Guest blog by Dr. Frederick Vagnini, MD, FACS, Heart, Diabetes & Weight-Loss Centers of New York

If you’ve recently listened to me on the Res-Q HealthLine radio shows, I recently indicated that there were four silent killers. But now, due to expanded research and more and more problems coming through my centers in New York, I have expanded them to eight.

First of all, what is meant by a silent killer? Well, it’s simple. It’s something you don’t feel until a heart attack occurs, or until you fracture a bone, or you have a stroke. These silent killers include:

1. High blood pressure: Many times you could have a blood pressure of 200 and you don’t feel it.
2. High cholesterol and triglycerides: There’s typically no pain in the arteries. Unless you get your lipids checked, you’re not going to realize that your arteries are clogging up.
3. Inflammation: Inflammation is the backbone of pathophysiology for cardiovascular disease and aging, which is very prevalent in Western culture. It can be anything from a swollen toe to inflamed arteries, the latter of which you cannot feel.
4. Oxidative stress: Damage from free radicals and oxidative stress is when the body’s antioxidant system becomes overwhelmed. Oxidative stress accelerates the aging process.
5. Blood glucose: Another silent killer is blood glucose. Many people are coming into my office with 200-300 blood-sugar levels. They don’t feel a thing.  But they are pre-diabetic or diabetic and they have been doing damage to their bodies for many years before they even realize it. High blood-glucose levels can not only lead to diabetes, but also eye disease, blindness, kidney disease, nerve disease or death.
6. Glycation: (sometimes called non-enzymatic glycosylation) is something that accelerates heart disease, cellular damage and aging, and it is simply a problem with glucose that adheres to proteins lipids and DNA to create something called “Advanced Glycation End Product” (AGE)
7. Telomere shortening: Telomeres are the tips of chromosomes and when they shorten you have progressive aging. What happens to accelerate this aging process is inflammation and oxidative stress.
8. Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is a bone disease that leads to an increased risk of fracture. It is another silent killer simply because you don’t feel your bones weakening until you’ve lost four inches of height.

What can we do to prevent these silent killers from leading us into cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and accelerated aging? Well, I developed a protocol in my Centers based on the following:

• Diet: a modified, low-carbohydrate Mediterranean diet
• Exercise: Any exercise is good; cross training is the best, which is when you do a combination of resistance training with aerobics.
• Stress reduction: Stress reduction is critical. It’s one of the leading factors that influence degenerative diseases and especially cardiovascular disease.
• Supplements: The right supplements can combat high triglycerides, high cholesterol, high blood pressure oxidative damage, high blood sugar, arthritis, weight reduction, diabetes, fatigue, and basically all of the degenerative and cardiovascular problems.
• Pharmaceuticals: Medical drugs are prescribed when necessary.

Prevention Through Supplements & Nutrition
Years ago, I developed a program called Cardio Nutrition, and that is simply a program, along with diet and exercise, in which we use supplements. Here’s a list of some of the “silent killers” and what Res-Q products will work best to combat them.

High Cholesterol/Triglycerides:

•  L-D-L less (red yeast rice)
•  Res-Q LDLx2 (polycosanol) with or without niacin
•  Res-Q 1250, which is primarily a triglyceride-lowering agent
•  Res-Q Land ’n’ Sea Fiber is excellent for lowering lipids
•  Res-Q Multi, as it has 300 milligrams of garlic
•  Res-Q HDL+ (raises your good cholesterol)

When it comes to cholesterol we also worry about the oxidative damage and we have a number of antioxidants including Res-Q Multi, Res-Q CellPower (CoQ10), Res-Q Resveratrol, Nature’s Shield Superfoods and Nature’s Shield Leg & Vein Support, which all protect the LDL against oxidative damage.

Hypertension/ High Blood Pressure:

• Res-Q Multi vitamin, which has taurine, hawthorn berry, garlic and L-carnitine
• Res-Q Orosine
• Res-Q 1250
• Nature’s Shield Smart Cal (with vitamin D3)
• Res-Q 1250+
• Res-Q Multi
• Res-Q Land ‘n’ Sea Fiber
• Res-Q Mg (magnesium)
• Res-Q CellPower (CoQ10)
• Nature’s Shield Leg & Vein
• Res-Q Sleep

Oxidative Stress

• Res-Q Multi
• Res-Q Mega Acai
• Res-Q Land ‘n’ Sea Fiber
• Res-Q CellPower (CoQ10)
• Nature’s Shield Leg & Vein
• Res-Q Resveratrol
• Nature’s Shield Superfoods
• Res-Q Sleep

Glucose Levels:

• Res-Q Land ‘n’ Sea Fiber
• Res-Q 105MAX (specifically designed to lower blood sugar)
• Res-Q 1250+
• Res-Q 1250
• Nature’s Shield Superfoods
• Res-Q Resveratrol

Telomere shortening:

Research now shows that an omega-3 supplement can prevent telomere shortening

• Res-Q 1250
• Res-Q Calamarine
• Res-Q 1250+
• Res-Q Multi

Osteoporosis:

• Nature’s Shield SmartCal is great for osteoporosis
• Res-Q 1250
• Res-Q 1250+
• Res-Q Multi

Inflammation:

• Res-Q 1250
• Res-Q Calamarine
• Res-Q 1250+
• Res-Q Multi
• Res-Q CellPower (CoQ10)
• Res-Q Orosine (repairs at the cellular level)
• GlycoMarine

Glycation:

• Res-Q 1250+
• Res-Q 1250
• Nature’s Shield Superfoods
• Res-Q Resveratrol
• Res-Q Multi

Weight and Digestion:

• Res-Q All Essential Enzymes
• Res-Q Probiotic
• Res-Q Land ‘n’ Sea Fiber
• Nature’s Shield Weight Control
• Res-Q Trim System

High triglycerides? These cute little lipids found in your blood are very important when it comes to your body’s ability to store fat for later use. If you eat more than you exercise, and your body has no use for all that stored energy it was saving for a really good workout, then all that potential energy turns into fat and you end up with high triglycerides. So what’s a healthy range vs. unhealthy? According to the Mayo Clinic, normal is less than 150, borderline-high is 150 to 199, high is 200 to 499 and very high is 500 or higher. Keep in mind that high triglycerides raise your risk for heart disease, which is preventable! Here are a few quick tips to lowering them:

Eat Healthy!

• Fruits, vegetables, nuts, olive oil, whole grains, lean beef or chicken, low-fat or fat-free dairy and omega-3 fatty fish are all great for lowering triglycerides. 
• Keep saturated fats to less than 7% of total calories. 
• Keep total fat to less than 25–35 percent of your total daily calories.
• Avoid artificial fats—trans-fats and hydrogenated oils—in margarines, and packaged foods.
• Research how to lower triglycerides and discover how certain fats lower triglycerides, how people on low-fat diets often eat bad carbohydrates and how carbs not used for energy are converted into body fat. A study in Cell Metabolism proved that the newly formed fat is actually worse¹ than old fat.
• Avoid sugars; sucrose, refined grains, starches and high-fructose corn syrup should all be avoided or used in limited quantities. Eating 50 to 100 grams of fructose daily can raise triglycerides.

Exercise

• Exercise may result in weight loss, which can reduce triglycerides. Middle-aged men who jogged 10 to 20 miles weekly (moderately intensive activity) had lower triglyceride levels. The American Heart Association recommends exercising 30 minutes every day and that you enjoy the activity: walk, swim, ride bike, etc.

 Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

• Maintaining a healthy body weight improves cholesterol and triglycerides. The American Heart Association says, “Researchers in Sweden and Finland found that obese people at the highest risk have increased secretion of liver lipids, more abdominal fat and impaired removal of triglycerides from the bloodstream.”

Don’t Abuse Alcohol

• More than one ounce of alcohol per day can lead to increases in triglycerides. Most important: “An exaggerated rise in triglycerides occurs in the setting of excess alcohol intake combined with a meal high in saturated fat.” We recommend not drinking more than one alcoholic beverage per day.

Supplements

• The best supplement for lowering triglycerides is fish oil, but many fish oils won’t work. Most provide only a small amount of omega-3 to prevent deficiency. Choose one that is specially formulated for triglyceride and cholesterol reduction. 
•  To lower triglycerides, the AHA recommends two to four grams “of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) per day, provided as capsules under a physician’s care.” They point out that a lot of evidence was done on “marine-derived” omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, so to reduce triglycerides the omega-3 supplement needs to come from the sea—not chia or flaxseeds.
•  They also say, “A dose-response relationship exists between marine-derived omega-3 [polyunsaturated fatty acids] and triglyceride lowering, with an approximate 5% to 10% reduction in triglycerides for every 1g of EPA/DHA consumed; efficacy is greater in individuals with higher triglyceride levels before treatment.” As the dosage or potency of the fish oil increases, the triglycerides become lower.

References and Resources:

American Heart Association: Triglycerides

Triglycerides and Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association 

What Your Cholesterol Levels Mean 

American Heart Association Rapid Access Journal Report: Liver, belly fat may identify high risks of heart disease in obese people 

Know Your Fats

Footnotes:

1. APOLLO: Advances in Prevention Through Optimal Lipid Lowering: New fat promotes old fat regulation via PPAR-a, NEWS, 2005 (www.apollolipids.org/cms/templates/article.aspx?articleid=4642&zoneid=15)

Here was our response:

1-3 capsules, daily:

From studies, 1 gram (1-3 capsules) of omega-3s is sufficient for overall cardiovascular health. In other words, if you are fit and healthy but would like to take omega-3s for prevention of cardiovascular disease, or simply to feel better, 1 gram will do the trick. Three capsules daily can improve overall mood, give you more energy, strengthen hair, nails and eye sight, and may improve signs of ADHD in adults (children may take up to 1 gram, but please consult your physician).

4-6 capsules, daily:

Those who currently suffer with heart disease or other cardiovascular problems like high triglycerides and cholesterol, or who have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (due to poor diet, family history, etc.), should take 3 grams (4-6 capsules) daily. Only this amount of pure EPA and DHA can reduce inflammation significantly to the point of seeing measurable results. This dosage is called a “pharmaceutical-grade” dosage and has been shown to lower triglycerides, lower total cholesterol and significantly reduce swelling and inflammation due to arthritis and joint pain. And as published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, “Fish oil can have a therapeutic role in the treatment of marked hypertriglyceridemia. Effective doses of omega-3 fatty acids range from 3 to 5 grams daily, which can only be obtained consistently by supplementation.” – AHA Scientific Statement, Circulation, a Journal of the American Heart Association. You would need roughly 12 capsules of other brands of fish oil just to get the same high concentration in Res-Q 1250.

At Res-Q, we strongly suggest 4-6 capsules daily as many of our customers are heart patients, recommended by cardiovascular surgeons and physicians. Through the years, this dosage has proven to work wonders. But don’t believe us. Read what our customers are saying!

Below are ten natural supplements that help to rebalance cholesterol levels and fight heart disease: 

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids   

This one is a no-brainer. A lot of research on cardiovascular health has been done on the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils in their concentrated form: ethyl esters. The omega-3 fatty acid EPA inhibits cholesterol absorption and reduces cholesterol production. The omega-3 fatty acid DHA increases HDL, the good cholesterol. But trust me, this is not the case with just any over-the-counter fish oil. For omega-3s to make our top ten, they have to be a high-quality, purified product; not just any fish oil will work. That being said, taking 4,000 milligrams of either DHA or EPA will decrease triglycerides by about 25%.  

2. Red Yeast Rice

A recent clinical study proved that using fish oil with red yeast rice may lower cholesterol 40% or more, performing as well or better than cholesterol medication. As mentioned in the news, “Levels of LDL-cholesterol were reduced by 42.4 percent following consumption of the fish oil and red yeast rice combination, compared to reductions of 39.6 percent in the statin group, according to results of a randomized trial published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.” Important to mention: the study used Res-Q 1250 for its trial.¹ 

3. No-Flush Niacin (inositol nicotinate)    

Niacin is a special form of vitamin B3 that can help improve cholesterol. No-flush niacin, a specific type, can reduce LDL cholesterol by 18% if used along with Clofibrate, a medication. Taking 900 mg of no-flush niacin (inositol nicotinate) can increase HDL in some people by as much as 24%. 

 No-flush niacin is well tolerated without the side effects of niacin. When compared with straight niacin, “All patients tolerated without side effects, dosages of inositol hexanicotinate two to four times larger than previously used dosages of nicotinic acid.”²

 4. Psyllium Seed Husks (Fiber) 

Taking 10.2 g of soluble fiber from psyllium husk can lower cholesterol for people with high cholesterol who are also on a low-fat diet. A meta-analysis of eight placebo-controlled clinical studies reported a 7% reduction in LDL cholesterol in just eight weeks or less. As concluded by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, “Psyllium supplementation significantly lowered serum total and LDL-cholesterol concentrations in subjects consuming a low-fat diet.” 

 5. Plant Sterols 

As reported in the Mayo Clinic’s medical journal, “A meta-analysis of 41 trials showed that intake of 2 [grams per day] of stanols or sterols reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by 10%.” If you combine a high intake of sterols along with a diet consisting of foods that are low in saturated fat and cholesterol, you can boost the LDL reduction to 20%. Also, “adding sterols or stanols to statin medication is more effective than doubling the statin dose.” 

 6. Policosanol 

In just four weeks, 10 mg of policosanol reduced LDL cholesterol by 30%, triglycerides by 10% and increased the cardioprotective HDL cholesterol by 12%. 

In another long-term study (one year) of 589 older adults with high cholesterol, 5-10 mg of policosanol lowered LDL cholesterol by 20%. 

7. Magnesium 

By affecting multiple types of enzymes, magnesium helps to regulate the production of cholesterol. According to the book, The Magnesium Factor, “Magnesium actually increases HDL (good) cholesterol while decreasing LDL (bad) cholesterol.” 

Magnesium has been compared with statins, a type of cholesterol medication: “Statin drugs lower LDL-C levels more sharply than do [magnesium] supplements, but [magnesium] more reliably acts to improve all aspects of dyslipidemia including raising HDL-C and lowering triglycerides, and has the same pleiotropic effects as statins without their adverse effect.” 

8. Vitamin C 

The body needs proper nutrition in order to function properly. Therefore, a deficiency in vitamin C might lead to an increase in blood cholesterol levels. As published by the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, “Persons with the lowest vitamin C status had the highest cholesterol and triglyceride levels.…” Vitamin C is needed for the transformation of cholesterol into bile acids; therefore, it is important to get enough vitamin C every day.  

9. Garlic  

Garlic appeared in medical texts as early as 1550 BC. Garlic has recently touted on the Internet as a supplement that lowers cholesterol. Since 1975, over 46 studies were done on this subject, many of which used garlic powder. Studies show that 900 mg of garlic may reduce cholesterol by 8-15%. However, some studies did not show results.³  Since garlic improves the health of the arteries and detoxifies cholesterol, it is a great supplement for cholesterol.  

10.  Last, but not Least: CoQ10   

CoQ10 is always recommended for people who are lowering cholesterol. When the enzyme in the liver that produces cholesterol is being inhibited, as is the case with most cholesterol-lowering pharmaceuticals (statins), CoQ10 production also becomes inhibited. This creates the need to supplement the diet with additional CoQ10. 

Vitamin C, garlic and CoQ10 have something in common: They are all antioxidants that protect cholesterol in the bloodstream and promote healthy arteries. Antioxidants inhibit the oxidation of the cholesterol, which are equally important as cholesterol-lowering agents. 

Want to read testimonials of individuals currently taking these supplements? Be our guest and click here.  

 References: 

 News article, Fish oil plus red yeast rice match statins for cholesterol cuts, July 2008.
 A Review of Omega-3 Ethyl Esters for Cardiovascular Prevention and Treatment of Increased Blood Triglyceride Levels, Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2006 September; 2(3): 251–262.
Inositol Hexanicotinate for Improved Nicotinic Acid Therapy, International Record of Medicine, Vol. 174, No.1
Effect of a clofibrate-inositol nicotinate combination on lipids and lipoproteins in primary hyperlipoproteinemia of types IIa, IV and V, German article, Hutt, V; Wechsler, JG; Klor, HU; Ditschuneit, H., Scientific Abstract
Effects of policosanol and lovastatin on lipid profile and lipid peroxidation in patients with dyslipidemia associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus, Scientific Abstract. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. 2002; 22(3-4):89-99.
Effects of policosanol on older patients with hypertension and type II
hypercholesterolaemia, Scientific Abstract, Drugs R D. 2002; 3(3):159-72.
Cholesterol-lowering effects of psyllium intake adjunctive to diet therapy in men and women with hypercholesterolemia: meta-analysis of 8 controlled trials, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 71, No. 2, 472-479, February 2000.
 Efficacy and Safety of Plant Stanols and Sterols in the Management of Blood Cholesterol Levels, Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2003; 78:965-978.
 Comparison of Mechanism and Functional Effects of Magnesium and Statin Pharmaceuticals, Journal of the American College of Nutrition 
 The Magnesium Factor, by Mildred S. Seelig and Andrea Rosanoff
 Vitamin C Deficiency, Cholesterol Metabolism and Atherosclerosis, Emil Ginter, Ph.D., D.Sc, Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, Vol. 6, Nos. 3 & 4, 1991.
 Effect of garlic on cardiovascular disorders: a review, Nutrition Journal, 2002.
 Antioxidants decrease the intensification of low density lipoprotein in vivo peroxidation during therapy with statins, Mol Cell Biochem. 2003 Jul; 249(1-2):129-40, Scientific Abstract
Oxidized or Native Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol: Which Is More Important in Atherogenesis?, J Am Coll Cardiol, 2006; 48:980-982, doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2006.06.001 (Published online 14 August 2006). 

1. Fish oil plus red yeast rice match statins for cholesterol cuts, July 2008
2. Welsh AL, Ede M. Inositol hexanicotinate for improved nicotinic acid therapy. Int Record Med. 1961; 174:9-15.
3. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2009 Apr; 34(2):133-45, Scientific Abstract

Res-Q HDL+ may help maintain Lpa at its normal level in order to help keep Lpa from rising.  Niacin helps lower the secretion of apo B containing Lipoproteins and improves cardiovascular health.

Elevated or excessive cholesterol levels are associated with the hardening of the arteries and consequently heart attack.  However, there are many different aspects of cardiovascular health that should be examined. Maybe someday people will check their Lpa levels as often as they check their LDL numbers.  

Since cholesterol is not soluble in water, the liver changes cholesterol so that it can travel in the bloodstream. The cholesterol-containing molecules produced by the liver are called lipoproteins.  Lipoproteins are transporters of fats. Lipoproteins carry cholesterol through the blood. Lipoproteins are defined as large complex molecules that transport lipids (primarily triglycerides and cholesterol) through the blood.2  Some of the more commonly referred to lipoproteins are LDL, HDL, and VLDL.

Lpa is a specific type of lipoprotein called lipoprotein a. Lipoprotein a (Lpa) is similar to low density lipoprotein (LDL cholesterol).  Like lipoproteins, Lpa contains cholesterol, fat, and protein in varying amounts.  Lpa particles contain apolipoproteins: apolipoprotein B-100 and apolipoprotein(a), a marker of Lpa.¹Apolipoproteins are proteins located on the lipoproteins that help to direct lipoproteins.²  Apolipoprotein B is a special protein wrapped around the cholesterol that allows cholesterol to travel into the cell from the bloodstream.³

If your doctor lets you know that you need to do something about your Lpa number, there is something that you can do to naturally to benefit your cardiovascular health. There are natural products that help.  Res-Q HDL+ contains a special form of niacin that is extremely well tolerated. Res-Q HDL+ may help maintain Lpa at its normal level in order to help keep Lpa from rising.  Niacin helps lower the secretion of apo B containing lipoproteins and improves cardiovascular health.

References:
1. New England Journal of Medicine.
2. Medline Plus, A Service of the National Institute of Health
3.  Controlling Cholesterol, By Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper, M.D., M.P.H

High Density Lipoprotein
The high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the “good cholesterol” that excess cholesterol sticks to. HDL takes cholesterol from the blood to the liver for disposal. You don’t want this number to be low because this is “good cholesterol.” Therefore, a high number of HDL is good. Niacin has been shown in clinical studies to increase HDL cholesterol levels. Res-Q HDL+ contains the best kind of niacin. For the best results, take Res-Q HDL+ along with Res-Q 1250.

Low Density Lipoprotein
The low-density lipoprotein is the LDL cholesterol. Too much of the LDL cholesterol is associated with heart disease. A lower number is better. Clinical studies show that plant sterols and red yeast rice  reduce LDL.

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As reported in the Journals of the American Heart Association, “Studies show that for every 1-mg/dl rise in HDL-C )1 milligram HDL-C per 1 deciliter of blood, the risk for developing cardiovascular disease decreases by 2% to 3%.”

HDL, the good cholesterol promotes a process known as “reverse cholesterol transport.” This process has been compared to a mop that helps to absorb excess cholesterol on the arterial wall and sweeps it back to the liver for disposal through normal bodily functions. Clinical studies have linked potent fish oils, meaning the fish oils rich in omega-3 content, and niacin with successful results. Take Res-Q HDL+ with Res-Q 1250 to help maintain a healthy HDL number.

Weight loss has also been linked with raising the HDL. 

Call 1-800-26-ALIVE NOW for more information.

Which is more harmful “cholesterol” or “oxidized cholesterol” ?

Antioxidants help inhibit the oxidation process which makes cholesterol harmful to the arteries. In fact, the medical reports that the doctors read, report that oxidative stress has been linked to arteriosclerosis in postmenopausal women. The importance of antioxidants for heart and cholesterol health can not be underestimated.

Everyone worries about their cholesterol number, their LDL cholesterol number, since research established an association with LDL cholesterol levels that are elevated, much higher than normal, and increased risk of cardiovascular heart health risks.

For this reason, you may not hear about the role that antioxidants play in heart health and the importance of obtaining antioxidants in the diet when on a cholesterol health program, even though there is also a connection between heart health and fruit/vegetable intake rich in antioxidants.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that plays a role in our body and has a purpose. However LDL cholesterol that has become oxidized adheres more easily to the arterial wall, thus inhibiting circulation and blood flow to the heart.

For this reason, we recommend using Res-Q CellPower, an antioxidant supplement, for those taking Res-Q LDL-x2 with Niacin and Res-Q 1250 to continue to maintain their cholesterol levels that are already within the normal range, because the reason we watch our cholesterol levels is to promote the health of our arteries.Res-Q Resveratrol and Res-Q Multi may be used along with Res-Q CellPower for additional antioxidant health benefits. Using multiple antioxidants together may provide further health benefits. To place an order for Res-Q products, or to speak with a Res-Q consultant, call toll free 1-800-26-ALIVE (262-5483).

Does your diet consist of antioxidants?

References:

Res-Q HDL+

Many of our customers have reported health benefits such as an increase in the good cholesterol (HDL) from the use of Res-Q HDL+.

References:
Effect of a clofibrate-inositol nicotinate combination on lipids and lipoproteins in primary hyperlipoproteinemia of types IIa, IV and V Hutt V, Wechsler JG, Klör HU, Ditschuneit H. Arzneimittelforschung.1983;33(5):776-9.