fig6

Figure 6. Nutraceuticals and synthetic pharmacological agents that target mechanisms of cardiovascular aging. Due to barriers that may hinder adherence to consuming a healthy diet and aerobic exercise, nutraceutical and pharmacological compounds that mimic the benefits of “first-line” cardiovascular (CV) health-promoting behaviors are being studied as alternatives to promote optimal CV aging. These compounds target mechanisms of CV aging to improve overall vascular function, including (1) Reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability; (2) decreased mitochondrial fitness; and (3) autophagy; (4) increased inflammation; (5) reduced NAD⁺ bioavailability; and (6) increased cellular senescence.