Archive

Health Bits and Pieces
By Michael Janson, M.D.
October 15, 2008

Arterial disease: cholesterol or calcium? A question goes begging for an answer. With all the efforts by modern medicine to prevent heart attacks with diets and pills, why do Americans experience the same number of heart attacks each year? Why is there no meaningful decline in the coronary artery disease mortality rate? In their review of published data, Drs. John Abramson and James Wright cite there is no evidence that statin cholesterol-lowering drugs reduce mortality rates. [Lancet 2007 Jan 20; 369(9557):168-9] More recently, French doctors concede many heart attacks are explained by factors other than cholesterol (such as plaque rupture, alcohol or drug abuse, excessive blood clotting, and coronary artery spasm). [Bulletin Academy National Medicine 191: (4-5) 815-24, 2007] Cholesterol is soft and waxy and not likely to be a factor in arterial stiffening. But arterial calcifications do stiffen arteries. [Acta Pathology Microbiology Immunology Scandinavia [A]. 1987; 290:1-28] Indeed, only 3% of arterial plaque is cholesterol, 50% is calcium. [International Journal Cardiology1991, Nov; 33 (2): 191-8]

Coronary heart disease incidence and mortality remains very low in Japan despite major dietary changes and increased risk factors that should have resulted in a substantial increase in coronary heart disease rates. For men aged 40-49 years, levels of total cholesterol and blood pressure have been similar in Japan and the U.S. throughout their lifetimes. This prompted disease investigators to compare a group of men in Kasutsu City, Japan with men in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. While the Japanese men exhibited less-favorable profiles for many risk factors, the presence of arterial calcification (10 or greater calcium score) was only about half that of American men. [American Journal Epidemiology165: 617-24, March 15, 2007]

A recent analysis published in The New England Journal of Medicine reveals a 773-967% increased risk for a major adverse event (heart attack or sudden cardiac death) for adults with calcium artery scores of 101-300 and above 300 respectively, compared to subjects with a calcium artery score of zero. [New England Journal Medicine 358: 1336-45; March 27, 2008] In a relatively recent study, a statin drug reduced serum cholesterol levels by -53%, and C-reactive protein by -49%, but the rate of change for coronary artery calcification was +26% per year among statin drug users compared to only +18% among patients given an inactive placebo tablet. Patients with low cholesterol levels still developed arterial calcifications. [Heart 92: 1187-88, Sept. 2006] Modern medicine is getting closer to declaring calcification as the major promoter of arterial disease. The cholesterol theory of heart disease should be abandoned.

Mental depression and nutrients. It is known that low levels of B vitamins, particularly folic acid (Vitamin B9), are associated with mental depression. [Journal Epidemiology Community Health 2007 Jul; 61(7):631-7] Folic-acid supplementation often reduces symptoms of depression, particularly among older patients. [Clinical Nutrition 26(5):545-51, Oct. 2007] Now add the trace mineral selenium to the list of natural anti-depressants, particularly for older adults. In a recent study conducted in Great Britain, even though no subjects exhibited low reference ranges of selenium, 8 weeks of selenium supplementation produced a marked decrease in depression. [Gerontology May 8, 2008, early online] One-third of older people in nursing and/or residential homes have significant symptoms of depression.

Gout and Vitamin C. Gout (common symptom = painful big toe, often associated with meat eating and high iron levels) was recently studied among 1387 men. Greater intake of Vitamin C was associated with lower blood-serum, uric-acid concentrations – uric acid being the agent that causes symptoms of gout. As Vitamin-C intake levels increased, uric acid concentrations declined:

Vitamin C intake/day Uric acid level

90-249 mg 6.4
250-499 mg 6.1
500-999 mg 5.7
1000 mg or more 5.7

Vitamin C prevents gout. [Journal Rheumatology May 1, 2008, early online]

Brainy dogs. Teaching old dogs new tricks can be a challenge, but when University of Toronto researchers provided aged dogs a nutraceutical supplement of phosphatidylserine, Ginkgo biloba, Vitamin E, and Vitamin B6, the dogs exhibited improved memory. [Canadian Veterinary Journal2008 Apr; 49(4):379-85] Dogs do not know what the placebo effect is. Senility is not inevitable and it can be reversed.

MSG and obesity. The taste enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG) in foods has long been damned for causing headaches and other undesirable symptoms. If for nothing else, why do we bewail high obesity rates and then permit MSG to be added to baby foods, prepared foods and soups, and even liquid meal replacements for seniors? MSG is widely used in Asia and the obesity epidemic is not as prevalent among Asian populations. So does MSG contribute to overeating problems? Researchers at the Department of Nutrition at the School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, investigated. These researchers found 82% of study participants in China added MSG to their foods, with the average intake being 330 milligrams per day. Prevalence of overweight was higher among MSG users. The risk of being overweight more than doubled among high-MSG users. [Obesity May 22, 2008, early online]

Copyright 2008 Bill Sardi, Knowledge of Health, Inc. exclusively for NHF