Blast triglycerides

15. May 2009 William Davis (0)
The conventional answers to high triglycerides levels are generally: low-fat diet, a fibrate drug (Tricor, Lopid), a statin drug, and--most recently--prescription fish oil.

This is the regimen to take if you want the drug industry to get even richer and more powerful than they already are. After all, what CEO of a pharmaceutical company can stand to have his salary and benefits slashed to below $200 million this year? It's outrageous!

If you really want to blast the heck out of your triglycerides and achieve numbers like 50 mg/dl, then the regimen to consider consists of:

--Elimination of sugars, wheat, and cornstarch
--Fish oil--Sam's Club would do fine at $8 for 350 capsules, or the high-potency at $14.99 for 180 capsules (at 680 mg EPA +DHA, nearly the same potency as prescription Lovaza at 842 mg)
--Vitamin D supplementation sufficient to achieve normal blood levels (60-70 ng/ml)

Those three strategies alone can reduce triglycerides far more than any drug combination. In fact, it is rare for someone with triglycerides as high as 900 mg/dl to not reduce them to the <100 mg/dl range.

Cheerios: Prescription required?

13. May 2009 William Davis (15)
Followers of The Heart Scan Blog know my feelings about Cheerios:


Can you say "sugar"?

Cheerios and heart health


There's an interesting tussle going on between the makers of Cheerios, General Mills, and the FDA.

The FDA says that the Cheerios' package claims of:

• "you can Lower Your Cholesterol 4% in 6 weeks"
• "Did you know that in just 6 weeks Cheerios can reduce bad cholesterol by an average of 4 percent? Cheerios is ... clinically proven to lower cholesterol. A clinical study showed that eating two 1 1/2 cup servings daily of Cheerios cereal reduced bad cholesterol when eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol."

constitute a medical claim, i.e., trying to promote Cheerios as a drug.

I'm glad that the FDA has come down on General Mills. But I find this entire episode laughable: The debate is over the purported health benefits of what I would regard as pure junk food, no better in my view than claiming that a cupcake has health benefits, or a carton of ice cream.

In my experience, Cheerios does not 1) reduce risk for heart disease, nor 2) reduce cholesterol.

It does, however, cause blood sugar to skyrocket and increase the small type of LDL--you know, the type that causes heart disease.

"Placebos are frequently of value"

12. May 2009 William Davis (1)
The treatment of angina pectoris, generally speaking, is unsatisfactory.

Any procedure that relieves mental tension is valuable. Since patients suffer particularly during the winter, I encourage winter vacations in a southern climate.

I insist that obese patients lose weight, and have found small doses of benzedrine, 10 to 20 mg. daily, helpful in curbing the appetite.

I generally forbid smoking. This is a particularly disturbing task for many patients to carry out. In such cases, I suggest that 3 or 4 cigarettes be smoked daily, knowing full well that regardless of what I say or recommend, the patients is going to continue to smoke.

Innumerable drugs, most of which are of questionable value, have been used to prevent attacks of angina pectoris. In fact, placebos are frequently of value.

Testosterone--The male sex hormone has been effective in my experience. Whether it acts as a vasodilator or merely by promoting a sense of well-being is not known.

Alcohol--Alcohol (whiskey, brandy, rum) has been used for many years in the treatment of angina pectoris. I have prescribed it in moderate quantity--an ounce several times a day--and while I have not made alcoholics of any of my patients, I also have not cured any of them with it. Preparations, such as creme de menthe, are of value in relieving "gas" of which so many patients complain.


From Heart Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
Emanuel Goldberger, MD
1951

Iodine is not salt

12. May 2009 William Davis (3)
I've noticed a point of confusion recently, something I hadn't noticed in my patients before: Because of the public health advice from the FDA, American Heart Association, and Surgeon General's office to reduce sodium/salt intake, people have thought this meant reducing iodine, too.

I believe that people have drawn an equation in their minds:


Sodium = iodine


Of course, they are two entirely unrelated things.

Recall that the only reason iodine is added to many (not all) salt products is because it was a public health solution to solve the substantial nationwide iodine deficiency prevalent during the 20th century. But it was a solution conceived in 1924, when the FDA thought this was the best way to get iodine into Americans. And it worked.

Unfortunately, sodium does indeed present adverse effects in some people. As a result, "get your iodine from salt" has evolved into "reduce your sodium intake." Everyone forgot about the iodine: They forgot about the large disfiguring goiters, the poor school performance in iodine-deficient schoolchildren, the mentally-impaired offspring of iodine-deficient mothers.

So don't confuse sodium with iodine. You may need less of the former, but more of the latter.

For more on this, see "Help keep your family goiter free."

"You can't reduce coronary plaque"

10. May 2009 William Davis (9)
"I told my cardiologst that I stumbled on a program called 'Track Your Plaque' that claims to be able to help reduce your coronary calcium score.

"My cardiologist said, 'That's impossible. You cannot reduce coronary plaque. I've never seen anyone reduce a heart scan score."

Who's right here?

The commenter is right; the cardiologist is wrong.

I would predict that the cardiologist is among the conventionally-thinking, "statins drugs are the only solution" group who follows his patients over the years to determine when a procedure is finally "needed." In fact, I know many of these cardiologists personally. The primary care physicians are completely in the dark, usually expressing an attitude of helplessness and submitting to the "wisdom" of their cardiology consultants.

Quantify and work to reduce the atherosclerotic plaque? No way! That's work, requires thinking, some sophisticated testing (like lipoprotein testing), even some new ideas like vitamin D. "They didn't teach that to me in medical school (back in 1980)!"

Welcome to the new age.

Atherosclerotic plaque is 1) measurable, 2) trackable, and 3) can be reduced.

We do it all the time. (Amy still holds our record: 63% reduction in plaque/heart scan score.)

Though I pooh-pooh the value of statin drug studies, there's even data from the conventional statin world documenting coronary plaque reversal. The ASTEROID Trial of rosuvastatin (Crestor), 40 mg per day for one year, demonstrated 7% reduction of atherosclerotic plaque using intracoronary ultrasound.

I have NEVER seen a heart attack or appearance of heart symptoms (angina, unstable angina) in a person who has reversed coronary plaque (unless, of course, they pitched the whole effort and returned to bad habits--that has happened). Stick to the program and coronary risk, for all practical purposes, been eliminated.

A heart scan score is not a death sentence. It is simply a tool to empower your prevention program, a measuring stick to gauge plaque progression, stabilization, or regression. Don't accept anything less.

Lethal lipids

8. May 2009 William Davis (15)
There's a specific combination of lipids/lipoproteins that confers especially high risk for heart disease. That combination is:

Low HDL--generally less than 50 mg/dl

Small LDL--especially if 50% or more of total LDL

Lipoprotein(a)--an aggressive risk factor by itself


This combination is a virtual guarantee for heart disease, often at a young age. It's not clear whether each risk factor exerts its own brand of undesirable effect, or whether the combined presence of each cause some adverse interaction.

For instance, lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), by itself is the most aggressive risk factor known (that nobody's heard about--there's no blockbuster revenue-generating drug for it). Each Lp(a) molecule is a combination of an LDL cholesterol molecule with a specific genetically-determined protein, apoprotein(a). If the LDL component of Lp(a) is small, then the combination of Lp(a) with small LDL is somehow much worse, kind of like the two neighborhood kids who are naughty on their own, but really bad when they're together.

Interestingly, the evil trio responds as a whole to many of the same corrective treatments:

Niacin--increases HDL, reduces small LDL, and reduces Lp(a)

Elimination of wheat, cornstarch, and sugars--Best for reducing small LDL; less potent for Lp(a) reduction.

High-fat intake--Like niacin, effective for all three.

High-dose fish oil--Higher doses of EPA + DHA north of 3000 mg per day also can positively affect all three, especially Lp(a).


If you have this combination, it ought to be taken very seriously. Don't let anybody tell you that it is uncorrectable--just because there may be no big revenue-generating drug to treat it on TV does not mean that there aren't effective treatments for it. In fact, some of our biggest successes in reducing heart scan scores have had this precise combination.

"Get regressive"

6. May 2009 William Davis (0)
This caught my eye:



Niaspan, prescription niacin, now sold by Abbott Laboratories, is now promoting its advantages in regressing coronary plaque:



In patients with a history of coronary artery disease (CAD) and hypercholesetgerolemia, Niaspan (niacin), in combination with a bile acid-binding resin, is indicated to slow progression or promote regression of atherosclerotic disease.



And the new slogan: "Get regressive."



Interestingly, the new marketing campaign is based on relatively old data. They base this new claim on 3 studies:



1) Cholesterol-Lowering Atherosclerosis Study (CLAS)--a 1987

CRP House of Cards

4. May 2009 William Davis (15)
Lew has coronary plaque with a heart scan score of 393. At age 53, that's in the 90th percentile (higher score than 90% of men in his age group).

On our search for causes of his coronary plaque, we identify low HDL of 41 mg/dl, high triglycerides of 202 mg/dl, small LDL (83% of total), calculated LDL of 133 mg/dl, and severe vitamin D deficiency with a starting blood level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D of 19 ng/ml.

His c-reactive protein: 4.1 mg/dl--above the cut-off of 2.0 mg/dl that the pharmaceutical industry is targeting as a mandate for statin therapy, particularly given the JUPITER data.

Lew instead eliminates wheat and other small LDL-provoking foods and, as a result, loses 28 lbs in 3 months; adds omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil; supplements vitamin D sufficient to increase his blood level to 70 ng/ml.

Along with dramatic correction of his starting abnormalities, his c-reactive protein: 0.4 mg/dl--no statin drug.

In my view, increased CRP is nothing more than a surrogate for the inflammatory phenomena that arise from high-carbohydrate diets, overweight, and small LDL. Correct those and CRP drops off a cliff. In fact, it is exceptionally rare for CRP to not drop to very low levels following this formula.

I believe that CRP is one more item on the list of reasons--the house of cards--the pharmaceutical industry is building to persuade us to take more and more statin drugs. LDL not low enough? Take more statin. Diabetic with low cholesterol? Take a statin. Inflammation? Take a statin.

Enough already.

At-home blood tests

2. May 2009 William Davis (6)
Our at-home blood tests are proving a hit.

So far, vitamin D is the number one most popular test, no surprise.

Second--to my surprise--is DHEA. I would have predicted it would have been thyroid testing.

Our male and female hormone panels are also proving popular.

I've personally been using the thyroid and vitamin D testing to monitor my levels. I increased my Armour thyroid based on a low free T3 value, while my vitamin D was perfect at 77 ng/ml on 8000 units vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) per day.

The process of performing the blood spots is straightforward. The finger pricks are virtually painless using the automatic spring-loaded finger stick devices:





The number of blots to make depends on how many tests you'd like. Just a vitamin D test requires 2 blots. If 6 or more tests are ordered at a time, then all 12 blots should be made. (Two spring-loaded lancets are provided in each kit.)





If you are interested in any of our at-home blood tests, go here.

Our own Heart Hawk has posted an editorial on about blood spot testing on Health Central:

Simple, affordable home blood testing is a real game-changer in the arena of informed, self-directed healthcare. For the first time broad access to home blood testing, on a scale similar to that enjoyed by persons who routinely test their blood sugar, is available to virtually everyone and it removes doctors as the gatekeepers of these tests. Even private insurance companies and Medicare are beginning to understand the potential for improving healthcare and decreasing costs and are slowly beginning to expand coverage of home blood testing much as they do for diabetics or persons taking anti-coagulants.

"Help keep your family goiter free"

1. May 2009 William Davis (10)
People ask, "If I need iodine, should I go back to iodized salt?"

First of all, how did this notion of iodized salt originate?

In 1924, J. Edgar Hoover was appointed head of the FBI, Marlon Brando and Doris Day were born, and Calvin Coolidge was elected President of the United States. Half of American households had a car, while 1 in 4 Americans were illiterate.



In the 1920s, cities were a fraction of their current size and a third of the U.S. population, or 36 million people, lived in small rural communities.

Goiters were also wildly prevalent in 1924. Up to a third of the population in some areas of the country, particularly the Midwest, suffered from goiters, thyroid glands that enlarged due to lack of iodine.

Goiters were not only unsightly, but sometimes grotesque, causing a visible bulge in the front of the neck. Occasionally, they would grow so big that it compressed adjacent structures, like the trachea, and would have to be surgically removed. Goiters were commonly associated with thyroid dysfunction, especially low thyoid or hypothyroidism, that resulted in low IQ's in schoolchildren, debilitation in adults. Women of childbearing age delivered retarded children.

So iodine deficiency in early 20th century America was a big problem. How to solve this enormous public health problem in a large nation without television, few radios, no internet, with a largely rural and often illiterate population?

Thus was iodized salt born, a simple, technologically available solution that could be implemented on a large scale nationwide at low cost. The FDA chose this route in 1924, figuring that it was the best way to ensure that most Americans could obtain sufficient iodine through liberal use of iodized salt. Public health officials urged Americans to use salt. Morton's salt label proudly bore the slogan "Help keep your family goiter free!"

It worked. Goiters largely became a thing of the past.

How about today? The American Heart Association recommends limiting salt, recently announcing that they would like to limit intake to 1500 mg per day. The American Medical Association has been lobbying the FDA to set lower salt limit guidelines. The FDA has been clamping down on food manufacturers to reduce the quantity of salt in processed foods.

Why limit salt? The concern is that there are segments of the population (not all) that are salt sensitive, particularly African Americans, people with certain genetic forms of high blood pressure, conditions that cause water retention, and any degree of heart or kidney failure. Salt in these peoplem, in fact, can be disastrous.
So adding iodine to salt was the solution to epidemic goiter. And it worked.

But salt is not a perfect solution, just one that served its purpose back in 1924. What we need is a 21st century solution.
You will find that in the various iodine supplements at your health food store. My favorite is kelp--inexpensive, available, and a form that mimics the way Japanese people obtain iodine (though by eating seaweed, rather than with tablets).


Image of kelp courtesy Wikipedia
Dr. Joseph Prendergast and l-arginine

Dr. Joseph Prendergast and l-arginine

7. September 2007 William Davis (21)
In response to a discussion started by Track Your Plaque Member, Rich, on the Member Forum, I tracked down Dr. Joseph Prendergast, who had posted a video on his unique experiences, both personal and professional, with l-arginine.

Dr. Prendergast describes some of this in a brief webcast. Here, I quote Rich:

“This 90-second video by a Palo Alto physician (internal/endocrine, diabetes specialist) will totally blow your mind.

http://enews.endocrinemetabolic.com/2007/08/16-12-years.html

You will see in the link below that he reversed his personal atherosclerotic disease, diagnosed in abdominal aorta at age 37—completely reversed. He's now much older."

http://www.endocrinemetabolic.com/about/press/larginine.pdf



I contacted Dr. Prendergast to find out more.

Dr. Joseph Predergast is founder of the Endocrine Metabolic Medical Center in Palo Alto, California, focused on providing care for people with diabetes. In addition to the website, he provides Blogs and newsletters, though most of his conversation is about diabetes issues. Dr. Predergast’s website is located at http://www.endocrinemetabolic.com.

I asked Dr. Prendergast several questions about his l-arginine experience. His brief answers are below.



1) What dose of l-arginine have you employed in your patients and why this dose?

The dose is 3 - 6 grams as suggested by the Stanford Cardiovascular Research Department Chairman John Cooke. http://med.stanford.edu/profiles/John_Cooke/

2) I gather that you have preference for specific preparations of l-arginine. Can you say why some preparations seem superior to others in your experience?

I started with pharmaceutical l-arginine from the pharmacy. I gradually began to add components that would augment the power of the l-arginine and have gone through 12–15 different products. I have completely reversed my own very severe atherosclerosis discovered at age 37 and there has been less than 0.05% cardiovascular disease in my endocrine practice in almost 17 years. Both my exams were evaluated with CT technology. I am now using ProArgi9 Plus that includes several anti-aging components and will likely never switch. http://www.synergyworldwide.com/synergycorp/home.aspx

3) Are you employing any other unique practices in your patients to reduce cardiovascular events?

Withdrawing as many prescription drugs as possible.




Interesting. Of course, I also advocate l-arginine as a facilitator of atherosclerotic plaque regression, though I am not as ebullient about its use as Dr. Prendergast.

Instead, I see l-arginine as a method that yields forced normalization of “endothelial dysfunction,” the abnormal constriction and other effects that develop when abnormal lipoproteins and unhealthy food by-products are present in the circulation. Endothelial dysfunction is an inevitable accompaniment of plaque.

However, unlike Dr. Predergast’s experience, despite our use of doses higher than he uses, I have never seen plaque regression just using l-arginine alone. Nonetheless, it’s good to hear that others are seeing at least some positive effects.

By the way, we have also had some positive posts on our Forum about the ProArgi9 product he uses.
Tags :

Comments (21) -

  • DietKing2

    9/7/2007 5:58:00 PM |

    Dr. Davis,
    Thanks for putting up this information and for bringing this doctor into full view for me--I'm always seeking out better and newer ways to prevent any kind of heart problems from manifesting themselves in the first place!

    This information/news is very exciting and encouraging!

    Thank you again!
    Adam

  • Warren

    9/9/2007 5:08:00 AM |

    Dr. Davis,

    The product Dr. Prendergast endorses is made by a company he works for and is also sold by his clinic, and lists at $97 for a 30-gram supply.  So following Track Your Plaque principles, this would cost almost $200 a month.  Do you think the claimed improvements in this l-arginine product really justify this huge expense?

  • Warren

    9/9/2007 6:55:00 AM |

    I'd like to correct my earlier comment - the product has 30 "servings" that deliver 5 grams of l-arginine each.  In Track Your Plaque, you recommend 5 to 6 grams twice daily, so this would last 15 days.

  • Dr. Davis

    9/9/2007 1:37:00 PM |

    Hi, Warren-

    As often happens, it is difficult to separate marketing from fact.

    I am personally skeptical that this product offers any specific advantage unless they produce specific data to prove it. I hope my questions to Dr. Prendergast do NOT come across as an endorsement. It was simply providing some information from an interesting perspective, in this case dug up by a Track Your Plaque Member.

    For these reasons, one of the tools we're working on is the Track Your Plaque Marketplace, a place on the Track Your Plaque website that will allow both us and you to post your comments, experiences--both good and bad, and sort of WIKI-like collective experience and wisdom. We're also trying to arrange the possibility of free samples for trying some of the products.

    As always, we are not selling the products, but directing people to the places they are available.

  • Rich

    9/10/2007 1:39:00 AM |

    Hi Dr. Davis and Warren:

    FYI, Dr. Cooke of Stanford told me earier this year that he has "backed away" from the arginine endorsements and he wishes to revise his 2002 book on the subject.

    I made another comment in the Advanced Discussion board today about Dr. Prendergast, if anyone is interested.

  • Rich

    9/15/2007 2:21:00 AM |

    Apologies for all the comments:

    I looked at the ingredients in the expensive arginine product that Dr. Prendergast endorses. It has a few extra good things -- that don't justify the price -- but are useful:

    Arginine 5g
    Citrulline - "Proprietary" - I estimate 0.5g
    D3 powder - 2500 IU (may not absorb per Dr. Davis's recommendations on oil-solubility)
    Ribose - "Proprietary" - I estimate 1g -- not enough to do anything
    K2 - 20 mcg (not enough)
    B6, B12, Folic -- small amounts
    Grape stuff - "Proprietary" - maybe 50 mg or so of polyphenols

  • Anonymous

    9/19/2007 3:29:00 AM |

    I'm baffled. After reading your book and researching
    the net on l arginine I sent away for Now Sports l-arginine powder (100% pure free form).
    I just received  it today and on the suggested usage table it states "Do not use if you have established
    coronary artery disease".
    Why would they say that ?
    Love your blog
    Gene Mc

  • Dr. Davis

    9/19/2007 12:08:00 PM |

    Hi, Gene--

    The only reason I know of was a study that suggested heightened risk of death if l-arginine is taken after a heart attack.

    In my view, the study was flawed since it is alone in show this effect, the numbers were small, and the majority of the deaths in the group taking arginine had stopped taking it months earlier when the deaths occurred.

  • Jim

    3/14/2008 3:27:00 PM |

    Hello all, I'm a new blogger here. Let's start off with a bang! The comments about ProArgin9 are fairly amusing, it's basically a hugely-overpriced elemental l-arginine powder with a couple added nutrients one could easily improve upon for a much cheaper price.  Don't believe the ads on this one, the hype is almost as bad as the statin ads.

  • Jim

    3/14/2008 3:37:00 PM |

    This is new blogger "Jim" again. A few additional comments of mine on arginine supplementation in general... The point isn't that arginine in itself will cure all that ails you (in fact, users looking for quick dramatic results with arginine for problems such as male ED will be disappointed), but that it is one fairly inexpensive strategy that can, importantly, improve the arginine:ADMA ratio favorably, which is important for optimal nitric oxide production. If you're not familiar with ADMA, look at some of the clinical studies on this risk factor, and you'll be better able to appreciate some of the logic behind supplemental arginine.

  • Dietrick

    10/12/2008 9:53:00 AM |

    My wife and I have used L-Arginine for years and now work with several scientist to actually measure the effect we felt using it, and have developed our own mix.

    Dr. Allen and Dr. Pendergast are making missleading claims. Dr. Allen is not even a real doctor and neither of them ever provided ANY data to support their missleading claims.

    L-Arginen ONLY works well in the right dosis, attached to a slow carb and mixed with equal amounts of L-Licine and some other ingredients, those I will list on my web site.
    When taken in the right dosis, at the right time, the right way intake of L-Arginine DOES work well. There can be no doubt about it. BUT Synergy World Wide and other companies who got their stuff from Dr. Allen or made something of their own trying to clone hers, failed to do any DOUBLE BLIND STUDIES, not even a small one!
    And the price of $97 is a HUGE RIP OFF.
    At best the stuff ONLY cost about 12 bucks per kilo to make. To sell it in these low dosis and with sucralose  or what ever artificial dioxin based sweetener is criminal!
    DO NOT BUY IT FROM DR. ALLEN OR SYNERGY, if you do you waste your money.
    I and am NOT selling it in the US. I only sell it in Europe. At least for now, untill we have done our own double blind and can verify.

  • Realta

    9/12/2009 9:47:47 AM |

    Hi I am fascinated by this article. I have a friend who recently had a test done by synergy doctor selling proargi9 and guess what it said her blood pressure was normal (she's 58) her heart was perfcet but her arteries were those of 80 yr old female. So she was put on very high and very costly doses of proargi9. Also on the subject of arginine. My daughter took some (not proargi9) arginine in june and ended up in hospital after passing out. Her blood pressure had dropped severely.
    She was also put on drip for dehydration.
    I believe that arginine is banned in canada - any comments??

  • Tommy

    9/14/2009 7:06:40 AM |

    I am a 42 year old male who has been taking a mixture of Pro-Argi9 plus, Mistica and Core Greens for over 6 weeks.
    The reason I started on this is because I am a care-giver for my mother.  She is 75 years old and has suffered a stroke in 2004, followed by a triple by-pass surgery in 2006, has type 2 diabeties and anemia, osteoporsis, arthitis, and had both hip restructuring and replacement surgery as well as a broken wrist in  2008.  I wanted to enable her to recover easier, and I wouldn't give her any more "medicine" to take without trying it myself.  The difference for both of us has been amazing.  Not only has my mother's rehabilitation been quicker than before, she is also benefiting from eyesight improvement and her blood pressure is "perfect" as quoted from her personal physician.
    The effects on myself have been almost as drastict.  I have more energy and feeling better and healthier than when I was 20.
    I have also seen some great results in others including personal friends who have started taking the above on my recommendation.
    I researched the net pretty well before I started and don't take my mother's health lightly.  If you are able to show certified medical data to back up your statements, then I am happy to stop taking it and will let others know the same.

    With regards to the price, the products produced by Synergy Worldwide are the only ones available with the stated ingredients etc that I have been able to source.  I have seen the tablet and capsule forms and believe me, on a cost per recommendended doseage, the Synergy product is far more economical.  
    In any circumstances, with the amount of money I've seen women spend on dying their hair with caustic chemicals, or men put over the bar or into their "wheels", the cost of 30 scoops at Synergy's recommended dosage, equates to $25.00 per week, less than the cost of a week's worth of cappacinos. Very well worth it for my health.

    Regards
    Tom

  • Dusty

    5/24/2010 4:44:39 PM |

    After reviewing the article from Dr. Prendergast I decided to try His Proargi9 Plus having been diagnose with Atherosclerosis about two years ago. I am on no medication but I get angina after long walks.

    I started with one scope per day and increase to two scopes per day. I noticed after 5min I would start feeling angina it would go away after a few minutes. Is this normal? with this product.

  • Anonymous

    5/26/2010 11:56:19 PM |

    I would really like to try l-arginine but wonder if there are any contra-indications if a person is taking plavix???  I am also taking lipitor.  I had a triple by-pass 7 years ago and a stent last November. I am 63 years old and lead a healthy lifestyle (regular exercise & healthy diet & meditation).  My doctors don't know anything about this alternative and cannot advise me much.  Is it safe for me to take this????  Also, Herbal life makes a product (Niteworks).  Do you have an opinion on this product??
    Kristin Ann

  • Peter

    6/3/2010 8:29:24 AM |

    Hi guys,
    I've taken ProArgi9plus for 4 months and feel heaps better. My angina has gone and my thrombisis pain is nearly gone as well.
    I have 2 friends. One has had 4 major heart attacks and a 6 bypass op. The other one has had 5 bypass and 3 heart attacks since plus 5 stents. They wanted to do more bypass ops but he said no.
    Both have spoken to Dr Prendergast and taken as per his instructions. Both have changed dramatically over a period of time. Both look like they did years ago and seem to have their lives back. As for the price... I think it's cheaper then a funeral. I don't fancy looking up through the dirt any time soon.

    Peter
    PS If you 'd like to speak to the guy who had 6 bypass I know he's happily talk to anyone as he feels so good.

  • Peter

    6/3/2010 8:37:07 AM |

    Hi Guys,
    Just to start I have to say I sell ProArgi9.
    The reason I do is because I have 2 friends who both should be dead. One in Western Australia has had 4 major heart attacks and then a 6 bypass op. Ended up in an electric wheelchair. Could hardly walk anymore.
    The other guy is from Sydney Australia and had 5 bypass 8 years ago, several heart attacks since and 4 stents. Finally told him he needed 4 more bypasses.
    Both went on the arginine on high dose after talking to Dr Prendergast. Both are now in amazing health. The Sydney guy has just spent 2 weeks traveling across the US learning more about clinical hypnotherapy.

    The WA guy just a couple of months ago traveled around Aus. I've know the WA guy for 30 years and the other one for approx 20 years so I knew them when they were healthy and also when they were sick.

    Hope this info helps in your decision making.
    Peter

    PS if you'd like to talk to one of them I think I could arrange it.

  • buy jeans

    11/3/2010 9:13:58 PM |

    Dr. Joseph Predergast is founder of the Endocrine Metabolic Medical Center in Palo Alto, California, focused on providing care for people with diabetes.

  • HealthNut2

    3/14/2011 6:57:28 AM |

    Has anyone compared before and after CT Scans after using an L-Arginine/L-Citruline protocol?

  • Donna

    3/19/2011 7:19:34 AM |

    I have been on ProArgi-9 Plus since Dec 30th 2010 and have had some amazing health benefits from it. I am doing 4 scoops a day.
    I had suffered from dizzy feeling for the last 2 years where I felt like I was going to fall out of my chair. That feeling stopped the first day of taking ProArgi-9. I also have not had any hot flashes or restless leg symptoms since taking it.
    I have vascular diease. I have a stint in my left cartoid, my right cartoid is closed. And I have had a balloon angioplasty on my aorta 3times. I am 54 years old female.
    I plan on taking ProArgi-9 for the rest of my life. After all what is your health worth? I will find a way to pay for it. I am worth it. Smile

  • Anonymous

    3/28/2011 3:36:41 AM |

    Further to my comments of my two friends who got better on ProArginine. One has proof from to 2 angio-grams one year apart.

    He makes enormous amounts of ADMA (been tested) and had to take between 30 to 40 grams of pure arginine a day. Thats up to 8 scoops a day. He had 4 stents blocked and had been told he had to have the bypasses or die within a month or two.

    One year later his cardiologist said he may feel well but he still needed the opperation. He had another angio-gram. His blocked stents were totally clear. He can run and play with his grandchildren again for the first time in years.

    My oppinion derived from testing over 200 people using the BPro machine (which is 99.1% as accurate as an angiogram)is that the synthetic versions I.e. cheap arginines do not work anywhere as well as plant derived products.
    Also people taking arginine hcl mostly didn't improve. Some did Smile

    Argine hcl is arginine attached to hydrochloric acid. Many people don't react well to this. Those that do need to take a higher dose to get the same effects as those taking a pure arginine.

    BTW Before using and recommending arginine to my clients I contacted quite a few companies and none of them would tell me how they sourced their arginine and if it was synthetic, soy based or or what. Synergy was the only one who did so. Theirs comes from organically grown tapioca or sugar cane.

    I would never use or recommend soy based products as 90% of the worlds soy is now genetically modified and how do you know if what is being used is GM safe or not.

    Hope this helps anyone trying to decide what to do.

    Get yourself a high grade pure arginine that is plany based.

Add comment

Loading