Posts Tagged ‘heart disease’

Cholesterol Myth

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

stethoscope lying on a ekgWhat You Should Know About Cholesterol Before Taking Medication

By Dr. Osborne

High cholesterol is a household word in America. We have been told that it causes heart disease and stroke. We have been told to eat less animal fat. We have been told to eat more carbohydrates and fiber. We have been told that children as young as 2 years old should have their cholesterol checked. We have been marketed to by cereal companies. They tell us to eat whole grain sugar loaded cereals (i.e. Honey Nut Cheerios and Lucky Charms) to lower our cholesterol and prevent heart disease. Drug companies like Merck and Pfizer have told us that we need to take artificial chemicals to lower cholesterol. Our doctors have told us that we should use these medications for the rest of our lives…

Has anyone stopped to ask why?   Does it sound reasonable to put an 8 year old on cholesterol medication?  It is reasonable to think that a processed cereal with excessive sugar be used as a tool to improve health?  Is it reasonable to believe that we need to avoid eggs and animal protein and take a drug to keep the body functioning normally? What did we do before the medicine?   Statistically speaking, heart disease and stroke are on the rise in spite of the use of preventative cardiovascular medicines.  So the big question is: If taking these medications prevents heart disease, why are people dying from heart disease in record numbers?

Let’s take a look at the scientific facts surrounding this issue:

High cholesterol as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease is a disproven theory.   Many medical experts have refuted this hypothesis for years.(1-2)  Studies using cholesterol medications to lower the risk for heart disease are funded and sponsored by pharmaceutical companies.   Both the editors of the New England Journal of Medicine & Journal of the American Medical Association have admitted that published papers in the two journals are often times fraught with conflicts of interest and that many studies that yield non beneficial drug effects go unreported. Many studies overstate the benefit of medication use by manipulating statistics and reporting relative risk reduction instead of actual risk reduction. For example, a recent study reported a 53% “relative” reduction in heart disease using Crestor, but the actual risk reduction was only 0.9%.

Multiple studies have shown that people with higher cholesterol live longer.(5)   High cholesterol has not been shown to be a risk factor for heart disease in women, diabetics, coronary heart disease patients, or the elderly.(3)  As a matter of fact, several studies have shown that higher cholesterol levels in the elderly population is associated with greater longevity and a reduced risk of dying from cancer and infection.(4-5)

Add the following facts to the above information: Low cholesterol has been linked to an increased risk of stroke, depression, aggressive and violent behavior, and suppression of immunity.

Risk Vs. Benefit
When considering the use of any medication it is important to know what NNT (numbers needed to treat) means. NNT is a value that rates the efficacy of a medication. The NNT for statin drugs is about 100. This means for one person to receive the benefit of the medication, 100 people have to be taking it. That’s a whopping 1% efficacy value. When you take into account the side effects of cholesterol lowering medications the question becomes: Is it worth it?

How can something responsible for so many critical functions be so bad?

1. Cholesterol is a precursor to all sex steroids (progesterone, testosteron, estrogen)
2. Cholesterol allows your body to make vitamin D (deficiency of vitamin D causes heart disease)
3. Cholesterol allows your body to make Coenzyme Q10 (Deficiency of CoQ10 causes congestive heart failure and high blood pressure.)
4. Cholesterol helps fight viral and bacterial infection
5. Cholesterol is necessary for brain cells to form communication synapses.

References: (Not all are listed, but they are available by request.)

1. Rosch PJ. Cholesterol does not cause coronary heart disease in contrast to stress. Scand Cardiovasc J. 2008 Aug;42(4):244-9.
2. Ravnskov U, Rosch PJ, Houston MC. Should we lower cholesterol as much as possible? BMJ2006;332:1330-1332.
3. Ravnskov U. Should medical science ignore the past? BMJ 2008;337:a1681.
4. Krumholz HM, et al. JAMA 1994;272(17):1335-1340.
5. Weverling AW, et al. Lancet 1997;18(9085):1119-23.

Learn More About Cholesterol Drugs and CoQ10…

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Eggs are OK after all!

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Sudden Cardiac Death with ADD Medications, Chiropractic & Nutrition a Natural Option

Monday, October 12th, 2009

A recent report on CBS Health Watch Warns About Sudden Cardiac Death Being Caused by Common Medications Prescribed for ADD/ADHD

Dr. Peter Osborne, Diplomate with the American Clinical Board of NutritionDoctor Osborne’s Comment

I have been saying for years that medications like ritalin and adderall are nothing more than cocaine for children.  Let’s take a look at the facts surrounding ADD and ADHD.

Diagnosing ADD/ADHD has no definitive testing protocol.  The diagnosis is typically based on opinion of teachers, parents, and doctors.  In the last 60 years, we went from a few thousand to more than 4 million prescriptions given annually for children with this condition.  Further more, Ritalin and Adderall have not been shown to improve grade performance at school, but this is commonly touted as on of the main reasons for their use.   As a matter of fact, Ritalin and Adderall work on the same neural receptors as cocaine and are classified as schedule II agents because of their potential for abuse.  Common side effects include:

  • sudden cardiac death
  • abdominal pain
  • insomnia
  • delayed growth
  • anxiety
  • nervousness
  • agitation
  • hallucinations
  • weight loss
  • increased heart rate
  • addiction
U.S. consumption of food colors alone 100 million pounds (13-15 gm/day)
Artificial food colors, flavorings, and preservatives(benzoates, nitrates, and sulfites.
Anticaking agents – aluminosilicates
Synthetic antioxidants – BHA, BHT
Bleaching agents – hydrogen peroxide
Shannon in 1922 studies found 30-50% of children improved after an elimination diet
Feingold (1200 pediatric case studies)
Studies not repeated with success in U.S.
Studies conducted in the U.S. sponsored by the Nutrition Foundation, a corporate food lobby group.
Studies repeated with success in Europe
Review of 14 studies by Schardt
ADHD + asthma, eczema, irritability, sleep disturbances, food allergies, or other severe behavioral disorders was in part made better by removing additives from the diet

Common Chemicals in our Food:

Let’s take a look at some dietary and nutritional contributions to ADD/ADHD.  U.S. consumption of food colors alone 100 million pounds (13-15 gm/day).  These chemicals have been linked to abnormal behavioral problems in children.  Other common chemicals shown to affect behavior that are commonly found in many foods are artificial flavorings, and preservatives(benzoates, nitrates, and sulfites, anticaking agents – aluminosilicates, synthetic antioxidants – BHA, BHT, and bleaching agents – hydrogen peroxide.  These ingredients are found in some very common foods such as:
  1. Breakfast cereals
  2. Yogurt
  3. Lunch meats
  4. Breads
  5. Pasta
  6. Flavored Beverages (Gatorade, Soda, etc)
  7. Dried fruits
  8. Candy and gum
  9. Canned fruits and vegetables
  10. Salad dressings and marinades

A number of research studies have found that diet changes improve behavior.  The list below is only a small sample:

  1. Shannon in 1922 studies found that 30-50% of children improved after an elimination diet.
  2. Dr. Feingold (1200 pediatric case studies) showing that eliminating artificial colors and flavorings improved behavior.
  3. A 1979 study by in New York City showed that reducing the sugar content of the school feeding program increased district test scores by 15.7% over a 4 year period.
  4. a 1997 study found an association between provoking foods and increased brain electrical activity leading to ADHD like symptoms.
  5. A 1991 review on the implementation of nutrient dense foods into the diet of school aged children found that conduct, intelligence, and academic performance all improved.
  6. A 1986 study discusses how diet effects the production of neurotransmitters.
  7. Review of 14 studies by Schardt revealed the following:  ADHD, asthma, eczema, irritability, sleep disturbances, food allergies, and other severe behavioral disorders were made better by removing additives from the diet.

What You Can Do:

  1. Eliminate processed and packaged foods with artificial ingredients from your child’s diet.
  2. Have your child allergy tested using blood tests that measure delayed reactions.
  3. Test your child for nutritional deficiencies as these can disrupt how the body is able to produce the nerve chemicals responsible for communication in the body.
  4. Educate your child about the importance of nutrition and how it effects their health.
  5. Take your child to the chiropractor to help rule out nerve interference as a contributing factor to their symptoms.

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Vitamin D Cuts Cancer Risk in Half

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

New research shows that getting plenty of vitamin D prolongs life and improves health. Vitamin D deficiency plays a role in causing seventeen varieties of cancer, as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, and periodontal disease. (1) This does not mean that vitamin D deficiency is the only cause of these diseases. What it does mean is that vitamin D, and the many ways in which it affects a person’s health, must no longer be overlooked.

Here is a very important example: Ample intake of vitamin D (about 2,000 IU/day) can cut breast cancer incidence by half. (2) If vitamin D levels were increased worldwide, 600,000 cases of breast and other cancers could be prevented each year. Nearly 150,000 cases of cancer could be prevented in the United States alone.
A four-year study of 1,179 healthy, postmenopausal women showed that taking calcium, along with nearly three times the U.S. government’s recommendation of vitamin D3, showed a dramatic 60 percent or greater reduction in all forms of cancer. (3) Additionally, there is growing evidence that maintaining vitamin D evels in the body during the winter prevent the flu and other viral infections by strengthening the immune system (4).
How much vitamin D does the average person need? In the summer, those with at least 15 minutes of sun exposure on their skin most days should take 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 each day. In the winter, those with dark skin, or those who have little sun exposure on their skin, should take up to 4,000 IU each day. Suit your vitamin D3 supplementation to your lifestyle: those who have darker skin, are older, avoid sun exposure or live in the northern US should take the higher amounts.

Vitamin D is remarkably safe; there have been no deaths caused by the vitamin. (5) The best way to be sure you are getting the right amount is to have your doctor give you a blood test for 25-hydroxyvitamin D. If your vitamin D intake from all sources is maintaining your blood level at or near 50 ng/ml, you have a good vitamin D status. If it is more than 10% below this level, supplemental sources of vitamin D3 should be increased. People consuming only government-recommended levels of 200-400 IU/day often have blood levels considerably below 50 ng/ml. This means the government’s recommendations are too low, and should be raised immediately.

1. The Vitamin D Council, http://www.vitamindcouncil.com
2. Garland CF, Gorham ED, Mohr SB, Grant WB, Giovannucci EL, Lipkin M, Newmark H, Holick MF, Garland FC. Vitamin D and prevention of breast cancer: pooled analysis. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol, 2007. Mar;103(3-5):708-11.
3. Lappe JM, Travers-Gustafson D, Davies KM, Recker RR, Heaney RP. Vitamin D and calcium supplementation reduces cancer risk: results of a randomized trial. Amer J Clin Nutrition, 2007. Vol. 85, No. 6, 1586-1591, June.
4. Cannell JJ, Vieth R, Umhau JC, Holick MF, Grant WB, Madronich S, Garland CF, Giovannucci E. Epidemic influenza and vitamin D. Epidemiol Infect, 2006. Dec;134(6):1129-40. Epub 2006 Sep 7.
5. Saul AW. Vitamin D: Deficiency, diversity and dosage. J Orthomolecular Med, 2003. Vol 18, No 3 and 4, p 194-204.

Dr. Peter Osborne, Diplomate with the American Clinical Board of NutritionDr. Osborne’s Comment…

For years dermatologists have been telling patients to avoid the sun because
exposure causes skin cancer.  However, a lack of adequate sunlight causes
vitamin D deficiency.  Vitamin D deficiency has been directly linked to multiple
types of cancer.  The truth is that humans require sunlight to maintain normal
health.  Keep in mind the following…
•  Common sense is encouraged.  Do not stay in the sun long enough to burn.
•  Typically the darker your skin, the more sunlight per day you require.
•  Remember that any sunscreen greater than SPF 8 will inhibit sunlight production of vitamin D in your skin.
•  Most windows contain screens that block UVB radiation required for vitamin D synthesis.
•  Vitamin D is very safe to take.
Have your doctor check your 25-OH D levels twice per year.  Once at the end of
Winter, and once at the beginning of Fall.  According to the leading researchers
on vitamin D, your levels should be 50 ng/ml or more.
Vitamins Are Safe
There is not even one death per year from vitamin supplementation.  (American
Journal of Emergency Medicine, Vol. 22, No. 5, September 2004.

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Eggs are OK after all!

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

Eating eggs does not affect cholesterol and heart disease risk

supports consuming eggs in moderation after finding no
evidence that eggs increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The researchers studied the association between egg consumption and
cardiovascular disease in 21,327 participants from the Physicians’
Health Study.
The end result of the study found that egg consumption was not
associated with incident heart attack or stroke.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Vol. 87, No. 4, 964-969, April 2008
_________________________________________________________
Dr. Osborne’s comment:
I have been an a long time supporter of the incredible edible egg.
However, eating the right type of egg is important.  Organic, free range
eggs should be the egg of choice.  Standard commercial eggs come
from hens that are cooped up in boxes and fed chemically sprayed
grains.  This changes the chemical composition of the egg.
One of the greatest misconceptions in the health industry is that eating
foods with high cholesterol will increase the risk of cardiovascular
disease.  The liver is responsible for approximately 90-95% of your
daily cholesterol production.  So eating cholesterol foods do not have
as great an impact on cholesterol as promoted.  An egg contains about
210 mg of cholesterol.
Dietary causes of increased cholesterol are the over consumption of
processed meats, grains, and sugars.  Additionally these foods have all
been shown to stimulate an immune response in the body.
Interestingly enough, these immune responses are lessened by the
formation of cholesterol.  That being said, cholesterol is increased
during times of immune distress to help the body not to hurt it.
Think about that last sentence for a minute.  If elevated cholesterol
helps the immune system, does lowering cholesterol with medications
create immune system dysfunction.  A number of studies support this
to be the case.  Additionally, a number of studies have concluded that
elevated cholesterol is not as great a risk factor for heart disease as is
promoted.  As a matter of fact, studies have proven that people with
the lowest cholesterol have a higher mortality rate (die sooner)!
Below are a number of the benefits of cholesterol
Cholesterol helps the immune system to fight infections
Cholesterol is a precursor to the hormones estrogen,
progesterone, cortisol, and testosterone.
Cholesterol allows brain cells to form synapses (bridges that help
brain cells communicate with each other.)
References:
Krumholz HM and others. Lack of association between cholesterol
and coronary heart disease mortality and morbidity and all-cause
mortality in persons older than 70 years. Journal of the American
Medical Association 272, 1335-1340, 1990
Ravnskov U. High cholesterol may protect against infections and
atherosclerosis. Quarterly Journal of Medicine 96, 927-934, 2003.
Jacobs D and others. Report of the conference on low blood
cholesterol: Mortality associations. Circulation 86, 1046–1060,
1992.

A new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition supports consuming eggs in moderation after finding no evidence that eggs increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The researchers studied the association between egg consumption and cardiovascular disease in 21,327 participants from the Physicians’  Health Study.  The end result of the study found that egg consumption was not associated with incident heart attack or stroke.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 87, No. 4, 964-969, April 2008.

Dr. Peter Osborne, Diplomate with the American Clinical Board of NutritionDr. Osborne’s comment:

I have been an a long time supporter of the incredible edible egg.  However, eating the right type of egg is important.  Organic, free range eggs should be the egg of choice.  Standard commercial eggs come from hens that are cooped up in boxes and fed chemically sprayed grains.  This changes the chemical composition of the egg.  One of the greatest misconceptions in the health industry is that eating foods with high cholesterol will increase the risk of cardiovascular  disease.  The liver is responsible for approximately 90-95% of your daily cholesterol production.  So eating cholesterol foods do not have as great an impact on cholesterol as promoted.  An egg contains about 210 mg of cholesterol.  Dietary causes of increased cholesterol are the over consumption of processed meats, grains, and sugars.  Additionally these foods have all been shown to stimulate an immune response in the body.  Interestingly enough, these immune responses are lessened by the formation of cholesterol.  That being said, cholesterol is increased during times of immune distress to help the body not to hurt it.

Think about that last sentence for a minute.  If elevated cholesterol helps the immune system, does lowering cholesterol with medications create immune system dysfunction.  A number of studies support this to be the case.  Additionally, a number of studies have concluded that elevated cholesterol is not as great a risk factor for heart disease as is promoted.  As a matter of fact, studies have proven that people with the lowest cholesterol have a higher mortality rate (die sooner)!

Below are a number of the benefits of cholesterol

  • Cholesterol helps the immune system to fight infections
  • Cholesterol is a precursor to the hormones estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, and testosterone.
  • Cholesterol allows brain cells to form synapses (bridges that help brain cells communicate with each other.)
References:
  1. Krumholz HM and others. Lack of association between cholesterol and coronary heart disease mortality and morbidity and all-cause mortality in persons older than 70 years. Journal of the American Medical Association 272, 1335-1340, 1990.
  2. Ravnskov U. High cholesterol may protect against infections and atherosclerosis. Quarterly Journal of Medicine 96, 927-934, 2003.
  3. Jacobs D and others. Report of the conference on low blood cholesterol: Mortality associations. Circulation 86, 1046–1060, 1992.

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