LifeCare Chiropractic

The Best Chiropractic Care in Mesa, Arizona

CVD

High insulin and homocysteine increases ADMA levels – (02-03-03)

by

IV L-Arginine Infusion Decreases Endothelin-1 Levels and Improves Endothelial Function in Patients w/ Angina and Normal Coronary Arteriograms — Correlation w/ Asymmetric Dimethylarginine Levels

I know this title seems awfully long, but I will use this article to demonstrate an important, developing concept in regards to hypertension and CVD. Asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA) is a compound that interferes with nitric oxide production. Keep in mind that nitric oxide is a potent vasidilator (this is the mechanism by which Viagra works–increased NO levels leads to greater blood flow…and so on…). Elevated ADMA levels will block the action of NO on blood vessels. Thus, anything that elevates ADMA levels will have a large impact on vasodilation and subsequently blood pressure. High insulin and homocysteine has been shown to increase ADMA levels by inactivating the enzyme that breaks down ADMA, essentially increasing ADMA levels.

In this study, we see that ADMA levels are increased in patients with Cardiac Syndrome X (not to be confused with Metabolic Syndrome X–someone should’ve check with someone on the nomenclature on THAT one!!) and administration of L-arginine reverses the effect of elevated ADMA (high arginine overrides ADMA suppressive effect). If this sounds confusing, keep your ears open–this concept will be gaining great interest over the next few years.

Circulation — Abstracts: Piatti et al. 107 (3): 429

Read entire article here

Age-specific relevance of usual blood pressure to vascular mortality – (12-19-02)

by

Age-specific relevance of usual blood pressure to vascular mortality

An article like this can be a major eye-opener for many clinicians. I see many patients with “treated” hypertension in the area of 150 systolic. This has always bothered me, but pharmaceutical intervention does have its limits.

This study finds that BP above 115 have a positive correlation with CVD and all cause mortality. This would suggest that much more effective approaches to HTN are needed and I would think this opens up the realm for alternative approaches, top of which is water only fasting (search previous updates), followed by exercise, dietary modification, magnesium, etc…

Read entire article here

Cardiovascular and diabetes mortality determined by nutrition – (11-21-02)

by

CVD, diabetes mortality determined by nutrition during parents’ and grandparents’ slow growth period

Hold onto your socks for this one. This study evaluated times of feast and famine and whether this would have an impact on the risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes along the male’s line of CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. This answer? Definitely so. Low food availability = low risk. High food availability = high risk. The implications of this go beyond what most clinicians and people are willing to accept. With this in mind, what do you think will happen to the grand-kids of today’s obese children? Not to sound like a pessimist, at this time of the greatest knowledge of impacts on human health, our health is poorer than it ever has been. This will lead to a reduction in the life expectancy here in the US. If we keep at the same rate as we are now, medicating rather than addressing the true root of most chronic diseases, there is no way we can continue to life longer and longer lives.

Cardiovascular and diabetes mortality determined by nutrition during parents’ and grandparents’ slow growth period.

Read entire article here

Glucose Tolerance during Moderate Alcohol Intake – (03-14-02)

by

Glucose Tolerance during Moderate Alcohol Intake

This article suggests that moderate alcohol intake can increase insulin sensitivity. The key word here is moderation. I would recommend the use of red wine to the tune of 1-2 glasses several times per week. Red wine has the additional benefits from the reservatrol; a bioflavonoid that has been shown to lower risk of CVD as well as certain types of cancer.

JCEM — Abstracts: Avogaro et al. 87 (3): 1233

Read entire article here

Effects of Diet and Simvastatin on Lipids, Insulin, and Antioxidants – (02-11-02)

by

Effects of Diet and Simvastatin on Lipids, Insulin, and Antioxidants

This studied evaluated the potentiating ability of a Mediterranean-type diet to a standard pharmaceutical regimine. The dietary changes in this study have some strong effects on certain risk factors for CVD. I would suggest dropping the simvastatin and adding exercise and possibly a natural cholesterol lowering compound such as garlic, niacin, policosanol or guggulipids.

Read entire article here

Exercise and inflammation – (07-25-02)

by

Cardiorespiratory Fitness and C-Reactive Protein

CRP is a marker of inflammation that has been shown to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. I have had success lowering CRP levels with avoidance of processed sugars, and now it seems that exercise can be added to the list of tools used to lower CRP levels.

Circulation — Abstracts: LaMonte et al. 106 (4): 403

Read entire article here

Homocysteine ups risk of heart attack and stroke – (10-24-02)

by

Homocysteine and Risk of Ischemic Heart Disease and Stroke

This meta analysis finds an 11% increase in ischemic heart disease and 19% increase in stroke. While the authors were not jumping up and down about these results, I strongly disagree. First, one single solitary factor raised risk more than 10%. A single, solitary, VERY modifiable risk factor. (As far as cost, my office offers a 2,000 mcg B12 and 800 mg folic acid for about $8/month…that would equal to about $3,840 for forty years’ worth…hardly the cost of diagnosing CVD). Remember, Western medicine rarely gets beyond the idea of “one cause, one cure.” Natural approaches to CVD would attack multiple angles, with efficacy rising with a more broad scope approach.

Lastly, this review accepts what is currently accepted as “normal” for homocysteine levels. It is highly possible (and we see it in many other lab values) that “normal” values are actually too broad. That would result in patients with “high normal” homocysteine that contributes to their CVD but would actually have counted against association.

Read entire article here

Malnutrition in Pregnancy and later heart disease risk – (01-08-01)

by

CVD in Offspring Linked to Maternal Malnutrition in Early Gestation

I often say that it’s never too early and never too late to make changes towards a healthy lifestyle. This mantra of mine really seems to be coming under assault lately!! We really need to focus on maintaining proper nutrition throughout periconception, pregnancy and lactation. For the high numbers of women experiencing nausea preventing proper nutrition, ginger has worked wonders for many women.

Heart 2000;84:595-598 The first evidence to link maternal malnutrition during early gestation with the development of coronary heart disease in offspring is reported by Dutch researchers. “Prenatal undernutrition had permanent effects on cardiovascular risk factors, Dr. Roseboom told Reuters Health. “We found that people who were exposed to the famine in early gestation had an increased risk of coronary heart disease in later life.” The prevalence of coronary heart disease in those exposed to famine during early gestation was 8.8% compared with 3.2% for those not exposed. However, the investigators observed no increase in the prevalence of coronary heart disease in subjects exposed to famine during middle and late gestation, compared with the nonexposed group. Although individuals with coronary heart disease tended to have lower birthweights and smaller head circumferences at birth, Dr. Roseboom’s group found the relationship between early e! xposure to famine and coronary heart disease to be independent of birthweight. These findings suggest “that we may be able to prevent coronary heart disease by optimizing maternal diet during pregnancy,” she concluded. “Pregnant women are very eager to change their lifestyle for the sake of their babies, so it may be a very efficient way of preventing coronary heart disease in future generations.”

Gamma-Tocopherol Associated w/ Lower Risk of Prostate Cancer** This concept of antioxidants lowering levels of many diseases is nothing new, but I thought I would use this chance to enlighten. Gamma-tocopherol is what most people think of when Vit E is mentioned, but nature actually makes many types of tocopherols. By eating whole fruits, veggies and whole grains we get a wide range of these tocopherols.

J Natl Cancer Inst 2000;92:1966-1967,2018-2023 High concentrations of gamma-tocopherol, the most common dietary form of vitamin E, are associated with a statistically significant reduction in the risk of prostate cancer, study results suggest. Dr. Kathy J. Helzlsouer, of Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, and a multicenter team conducted a nested case-control study of 117 men with prostate cancer and 233 cancer-free men. Concentrations of selenium, gamma-tocopherol and alpha-tocopherol were measured in plasma and toenail samples. The researchers report that higher concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol and selenium were associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer, but only the association with gamma-tocopherol was statistically significant. The risk of developing prostate cancer was five times lower in men with the highest fifth of gamma-tocopherol levels than in men with the lowest fifth. The beneficial effects! of alpha-tocopherol and selenium appeared to be related to levels of gamma-tocopherol, according to the report. For these substances, “protective associations with prostate cancer risk were observed when gamma-tocopherol concentrations were above the control subject-based median value,” the authors write in the December 20th issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The results suggest that increasing the concentration of gamma-tocopherol may magnify the risk reduction, according to the report. In an editorial that accompanies the study, Dr. Edward Giovannucci, of Harvard Medical School in Boston, notes that the findings raise the question of whether displacement of gamma-tocopherol by alpha-tocopherol in vitamin E supplements has adverse health effects. “The balance of these agents, as well as potential modifiers of risk, such as smoking, should be considered in the design and interpretation of results of future ob! servational and intervention studies,” he concludes.