Stretching – it’s good for you! We’ve all heard this for years. Becoming more flexible, decreasing risk of injury, improving your circulation, and even becoming stronger are some of the benefits of stretching.
KAATSU also stretches you, but in a completely different way. Using KAATSU stretches your veins and capillaries. When the KAATSU bands are inflated they create an engorgement of blood in your limb. To accommodate the additional blood volume your veins and capillaries – the microscopic blood vessels that make up 99 percent of your body’s circulatory system – are expanded. When the KAATSU bands deflate, those blood vessels contract back to their normal sizes.
Sounds Weird, but It’s Great!
I know – most people don’t get excited about the idea of engorging blood vessels, but this is a really good thing for a few reasons. The gentle expansion and contraction of the blood vessels causes the endothelial cells that line blood vessels to release Nitric Oxide, which is a molecule that helps relax and dilate blood vessels.
KAATSU use also leads to the secretion of Vascular Endothelial Cell Growth Factor (VEGF) and increases vascular endothelial progenitor cells (EPC). Data from research at the University of Tokyo Medical School Hospital’s 22nd Century Medical Centre from the Ischemic Circulation Physiology Department showed that the more often KAATSU was performed, the greater endothelium elasticity was achieved.
The more flexible and elastic your blood vessels are, the more healthy your cardiovascular system is. Inflexible and stiff arteries are an early sign of heart disease. Using KAATSU regularly can be a way to help maintain good cardiovascular health.
So, consider using KAATSU to help you stretch from the inside out. Your cardiovascular system will thank you!