NUTRIENTS TO SUPPORT A 
HEALTHY HEART FOR 2005

 

 

Did you know that February is Heart Health Month?  With cardiovascular disease a catastrophic killer of modern society, a gradual shift to treat the illness, has engaged the use of natural supplements.  Some of these over the counter pills have creditable studies, while others do not.  We will explore the recent research.  

 

These findings are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent heart disease.

PLEASE NOTE:  Never discontinue a prescription heart medication without consulting with your physician.

 

DEADLY FACTS

 

Every 33 seconds, someone dies of heart disease.  That means by the time you read this newsletter several people have died.  It remains one of the 2 top killers here in America, with cancer competing for this rank.  According to the American Heart Association, nearly 13 million people alive today have a history of a heart attack, angina or both.  Repeated heart attacks will reach the millions.  Before this day is over 2,600 heart disease related deaths will occur.

 

(Budoff Matthew, MD, FACC, Enhancing Hearth Health, Preventing a Heart Attack, IMPAKT Health, Boulder, Co.  pp.1).

 

Is anybody listening?

 

OMEGA-3 Fatty Acids

 

This supplement is probably the best know to combat heart disease.  It is even supported by the FDA in September 2004, to reduce coronary heart disease.  These good fats are known to improve vascular function.  The FDA recommends not to exceed more than 3 g/days of these fats, and suggested 2/g per day, used as a dietary supplement.  The American Heart Association, on the other hand recommends between 2 g to 4 g/day of EPA and DHA (No author listed), American Heart Association. New guidelines focus on fish, fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids.  Journal Report.

 

www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtm?dentifier=3006581).

 

These wonderful fish oils seem to lower cholesterol levels.  This is because omega-3 supports better blood flow, including lowering triglycerides, reducing blood and plasma viscosity and improving general endothelial dysfunction (Holub BJ. Fish oils and cardiovascular disease. Canadian Med Assoc J 1989;141:1063 and Angerer P, von Schacky C.  N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and cardiovascular system.  Curr Opin Lipidol 2000;11 (1):57-63).

 

In yes even another study, EPA and DHA improved arterial and endothelial function in people with hypercholesterolemia (Goodfellow J, et al.  Dietary supplements with marine omega-3 fatty acids improve systemic large artery endothelial function in subjects with hypercholesterolemia. J Am Coll Cardiol  2000;35(2):265-70).

 

Maybe, the sign, " EAT FISH LIVE LONGER," was right?

 

 

PLANT STEROL AND STANOL ESTERS

Who would ever think that plant cell membranes that structurally resemble cholesterol, would be a warrior against high cholesterol? These plant sterol and stanol esters are present naturally in foods such as: corn, wheat, rye, oats, olive oil.  The major sterols-sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol can be presented in Western diets almost equal to dietary cholesterol (170 to 358 mg/d). In the 1950's researchers found if they added sitosterol to the diet of chickens and rabbits, it lower their cholesterol levels and stopped atherosclerosis (Pollak OJ, Kritchevsky D. Sitosterol. Monogr Atherosler 1981;1`0:1-219).

 

Another study concluded that both esters improve cholesterol levels by helping block cholesterol absorption from the digestive tract (Vahouncy GV Kritchevsky D. Plant and marine sterols and cholesterol metabolism. In: Spiller GA editor.  Nutritional Pharmacology. New York (NY): Alan R Liss Inc.;1981. p.31-72).

 

 Think of it like this, the plant sterol competing with cholesterol for a parking space in your parking lot.  The plant sterol pushes the cholesterol out and parks there, thus cholesterol must move on and on. Until it is swept away from your arterial lot. In clinical research esters appear to work best when consumed twice daily. The University of Georgia researchers say 2 g to 3 g/day decrease total cholesterol and LDL between 9% and 20%, but consuming more did not bring better results ([No author listed], The University of Georgia Extension Service.  Reducing your risk of heart disease. www. fcs.uga.edu/pubs/pp/PPT-16ppt.).

 

Across the sea, a British study showed  a reduction of up to 14 percent with 2 g/day divided dose (Law M. Plant sterol and stanol margarines and health.  Brit Med J 2000;320;861-4).

 

Some food manufacturers are adding these esters to their food lines, such as yogurts, oils, orange juice etc.  Will the fast food chains make their food improved, by adding these cholesterol blockers?  I can see it now, a hamburger with added plant sterols, with a net amount of only 4 grams of cholesterol. 

 

 

NIACIN

 

Niacin known a B3, and nicotinic acid is approved by the FDA for treating elevated cholesterol levels.  In numerous studies show niacin reduced LDL (the bad guy cholesterol), by 10 to 25% and raised the HDL (the protective lipoproteins) between 15 and 35% (Martin-Jadraque R, et al.)

 

Effectiveness of low-dose crystalline nicotinic acid in men with low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Arch Inten Med 1996;156:1081-8).

 

Niacin causes vasodilation, resulting in the niacin flush, the capillaries open to increase blood flow.  This flush is harmless, but could be alarming to someone who does not understand what is going on.  In rare cases extended release forms of niacin may be toxic to the liver (Pieper JA. Understanding niacin formulations Am J Manag Care, 2002 (Sept);8(12Suppl):S308-14).

 

An interesting fact, that women seem to benefit more from niacin ,with a greater response to LDL, but may experience more side effects at higher doses (Goldberg AC. Clinical trail experience with extended-release niacin (Niaspan):dose-escalation study.  Am J Cardiol 1998;82(12A);35U-38U).

 

A study that used 2.1 g/day of niacin produced protective effects in people who already had heart disease risk factors (Mckenney JM, et al.  Effect of niacin and atorvastatin on lipoprotein subclasses in patients with atherogenic dyslipidemia. AM J Cardiol 2001;88:270-4). 

 

GARLIC

 

More than 350 scientific studies conducted at major universities have been completed on age garlic. states Matthew Budoff MD, FACC   Doctor Budoff is an assistant professor of at the UCLA School of Medicine and program director for the division of Cardiology. Garlic has a excellent safety record, used as aged garlic supplements. Here are some of garlic's clinical studies to support that it is a herb for a healthy heart: Platelet Adhesion:  Steiner,et al. J. Amer Coll. Nutr., 13 (5):524, 1994. Steiner and Li, J Nutr., 131:980S-984s, 2001.

 

IMPROVEMENTS OF 35-58%.

 

Platelet Aggregation:  same studies

 

IMPROVEMENT of 10-25% 

 

LDL Cholesterol:  Yeh,et al., J. Amer Coll Nutr., 13 (5):545, 1995. 

 

Yeh, et al., In Food Factor for Cancer Prev., 226-230, 1997.

 

And the list goes on and on.  For a more complete listing and an excellent book on Heart Health, please access Dr. Budoff, "Enhancing Hearth Health."

 

 

RED WINE POLYPHENOLS

 

Wine has been enjoyed for generations.  My Grandfather, Rocco, made his own red wine and as children we were given sips at Sunday dinner to enhance our general health.  And when sick, we were encourage to drink a little more to fight the germs and to sleep better.

 

Was there something to this?

 

Wine has more than 500 components (Van de Wiel A, Van Goulde HH.  Blessings of the grape.  Eir J Intem Med 2001;12:484-9). These flavonoids, and polyphenols have proven to actually inhibit heart disease. Red wine has the greatest concentration of flavonoids for heart protection (Soleas GJ, et al. Wine as a biological fluid: history, production, and role in disease prevention.  J Clin Lab Analysis 1997;11:287-313).

 

We are not engaging irresponsible drinking with these studies.

 

CONCLUSION

These supplements have been proven to help support a healthier heart, in conjunction with a low-risk lifestyle factors that you can control such as:  good diet, being cardiovascular fit, having a desirable weight, not living a sedentary life.  These are common sense factors that will save your life!

 

 

Matthew: 6:21

"For where your treasure is there will your heart be also."