Novos Core supplement improves vascular health biomarkers in six-month trial

A new randomized controlled trial has found that a multi-component nutritional supplement improved vascular health markers in participants after six months. The Novos Core supplement contains select vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and plant-derived bioactives to support biological processes associated with aging. 

Researchers from the University of Surrey in the UK found that Novos Core improved endothelial function, arterial stiffness, and systolic blood pressure, with benefits observed from one hour after the first dose.

The trial involved 61 people, with 33 who received the supplement and 28 who took a placebo.

The findings reveal that there were no significant lipid changes, which the researchers say indicates the vascular improvements weren’t driven by lipid lowering.

Meanwhile, they note that a modest reduction in estimated 10-year cardiovascular risk was linked to decreases in systolic blood pressure.

What biomarkers reveal

The biomarkers measured indicate complementary aspects of vascular health that are linked to cardiovascular risk, not clinical outcomes, explain the researchers.

“Biological aging is not driven by one pathway but by a number of interacting molecular and cellular processes,” says Christian Heiss, professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Surrey. 

He explains that the study explored whether a nutritional supplement could address several of these processes at the same time to produce measurable effects on cardiovascular health biomarkers.

“As a first step, we looked at established biomarkers of vascular health, such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels, rather than clinical outcomes. We found favorable changes in endothelial function, arterial stiffness, and systolic blood pressure after six months,” says Heiss. 

“These findings are encouraging. We now need larger studies to understand the mechanisms involved and, importantly, whether these changes translate into longer-term health benefits.” 

Study details

The findings in European Heart Journal Open show that participants taking Novos Core had improved flow-mediated dilation, a measure of endothelial function, compared with the placebo group. The study was funded by Novos Labs, which supplies Novos Core and other supplements. 

At six months, systolic blood pressure was 6.1 mmHg lower in the supplement group than in the placebo group after adjustment. Systolic blood pressure measures the force of blood pushing against artery walls when the heart beats.

The researchers point out that previous large studies have found that a 5 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure is associated with a nearly 10% reduction in major cardiovascular events when sustained over time.

Additionally, the pulse wave velocity — a measure of arterial stiffness — was lower in the supplement group compared with the placebo group, with an adjusted between-group difference of 1.18 m/s after six months.

The team adds that participants’ estimated 10-year cardiovascular risk decreased modestly, largely reflecting the difference in systolic blood pressure.

“This study is a good example of how ideas emerging from the biology of aging can be tested rigorously in people,” comments professor Juliet Wright, founding dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Surrey.

“The findings provide an interesting proof of concept, but the important next step is to understand the underlying biology and establish whether changes in cardiovascular biomarkers translate into meaningful longer-term health benefits.”