Vitamins C & E For Reversal of Severe Atherosclerosis
Following is a very instructive dialogue regarding severe atherosclerosis.
Compiled below are responses from the original question posed by Sergei. Thanks to all who responded.
There is evidence that reducing the viscosity of blood, which thickens as we age and with other life style habits and diseases, is the primary disk factor. In fact focusing on the blood chemistries rather then arterial walls and plagues could be key to reduce heart disease even reverse plaque etc. In addition to Vitamin E there are a number of nutrients such as certain enzymes that can reduce blood viscosity safely. This again is a safe non drug solution that should be the answer to this dreaded disease.... See:
Blood Viscosity The Key to Longevity
Chris Gupta
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Hi,Firstly, severe atherosclerosis will take years to develop. So a person with six coronary blockages is likely to have been in a poor disease state for some time (possibly decades) before starting vitamin C therapy. Prevention of atherosclerosis is a much easier task than reversal of plaque.
According to the hypothesis that atherosclerosis is a disease caused by oxidation and particularly lack of vitamin C , a person with diseased arteries will benefit from high dose supplementation with vitamin C. However, the dose required to reverse such disease is unknown. The limited evidence for reversal by vitamin C is for young plaques. The evidence for established arterial plaque is not available.
However, there is direct evidence that the tocotrienol form of vitamin E (not tocopherol) can reverse arterial plaque. Standard vitamin E will not have this effect. Coenzyme Q10 will also not work in this way, but is believed to be essential for someone taking statin drugs. It may be that lysine will also help but there are no direct clinical studies.
If I had atherosclerosis, I would take high dose vitamin C together with high dose tocotrienols. However, the time scales involved for benefit in plaque reduction are quite long at least 6 months and maximum benefits will occur after 18 months or longer. Immediate benefits such as less angina etc would be expected, but an established and possibly calcified plaque could not respond immediately.
Anyone considering such an approach should only do it in consultation with a competent physician. For example, if a person started on this treatment and believed that the initial increase in well being meant that they were restored to good health, they could make dangerous lifestyle changes. It might be a good idea to determine which physicians are able to use this treatment in their normal practice.
Thanks
Steve Hickey, PhD
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Chris, please pass this on to Sergei.
Sergei, please read my website for background. You are clearly high risk for more CV disease, a problem of inflammation within the arteries and your treatment must be directed against inflammation. I have attached two pages from my site most relevant but in addition you should read McCully's, Homocysteine Revolution and Ravnskov's, The Cholesterol Myths for background information. In your case the simple vitamins B6, B!2 and folic acid may turn out to be your greatest allies to improved health and your Lipitor, at today's usual doses, may be somewhat counterproductive. You must read to understand this.Duane Graveline, MD, MPH
Statin Drug side Effects: the misguided war on cholesterolSee: Frequently Asked Questions About Statins
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Chris, here in Edmonton Alberta, it costs only $25 (Cdn) to get a retina scan of both eyes, and another $20 to have the scans put on a CD. They can then be emailed to whomever for comment, and a subsequent scan can reveal the progress of the corrective treatment. Serge needs to consider this, as it is not invasive, and cheap.
Leo
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It truly amasses me that people will stop the nutrients most helpful to them , yet keep on the mainstream meds. I had two heart events , one in Oct one in Dec. Ended up with two stent in Dec, but no heart damage. I have been taking mega doses of vit c, vit e , coQ10. Co Q 10 is Vital for the circulatory system !tonkater@
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Sergei,I have had very high cholesterol (7 to 12) for years in fact they chose people like me for a life long study and I get checked via ultra sound every year and there still is no stenosis (blockage). In fact, since I learned about high fat low carb. diets, the already low residual plaques have further reduced.
See: Dr. Jan Kwasniewski's diet is not Atkin diet-Update
I don't bother with cholesterol but do check my homocysteine levels (very important) they are generally below 8. And you don't need drugs to reduce it, hence the lack of interest.... Most diseases are due to deficiencies in nutrients and there is no such thing as a deficiency of toxic drugs...
I will be forwarding more responses soon, as they are still coming in, where you will learn that it is the people with high cholesterol who live longer (from all causes) than those with low.
I am sorry to disappoint you regarding on what to believe as the theme of my site is on doing your own research instead of believing anyone (that includes me). So you will have research and make your own decisions. No one but no one can be as through as the one affected so dig in and you will come to your own enlightened conclusions...
You can start with the following and give them to your Doctor after:
LIPITOR,® THIEF OF MEMORY and why lowering cholesterol can be so dangerous
What you MUST know about Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs
Chris Gupta
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At 03:12 PM 26/03/2005, you wrote:Hello Chris,
Thank you for your assistance with the issue I am having regarding the chest pains I am experiencing. I appreciate the other peoples replies too. I have thought about what you suggested about not taking Lipitor and am leaning that direction. I have some hard questions for my doctor on Tuesday.My cholesterol levels were extremely high at the time of my heart attack (7.46 combined) and have dropped 50% since being put on Lipitor. It appears to lower cholesterol, but the side effects concern me. In a nutshell, is cholesterol all that "bad"?
I have been cautious as to what I eat, but found what you said puzzling. You mentioned to eat eggs (high in cholesterol), butter (high in fat) and stop vegetable oils and most milk products. That sort of goes against the grain of what all the Nutritionists told me in the hospital. How do I know which one to believe and which will be the best for me?
Again, thank you for your help, it is very much appreciated.Sergei Kirby
---------------------Sergei, I have bcc'd to Owen Fonorow, Naturopath and Dr. Hickey who are experts on this treatment. My first reaction is that this is happening form the drugs you are on. Did you stop taking these? Heart muscle weakness amongst other things are the symptoms you describe attributed to statins (Lipitor). Also one cannot depend only on just those three nutrients as they don't address the deficiencies of B6/12 and associated complexes (have you had your homocysteine Checked?), magnesium (chloride or citrate will post more on this later) and vitamin E, particularly the type mentioned in Dr. Hickey's book, are a must.
Think it is a mistake to stop taking vitamin C / Lysine / CoQ10 (you my need to take Proline as well). Also if you have cut back on saturated fats, as most misguided heart patents do, then you will develop even more mineral deficiencies. Do do take some organic butter and eggs (unless your allergic to them) in your diet and stop all processed foods (this includes all vegetable oils (unrefined olive for salads, coconut and palm for cooking are the only exceptions) and most milk products, unless raw, these are all adulterated)! CQ10 is most effective when taken at body temperature with butter. Without proper fats your are wasting most of it!
See:
Orthomolecular Solutions to Heart Disease
Magnesium: Research Misconduct?
Chris Gupta
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At 04:33 PM 25/03/2005, skirby1 wrote:Hello Chris,
First I would like to say thank you for your efforts on getting these two vitamins the recognition they deserve. Again, thank you.
I would like to ask a question about using these two vitamins, if you could be so kind as to answer them I would appreciate it. At only age 40 I found myself in a hospital emergency room hearing the words "you've had a heart attack". What the hell happened?? I am only 40. In short, I have 6 blockages ranging from 40% (3), 60%(2) and 99%. I am on the usual list of pharmaceutical money makers such as Lipitor.A good friend of mine, James Kinsley, mentioned the vitamin C theory, I read the book "Ascorbate" and countless documents on benefits of vitamin C, I decided to start taking 15,000mgs/day of vitamin C, 5,000mgs of Lysine and 400mgs of CoQ10. I was feeling great, strong and experienced probably 95% less angina than before I started taking this regiment of pills. All of a sudden about after 3 loyal months into this daily intake, the heart pain returned. But this time with vengeance, I could barely do any daily tasks without severe angina attacks.
I started a physical exercise plan (walking) and stopped with the vitamin C/Lysine/CoQ10. I am feeling better now which I think is largely due to the exercise. I want to start the vitamin C regiment again, but am nervous to do so. Have you heard of anyone else having this and would it be related to the vitamin C / Lysine / CoQ10?
Your time is appreciated, thank you in advance.
Regards,Sergei Kirby
posted by Chris Gupta on Monday April 11 2005
updated on Tuesday November 29 2005URL of this article:
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/chris/2005/04/11/vitamins_c_e_for_reversal_of_severe_atherosclerosis.htm
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