- The Endothelial Glycocalyx Is a Gel-Like Lining Inside Every Blood Vessel — and Most People Have Never Heard of It
- Standard Cardiovascular Screenings Focus on Large Arteries but Do Not Assess What Is Happening at the Microvascular Level
- How Published Research and Patented Lab-on-a-Chip Technology Are Advancing What We Know About Glycocalyx Function
- Why Lifestyle Factors Like Diet, Movement, and Targeted Supplementation May Help Maintain Glycocalyx Integrity
Scottsdale, AZ, March 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Calroy Health Sciences, a science-driven dietary supplement company focused on foundational health, has published a comprehensive educational resource exploring the role of the endothelial glycocalyx (EGX) in everyday circulation. The article, Microcirculation and Blood Flow: The Missing Link Between How You Feel Every Day and the Endothelial Glycocalyx, provides an accessible overview of the science behind a vascular structure most people have never heard of.
Dr. Joel Kahn, MD, integrative cardiologist, founder of the Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity in Bingham Farms, Michigan, and frequent educator for Calroy, explains: "The glycocalyx is a gel-like lining inside every blood vessel. When it's intact, blood flows the way it should. When it thins, the body feels it — even before standard tests pick anything up."
KEY FACTS
- The endothelial glycocalyx is a delicate, micro-thin, gel-like lining that coats the inside of every blood vessel, helping regulate vascular function throughout the body, including at the microvascular level.
- Research published in the National Library of Medicine has identified vascular elasticity as a marker of endothelial function (PubMed: 28356037).
- The EGX plays a functional role in supporting the movement of nutrients and oxygen from blood vessels into surrounding tissue.
- Most routine cardiovascular screenings focus on large arteries and do not assess endothelial glycocalyx integrity or microvascular function.
- Calroy Health Sciences utilizes patented microfluidic chip technology to simulate vascular conditions in a lab-on-a-chip environment to study endothelial glycocalyx behavior.
- MonitumRS®, a proprietary extract of Rhamnan sulfate from Monostroma nitidum, is scientifically shown to protect and restore the endothelial glycocalyx.*†
The Endothelial Glycocalyx Is a Gel-Like Lining Inside Every Blood Vessel — and Most People Have Never Heard of It
The endothelial glycocalyx is one of the most important structures in the vascular system — and one of the least discussed. This delicate, micro-thin lining coats the interior of every blood vessel in the body, from the largest arteries to the smallest capillaries. Only recently discovered and often overlooked, it is foundational to vascular health and total-body vitality. The EGX acts as a semi-permeable barrier, facilitates smooth blood flow, and houses the enzymes involved in nitric oxide production — the molecule that helps blood vessels relax and support healthy circulation.*
When the glycocalyx is intact, blood flow at the microvascular level proceeds efficiently. Maintaining glycocalyx integrity supports efficient nutrient delivery and vascular responsiveness at the capillary level. The Calroy Health Sciences education center provides a detailed introduction to how the glycocalyx functions within the broader circulatory system.
Standard Cardiovascular Screenings Focus on Large Arteries but Do Not Assess What Is Happening at the Microvascular Level
Most cardiovascular assessments focus on large-vessel metrics — arterial imaging and standard panels that evaluate the body's primary supply routes. These tools are valuable, but they do not evaluate what is happening at the microvascular level. The glycocalyx exists in the smallest blood vessels — the capillaries — where nutrient exchange actually occurs. This means a person can receive clear results from standard vascular screenings while their microcirculation tells a different story.
A peer-reviewed study available through the National Library of Medicine found that vascular elasticity markers can serve as early indicators of endothelial function, suggesting that tools beyond standard panels may be needed to understand full circulatory health. Calroy's proprietary microfluidic chip technology was developed to help address this gap by simulating vascular conditions in a controlled lab-on-a-chip environment.
How Published Research and Patented Lab-on-a-Chip Technology Are Advancing What We Know About Glycocalyx Function
Calroy Health Sciences has built research around a simple question: can the glycocalyx be supported through targeted nutritional science? The company's approach combines published peer-reviewed research with proprietary technology. Its research library includes studies on Rhamnan sulfate, nitric oxide pathways, and cartilage support.
Dr. Kahn notes: "What makes the glycocalyx conversation so important is that it connects how people feel every day — their energy, their clarity, their recovery — to a structure that science can study and support."
The company's Science and Medical Advisory Board includes physicians, researchers, and practitioners who guide product development and ensure claims are rooted in published science.
Why Lifestyle Factors Like Diet, Movement, and Targeted Supplementation May Help Maintain Glycocalyx Integrity
The glycocalyx is a structure to support — and lifestyle factors including diet, movement, hydration, and targeted supplementation all play a role in maintaining glycocalyx integrity. Calroy's educational approach emphasizes that an antioxidant-dense diet, regular movement, healthy sleep routines, and mindfulness all contribute to overall wellness and vascular well-being. The company's flagship product, Arterosil HP® with MonitumRS®, supports vascular integrity and healthy circulation.*
MonitumRS is scientifically shown to protect and restore the endothelial glycocalyx.*† Additional resources on EGX science are available at Calroy's introduction to the endothelial glycocalyx and through practitioner-focused research on the EGX.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why do I still feel tired even though my blood work is normal?
Standard panels assess large-vessel markers but do not always evaluate microvascular function or glycocalyx integrity. Reduced blood flow at the capillary level — where oxygen and nutrient exchange actually happens — may affect energy and recovery even when routine screenings come back with clear results.
What is microcirculation and why does it matter?
Microcirculation is the movement of blood through your smallest vessels — the capillaries. It's where your body actually delivers oxygen and nutrients to tissue. Just like large-artery circulation, microcirculation is also influenced by a structure called the endothelial glycocalyx, which most people have never heard of. A detailed overview is available at calroy.com/education/microcirculation-and-blood-flow.
What does the lining of your blood vessels actually do?
The endothelial glycocalyx is a delicate, micro-thin, gel-like lining that coats the interior of every blood vessel. It acts as a semi-permeable barrier, facilitates smooth blood flow, and houses the enzymes involved in nitric oxide production. When the glycocalyx is compromised, circulation is affected and every organ feels the impact.
Are there tests that measure how well blood flows in small blood vessels?
Most standard cardiovascular screenings focus on large arteries and many don't assess microvascular function. Emerging research, including a peer-reviewed study on vascular elasticity markers (PubMed: 28356037), suggests that new tools may be needed to evaluate what's happening at the capillary level.
Can what you eat affect your blood vessels?
Yes. Lifestyle factors including diet, hydration, movement, and healthy sleep routines can influence the integrity of the vascular system and likely the endothelial glycocalyx — the structure that lines every blood vessel and supports microcirculation. An antioxidant-rich diet and regular movement support cardiovascular and overall health.*
What supplements actually help with circulation?
The endothelial glycocalyx is the micro-thin lining inside every blood vessel where blood flow regulation begins at the capillary level. Arterosil HP® with MonitumRS® supports vascular integrity and healthy circulation.* MonitumRS is scientifically shown to protect and restore the endothelial glycocalyx.*†
What is the difference between arteries and capillaries?
Arteries carry blood away from the heart through large vessels. Capillaries are the smallest vessels where the actual exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and waste occurs at the tissue level. The endothelial glycocalyx plays a key role in regulating the entire vascular system, including large arteries and tiny capillaries.
PUBLISHED RESEARCH & RESOURCES
- Research on the Endothelial Glycocalyx — Practitioner Resources
- Research on Rhamnan Sulfate from Monostroma Nitidum — Practitioner Resources
- Research on Nitric Oxide and the Vascular System — Practitioner Resources
- Markers of Vascular Elasticity and Endothelial Integrity — PubMed
- Calroy's Published Research — Calroy Health Sciences
- Calroy's Patents — Calroy Health Sciences
- Science and Medical Advisory Board — Calroy Health Sciences
- Quarterly Anchor Article — Calroy Health Sciences
About Calroy Health Sciences
Calroy Health Sciences is a science-driven dietary supplement company dedicated to supporting foundational health. Co-founded by CEO Ed Hoyt and Chief Scientific Officer Chen Chen, PhD, Calroy brings more than three decades of combined experience in the dietary supplement industry. The company's breakthrough products — Arterosil HP® with MonitumRS®, Vascanox HP® with Noxa24®, and Cartigenix HP® with RestorCel™ — are developed through a research-first approach that includes studying the finished formulated product, not just individual ingredients.
Calroy's research has been published in peer-reviewed journals and is conducted in partnership with major academic institutions, leading clinicians and researchers. The company also holds patents on its products and its microfluidic chip testing technology. For more information, visit calroy.com.
SME Available for Commentary: Joel Kahn, MD — Integrative Cardiologist, Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
†As demonstrated in an independent third-party laboratory in vitro study.Scottsdale, AZ, March 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Sarah Evans Partner, Head of PR, Zen Media sarah@zenmedia.com
