Re: @@Anyone ever try the Linus Pauling treatment?

From: Matti Narkia (mnng1_REMOVE_THIS_at_despammed.com)
Date: 08/23/04 

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 21:58:16 +0300

Mon, 23 Aug 2004 17:49:23 GMT in article
<10ikbh1cbh7q998@corp.supernews.com> someoneX@hotmail.com (GS) wrote:

>In article <412883CD.60D0@heartmdphd.com>, cardiologist2@heartmdphd.com wrote:
>
>6 feet, 165 pounds.
>
Your BMI is 22.4. You are definitely _not_ overweight. If you are worried
about your cholesterol values try

- taurine
- arginine
- soy protein
- fiber (psyllium for example)
- plant sterols
- almonds
- green tea (also green tea extract in capsules)
- garlic
- cinnamon (1/4 tsp./d)

There is a study from last year which showed that cholesterol can be lowered
by a diet as much as with lovastatin:

Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Marchie A, Faulkner DA, Wong JM, de Souza R, Emam
A, Parker TL, Vidgen E, Lapsley KG, Trautwein EA, Josse RG, Leiter LA,
Connelly PW.
Effects of a dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods vs lovastatin
on serum lipids and C-reactive protein.
JAMA. 2003 Jul 23;290(4):502-10.
PMID: 12876093 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE
<URL:http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/290/4/502>

    "... RESULTS: The control, statin, and dietary portfolio
    groups had mean (SE) decreases in low-density lipoprotein
    cholesterol of 8.0% (2.1%) (P =.002), 30.9% (3.6%)
    (P<.001), and 28.6% (3.2%) (P<.001), respectively.
    Respective reductions in C-reactive protein were 10.0%
    (8.6%) (P =.27), 33.3% (8.3%) (P =.002), and 28.2% (10.8%)
    (P =.02). The significant reductions in the statin and
    dietary portfolio groups were all significantly different
    from changes in the control group. There were no
    significant differences in efficacy between the statin and
    dietary portfolio treatments. CONCLUSION: In this study,
    diversifying cholesterol-lowering components in the same
    dietary portfolio increased the effectiveness of diet as a
    treatment of hypercholesterolemia."
    
This study has been commented in the editorial of the same issue of JAMA:

Diet First, Then Medication for Hypercholesterolemia
James W. Anderson
JAMA. 2003;290:531-533.
<http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/290/4/531>

An excerpt which describes what nutrients were used:

    "... Intensive nutrition management requires the addition
    of soy protein,5 soluble (viscous) fiber,6 and plant
    sterols7 to the low-saturated-fat, low-trans-fatty-acid,
    low-cholesterol features of the American Heart Association
    diets.8 Intensive intervention with high-fiber, low-fat
    diets decreases serum LDL-C, but only by 16% from baseline
    values according to a meta-analysis of 12 controlled
    studies of individuals with diabetes.9 Thus, complementary
    nutrition measures are required to achieve serum
    cholesterol and LDL-C reductions of greater than 30%.
    Incorporating 3 to 6 g/d of soluble fiber from oat
    products or psyllium may decrease serum LDL-C levels by
    approximately 7%.6 Including 2 to 3 g/d of plant sterols
    into the regimen may reduce serum LDL-C by another 10% to
    15%.7 Psyllium and plant sterols are available in gel
    capsules and soluble fiber in palatable whole-grain oat
    cereals.

    Of all the cholesterol-lowering nutrients, soy protein has
    the broadest range of effects on serum lipoproteins and
    cardiovascular risks. Soy protein significantly decreases
    serum cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglyceride levels;
    slightly increases serum high-density lipoprotein
    cholesterol (HDL-C) levels5; and may selectively decrease
    the amount of atherogenic small, dense LDL particles.10 In
    addition to its beneficial effects on serum lipids, soy
    protein and its isoflavones reduce the risk of
    atherosclerotic disease by improving vascular reactivity,
    decreasing in vivo oxidation, preventing inflammation, and
    reducing platelet aggregation.11 Soy protein also
    favorably affects coronary artery vascular reactivity in
    monkeys12 and may enhance postischemic reperfusion in
    humans.13 In addition, soy protein intake lowers in vivo
    oxidation of LDL-C14 and serum homocysteine levels15 and
    may decrease C-reactive protein levels.2

    Although soy isoflavones may contribute to the
    hypocholesterolemic benefits of soy protein,5 recent data
    suggest that bioactive peptides may play a more important
    role.16 Soy protein is hydrolyzed in the intestine, and it
    appears that small peptides containing 4 to 6 amino acids
    are absorbed into the portal circulation.16 These soy
    peptides appear to activate hepatic LDL receptors with in
    vitro models17 and increase messenger RNA expression of
    LDL receptors in circulating human monocytes.18 Soy
    protein, peptides, and isoflavones may work together to
    produce effects on lipid metabolism and gene expression.
    In animal models, soy protein hydrolysates selectively
    decrease visceral adipose tissue19 and may have effects on
    enzymes involved in lipid metabolism,20 including the
    expression of their messenger RNA.21 In humans, soy
    protein intake appears to promote insulin sensitivity.22
    
    The findings of Jenkins et al2 suggest that intensive
    nutritional therapy that includes low intake of saturated
    fat, trans-fatty acid, and cholesterol, with emphasis on soy
    protein, soluble fiber, plant sterols, and almonds, may be
    a useful first-line intervention for select patients with
    dyslipidemia. ..."

This study has also been commented in the articles

Vegetarian diet may work as well as cholesterol drugs
<http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2003-07-23-cholesterol_x.htm>

    "... The fiber-rich vegetarian diet included eggplant, okra, soy
    protein, almonds, margarine containing plant sterols, barley and
    psyllium — foods that alone have been shown to have potentially
    beneficial effects on cholesterol ..."

and

Vegetarian diet nearly equals cholesterol drugs in study
<http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/healthscience/2001211480_cholesterol23.html>

    "... The vegetarian group showed an average drop of 28.6 percent in
    their LDL cholesterol, the "bad cholesterol" that can raise the risk
    of heart disease. That was about equal to the 30.9 percent reduction
    seen in the low-fat diet plus statin group. By contrast, the low-fat
    diet only group had just an 8 percent drop. ..."

Although this study apparently did not use fatty fish or fish oil, I think
it would be sensible to include also these, because fatty acids in fish
have been shown to inhibit cardiac arrhythmia and prevent sudden cardiac
death. An excerpt from the Harvard page

<http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats.html> :

    "Fish, an important source of the polyunsaturated fat
    known as omega-3, has received much attention in the past
    for its potential to lower heart disease risk. And there
    have been some studies to back this up, although not all
    have shown consistent benefits. One recent large trial,
    however, found that by getting 1 gram per day of omega-3
    fatty acids over a 3.5 year period, patients who had
    previous suffered heart attacks could lower their risk of
    dying from heart disease by 25 percent. (To get that
    amount of omega-3 fatty acids would require the equivalent
    of 1 daily serving of fatty fish, such as mackerel,
    salmon, sardines, or swordfish.) Although more research is
    needed, adding fish to the diet may help protect you from
    heart disease, and it doesn't have any known risks. The
    American Heart Association currently recommends that
    everyone eat at least two servings of fish a week."

A study about cinnamon:

Khan A, Safdar M, Ali Khan MM, Khattak KN, Anderson RA.
Cinnamon improves glucose and lipids of people with type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes Care. 2003 Dec;26(12):3215-8.
<URL:http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/26/12/3215>
(Commented in the article
"Cinnamon spice produces healthier blood"
<URL:http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994413>)

See also

Food Pyramids: Nutrition Source, Harvard School of Public Health
<URL:http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/pyramids.html>

Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition Source
<URL:http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/index.html> 

-- 
Matti Narkia