I guess that one of the things I learned early in my academic life is that
where there are divergent opinions, often the final answer lies somewhere in
the middle.
Before I forget, Dr Ignarro wrote in his book, page 143. Quote verbatim:
THE ALASKAN PARADOX
For many years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that the Eskimos of
Greenland and the Native Americans in Alaska ate a substantial amount of
whale blubber and seal meat and had very little heart disease. Finally they
were able to solve the mystery. Among the fats in seal meat and whale
blubber is a profusion of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which work to
maintain low blood pressure and LDL cholesterol, while encouraging the
body's natural production of HDL and discouraging the formation of plaque
and blood clots in the cardiovascular system.
End of quote.
The limited selection of listed references do not include any to this.
NO by the way is also the chemical formula for nitric oxide, symbolising one
Nitrogen atom bonded to one Oxygen atom, per molecule.
Ignarro and others have pointed out that exercise boosts the body's
production of NO, thus increasing the performance of the internal protection
system for arteries and veins.
Chuck wrote
> Brian, we don't agree because our definitions of "science" don't seem to
> mesh. I'm not talking about Esselstyn here. Esselstyn has at least
> published a paper in 1995 describing his research
> <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7500065> Here are the results from the
> horse's mouth:
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> RESULTS: Of the 22 participants, 5 dropped out within 2 years, and 17
> maintained the diet, 11 of whom completed a mean of 5.5 years of
> follow-up. All 11 of these participants reduced their cholesterol level
> from a mean baseline of 246 mg/dL (6.36 mmol/L) to below 150 mg/dL (3.88
> mmol/L). Lesion analysis by percent stenosis showed that of 25 lesions, 11
> regressed and 14 remained stable. Mean arterial stenosis decreased from
> 53.4% to 46.2% (estimated decrease = 7%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3
> to 10.7, P < .05). Analysis by minimal lumen diameter of 25 lesions found
> that 6 regressed, 14 remained stable, and 5 progressed. Mean lumen
> diameter increased from 1.3 mm to 1.4 mm (estimated increase = 0.08 mm;
> 95% CI, -0.06 to 0.22, P = NS). Disease was clinically arrested in all 11
> participants, and none had new infarctions. Among the 11 remaining
> patients after 10 years, six continued the diet and had no further
> coronary events, whereas the five dropouts who resumed their prestudy diet
> reported 10 coronary events.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> I'm not impressed with the results since they indicate that it's very
> difficult to adhere to this diet. Despite having Esselstyn himself
> supervising their progress only 50% stuck with it for 5.5 years. Six went
> as long as 10 years. As I said before, I wouldn't do this even if the
> results of this small study have broader applicability. My other concern
> is that Esselstyn is totally focused on heart disease. I'm more focused
> on staying alive and many studies show that low cholesterol causes an
> increase in all-cause mortality.
................................
I agree that Esselstyn seems to have been somewhat economical with the
truth, when translating the findings of his paper to the message he imparts
in his book. Maybe he has found a similar disjunct between experimental
results and his aspirations in the case of a study of 200 patients that he has
told me about - as far as I know it has not been published yet. But - how
would I know - I'm not in the loop for these things.
However, what I get from the work of Esselstyn is that; the natural in-body
production of L-arginine and NO, in the face of the volume of free radicals
released in a 'normal' western diet, is quite insufficient to protect the
arteries
of approx 20%) (+) of the population. They need to adopt a strict vegan diet
to come close.
Yes, in my experience it IS hard to follow. So I have now given it up in
favour of the Prendergast/Ignarro model.
Dr Prendergast seems to have been primarily a practicing GP looking after a
multitude of patients in several disciplines. He seem to not have had a bent
to publish. However, in pursuit of the protection of his own body, he allied
himself with heart researchers at Stanford University Cardiovascular Unit (
especially Dr Victor Dzau and one other ) and similar researchers at Palo
Alto, California - apparently not far away, who were at the forefront of this
research. The results of what he found out were also applied to about 5,000
of his diabetic patients over a 16 - year period. He said in one video I have a
link to that usually 36% diabetics went to heart hospital for major surgery ,
bypasses etc.
After him prescribing all 5,000 the same laboratory-grade L-argenine that he
was prescribing for himself, NONE of the 5,000 were admitted to hospital for
heart surgery. What a result !!!
The three main things I got from what he said on his personal videos and an
e-mail exchange with him are that
L-citrulline is more important than L-arginine because it creates L-argenine,
and there seems to be some kind of re-cycling loop with L-arginine that
causes L-citrulline to last up to about 18+ time longer;
that some time in the 16 years between CAT scans, despite not taking any
limiting dietary precautions, his athersclerosis was reversed so that his
arteries were entirely clean and clear;
and that the minimum daily dose of L-arginine + L-citrulline should be no
less than 6 gm to be effective.
Considering that a noted local supplier provides capsules containing only
0.75 gm., I will be changing suppliers.
He wrote a book; but it must be in high demand because the second-hand
prices run from $50 NZ delivered, up ... I'm not buying it yet.
See ISBN 1599750228 : 2006 printing.
Next I decided to buy the book by Dr Louis Ignarro "NO More Heart Disease
- subtitled "How Nitric Oxide Can Prevent - Even Reverse - Heart Disease
and Strokes. A proven program for boosting production of the body's own
wonder drug"" ISBN 0-312-33581-4, for an autographed copy ... !
In it he explains how his childhood preoccupation with explosives lead to a
study of nitro-glycerine, and from then on to many years of hard research
into why and how nitro-glycerine was effective in reducing some heart
disease problems. This lead ultimately to his discovery that NO was indeed
the same as the fugitive EDRF ( endothelium-derived-relaxing-factor) which
Dr Furchgott was investigating. Dr Ignarro was jointly awarded the Nobel
prize for this work.
This book has most of the USA-writing characteristics that I detest - such as
treating such a subject as a thrill-seeking detective novel, with eye-catching
sub-chapter headings, multiple shaded text boxes and the like. However, I
got over that because the actual content more than made up for it.
He hired somebody else to do the actual writing, and he had a large team of
helpers to make sure there were no typos, etc etc. There are some
references to scientific papers for each chapter, but I thought they could be
better / more.
He also specifies that the minimum daily intake should be at least 6 gm. and
further, he gives precise guidelines for foods to favour and foods to avoid, in
order to reduce the quantity of free-radicals ingested - these are very
damaging to the NO-system.
He does not limit his advice to L-argenine and L-citrulline, and includes
recommendations for other supplements, with detailed reasons.
I think the book is a wonderful $11 worth.
Both Drs Prendergast and Ignarro have chosen a business company
method of getting their message product to the people who might need it.
The hospitals, med schools and doctors have been SLOW on the uptake; it
is 15 years since the Nobel Prize was awarded, and there have been, I have
read, thousands of papers written showing the links between L-arginine and
L-citrulline, and NO.
I see nothing wrong with putting an optimised product on the market.
Prendergast has opted for the multi-level marketing system. Well, the USA
is used to this - after all who has not heard of AMWAY, the archetypal
multilevel marketing system which invaded most of the world?
It seems that Ignarro's product, marketed by Herbal-life, has the weird name
"Nite-works" and seems to be marketed only in USA, UK, and South Africa.
Prendergast's product, named "Pro-Argi-9 +" is marketed at least in USA
and Australia, but the landed price for the Australian-sourced product is 30 -
40% more expensive than from the USA - so if I buy again it will be from
Chicago again.
The questions remain - why do hospitals, MDs, and medical schools fail to
apply the results of this work to the cause of preventing and curing heart
disease and strokes.
All three authors independently express puzzlement about this, and
Esselstyn and Prendergast both express the clear view that these medical
professionals are more interested in lining their own pockets than saving
lives and reducing patient medical bills.
In my opinion the omission, especially after such a long time, is bordering on
being criminal.
Brian Swale
--
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