women—an especially relevant group given the sex-specific COVID signal. (PubMed)
  • Magnesium + Vitamin D3 + Zinc: These nutrients contribute to endothelial function and vascular tone; translational and clinical reviews highlight their supportive role in dysfunctional microvascular responses. (Nature)

B) Anti-inflammatory actions tied to vascular aging

  • Quercetin + Dihydroquercetin (Taxifolin): Quercetin mitigates endothelial dysfunction via antioxidant, anti-adhesive, and autophagy-modulating actions. Taxifolin shows endothelium-dependent relaxation benefits and anti-inflammatory effects in vascular models. (PMC)
  • Luteolin: Suppresses TNF-α/NF-κB signaling and reduces vascular inflammation and leukocyte adhesion in preclinical models. (PMC)
  • Black Cumin Seed (Nigella sativa; Nigellin®): Systematic reviews/meta-analyses report improvements in endothelial markers (ICAM/VCAM) and cardiometabolic risk factors; preclinical and small clinical studies suggest endothelial benefits. (PMC)

C) Oxidative stress, redox biology, and mitochondrial support

  • N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC): A classic glutathione precursor with endothelial-protective redox effects; older human data show improved coronary/peripheral endothelial function with NAC, while newer reviews emphasize NAC’s potential to modulate oxidative stress and NO bioactivity (including S-nitroso adduct chemistry). (Clinical outcomes vary by population and dose.) (JACC)
  • Astaxanthin (AstaFerm®): A potent antioxidant carotenoid; RCT data on arterial stiffness are mixed, but ongoing trials are assessing endothelial outcomes in cardiometabolic cohorts. (PubMed)
  • Dihydromyricetin (DHM): Emerging vascular data indicate DHM may suppress endothelial NLRP3 inflammasome activation and modulate mitophagy—mechanisms tightly linked to oxidative-inflammatory vascular damage. (BioMed Central)
  • Vitamin E (d-alpha tocopheryl succinate) & Vitamin C (ascorbyl palmitate): Antioxidants that protect membrane lipids and regenerate redox balance in vascular tissues (supportive evidence base; effects can be context-dependent). (MDPI)

D) Homocysteine and one-carbon metabolism

  • Betaine + BioFolate® (L-5-MTHF) + B-vitamins (B2, B6, B12, Niacinamide, B5, Biotin): Betaine consistently lowers plasma homocysteine in meta-analyses and RCTs; although homocysteine lowering hasn’t always translated to macro-outcome reductions, supporting methylation status is a rational endothelial strategy, especially post-infection. (PMC)

E) Gut–vascular axis

  • Probiotic Bacillus coagulans (LactoSpore®) + Organic Acacia Gum (prebiotic fiber): Dietary polyphenols and fibers can improve FMD and reduce systemic inflammatory tone via microbiome-derived metabolites and endotoxin buffering; B. coagulans has supportive data for systemic inflammation modulation, while soluble fibers like acacia strengthen the intestinal barrier—an emerging pathway relevant to post-COVID vascular health. (Europe PMC)

How to frame ACEND® CI in a post-COVID vascular health plan

  • Daily foundational support: ACEND-CI’s multi-pathway design (polyphenols + antioxidant amino-thiol + K2/D3/Mg + microbiome support) matches the multifactorial nature of COVID-associated vascular aging.
  • Women’s health emphasis: Because the strongest arterial-stiffness signals post-COVID have been observed in women—including post-menopause—ACEND-CI’s inclusion of MK-7 (arterial stiffness data in postmenopausal women) and curcumin/GSE (FMD and PWV support) is strategically relevant. (PubMed)
  • Expect additive (not magical) effects: Trials vary by dose, matrix, and population. Several nutrients show mechanistic and clinical signals (e.g., curcumin, grape seed, MK-7), while others (e.g., NAC, astaxanthin) show context-dependent results. ACEND-CI’s strength is matrix synergy across inflammation, redox, NO, stiffness, and the gut–vascular axis.

Therefore, for individuals recovering from COVID—or proactively protecting vascular health—ACEND® CI offers a comprehensive, evidence-aligned approach to support endothelial function, manage arterial stiffness drivers, and reduce oxidative-inflammatory load over time. (PubMed)

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References

COVID-19 and vascular aging

  • Bruno RM, et al. Accelerated vascular ageing after COVID-19 infection. Eur Heart J. 2025. (Women particularly affected). (PubMed)
  • European Society of Cardiology. Covid infection ages blood vessels, especially in women (press release). 2025. (European Society of Cardiology)
  • Loboda D, et al. Variability in arterial stiffness and endothelial function after COVID-19 (systematic review). Life (Basel). 2025. (MDPI)

Endothelial function, stiffness & ACEND-CI actives

  • Santos-Parker JR, et al. Curcumin improves vascular endothelial function in humans. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2017. (PMC)
  • “Curcumin supplementation…” Aging (Albany NY) (long-form report of the same human trial). 2017. (Aging-US)
  • Odai T, et al. Grape seed proanthocyanidin extract improves BP and endothelial function; reduces PWV(RCT). 2019. (PMC)
  • Ras RT, et al. Tea consumption enhances endothelial-dependent vasodilation (FMD) (meta-analysis). 2011. (Europe PMC)
  • Sagris M, et al. From a Cup of Tea to Cardiovascular Care (review of vascular effects of tea polyphenols). J Clin Med. 2024. (PMC)
  • Knapen MHJ, et al. Menaquinone-7 improves arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women (DB-RCT). 2015; with additional contemporary data in high-risk cohorts. (PubMed)

Anti-inflammatory and redox pathways

  • Dagher O, et al. Quercetin to alleviate endothelial dysfunction (review). 2021; plus 2025 update on endothelial mechanisms. (PMC)
  • Jia Z, et al. Luteolin protects against vascular inflammation via IκBα/NF-κB. 2014/2015. (PMC)
  • Andrews NP, et al. N-acetylcysteine improves coronary and peripheral endothelial function (classic human data); recent mechanistic updates. (JACC)
  • Hu Q, et al. Dihydromyricetin suppresses endothelial NLRP3/mitophagy dysregulation. Lipids Health Dis.2024. (BioMed Central)
  • Ali M, et al. Nigella sativa and endothelial markers (ICAM/VCAM)—systematic review/meta-analysis. 2024. (PMC)

Homocysteine & one-carbon metabolism

  • McRae MP. Betaine supplementation lowers plasma homocysteine (meta-analysis). 2013; with newer RCTs showing similar directionality. (PMC)

Notes on evidence: Some agents (e.g., astaxanthin, selenium) have mixed or context-specific vascular results; ACEND-CI’s value proposition is multi-pathway coverage where mechanisms and selected clinical endpoints (FMD, PWV) show the strongest signals. (PubMed)

Note: Always consult with a healthcare professional before considering any treatment options or significant dietary changes.