| Heart Disease - Why We are Dying to Know the Truth |

By Taryn Hitchman, N.D., CNHP in collaboration
with Shane Ellison, M.Sc. Author of “Health Myths Exposed”
Copyright 2005 – All Rights Reserved

Despite the successful attempts to lower cholesterol with pharmaceutical drugs, the death rate from heart disease (aka atherosclerosis) has not changed over the last 75 years. As a Naturopathic Doctor and a Certified Natural Health Professional since 2003, these statistics made me question cholesterol's supposed role in the etiology of heart disease. My inquiry led me to Shane Ellison, M.Sc. Shane is the author of a new book, "Health Myths Exposed". My interview with him reveals some shocking facts about heart disease and how to naturally prevent this pandemic killer.

Taryn: Thank you, Shane, for taking the time to sit and talk with me about the deadly myths surrounding cholesterol and its role in heart disease. Could you please start by telling me what cholesterol is?

Shane: Cholesterol is a versatile compound that is vital to the function of the human body. Just like everything else, cholesterol levels differ greatly among individuals. In humans, cholesterol serves five main functions:

1. Cholesterol is used by the body to manufacture steroids, or cortisone-like hormones. These hormones included testosterone, estrogen and cortisone. Combined, these hormones control a myriad of bodily functions.

2. Cholesterol helps the liver to produce bile acids. These acids are essential for proper digestion of fats and in ridding the body of waste products.

3. Cholesterol acts to interlock "lipid molecules", which stabilize cell membranes. As such, cholesterol is the building block for all bodily tissues.

4. Most notably, cholesterol is an essential part of the myelin sheath. The myelin sheath, similar to the coating on copper wire, ensures that the brain functions properly by aiding with the passage of electrical impulses. Without the myelin sheath, it is difficult to focus and we can lose memory.

5. And finally, cholesterol has beneficial effects on the immune system. Men with high cholesterol have stronger immune systems than those with low cholesterol.

As you can see, cholesterol has many roles. Lowering it is suicide in slow motion.

T: OK. Now we know what cholesterol is and that it is a vital substance to the body's economy. Could you please expand on what good and bad cholesterol is?

S: The notion that one is bad and the other is good is simply based on the fact that LDL cholesterol has been found to be one of many components of arterial plaque. Whether it is high or low, LDL cholesterol will still be a component of plaque and damage arteries. Therefore, the distinction of one form of cholesterol being being bad and the other being good is false. If bad cholesterol exists then so does the easter bunny.

It is important to understand plaque. Plaque is Nature's "Band Aid" and results from damage to the inner layer of the artery, known medically as the endothelium. Knowing this and the importance of cholesterol, preventing damage to the endothelium of the arteries sets a precedent over lowering LDL cholesterol levels. This can be done by quitting sugar, exercising and/or ingesting proper amounts of folic acid and B12 to lower a chemical known as homocysteine (Homocysteine has been shown to damage the endothelial layer of arteries).

T: So you're basically saying that we should be not be paying attention to cholesterol levels?

S: Monitoring cholesterol levels to gauge our health could prove dangerous. Doing so will cause most to ignore the real cause of heart disease.

While complex, it is not hard to learn the basics of how heart disease, or rather atherosclerosis, develops. To our benefit, this allows us to better understand key lifestyle factors that work to prevent it.

Heart disease is an inflammatory response initiated by damage to the innermost layer of the arteries. This is the layer that faces the bloodstream. It is known as the endothelium layer. Damage to the endothelium layer can happen anywhere, but 90% of the time it happens in the arteries of the heart (coronary arteries), probably due to the mechanical stress in this region. Damage to the endothelium can be attributed to any number of biological disturbances and working to prevent these disturbances is working to prevent heart disease.

Here are a select few:

Free radical damage leading to oxidized Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL)
Infection
Smoking
High blood pressure
High blood sugar
Increased levels of insulin
Increased levels of homocysteine
Increased levels of cortisol (i.e., stress)
Lack of vitamin C

Once damage occurs to the endothelium layer, the body's natural repair mechanism takes over. The natural repair mechanism begins with circulating levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL's) into the damaged area, particularly between the smooth muscle layer and endothelium of the artery. Once LDL's move into the damaged area of the endothelium there is an alteration in endothelium function. This alteration begins the inflammation cascade. To signal for help, the endothelium begins to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). This attracts the immune cells to the damaged site. Immune cells then produce growth factors, which cause muscle cells to multiply and invade the damaged area of the blood vessel. Eventually, the conundrum of LDL, immune cells, muscle cells and debris from the initial damage for "plaque".

T: What does plaque do in the body?

S: To reiterate, here is the most important thing to understand. Plaque is Nature's "Band Aid" for damage to the arterial wall (endothelium). This "Band Aid" forms whether an individual has high or low LDL. This, in part, explains why researchers have failed to find a correlation between levels of cholesterol and the growth of atherosclerosis.

Over time, buildup of atherosclerotic plaque initiates heart attack and stroke, sometimes without warning. As the artery narrows, tiny blood clots, which are normally harmless, become a death threat. These tiny blood clots, usually capable of passing through a healthy artery, become caught in the plaque and further block the blood flow. If an artery is blocked in the heart, a heart attack is the result. And if a blockage occurs in the brain, a stroke is the result.

T: So tell me how did LDL cholesterol arrive as "bad cholesterol"?

S: Recognizing that LDL cholesterol is one of the many substances found in plaque and that, pharmaceutical companies and medical doctors coined the phrase "bad cholesterol" when referring to LDL. In a weak attempt to support this, they state that LDL cholesterol is the culprit of deadly plaque buildup. Meanwhile, they ignore the importance of preventing scarring of the mechanically stressed arterial wall. As stated earlier, this can be done by exercise or by LOWERING HOMOCYSTEINE LEVELS WITH THE PROPER RATIO OF FOLIC ACID AND VITAMIN B12. Instead of recognizing this, most health practitioner's hold on to the one-dimensional argument, which insists that LDL cholesterol must be lowered to prevent heart disease. In the same breath, they prescribe cholesterol-lowering drugs.

In other words, LDL cholesterol became a household word thanks to drug companies wanting to sell drugs.

T: With roughly 13 million people currently on lifetime prescriptions to cholesterol-lowering statins, you're saying we should not focus on lowering cholesterol levels with drugs?

S: Lowering cholesterol has proven LIFE THREATENING AND DEADLY, especially among the elderly. If we ignore the evidence, which refutes the cholesterol-lowering myth, then it is quite possible that our health will worsen simply due to the dangers associated with having low cholesterol. Some moving examples exist.

Researchers at the University of San Diego highlight that epidemiological studies show that high cholesterol in those over 75 years of age is protective rather than harmful. They state that low cholesterol is a risk factor for heart arrhythmias, which are the leading cause of death if heart attack occurs. Moreover, increased heart arrhythmia (known as atrial fibrillation) due to low cholesterol is an important risk factor for stroke. These researchers conclude that lowering cholesterol does not offer any benefit that exceeds the risk.

The most widely respected medical journal, The Journal of the American Medical Association, published a study entitled: "Cholesterol and Mortality. 30 Years of Follow-up from the Framingham Study." Shocking to most, this in-depth study showed that after the age of 50, there is no increased overall death rate associated with high cholesterol! There was, however, a direct association between low levels (or dropping levels) of cholesterol and increased death. Specifically, medical researchers reported that CVD death rates increased by 14% for every 1 mg/dL drop in total cholesterol levels per year. For example, an individual whose total cholesterol levels dropped 14 mg/dL during 14 years would be expected to have an 11% higher death rate than persons whose cholesterol levels remained constant or rose during the same period.

For those who have already suffered from heart failure, lowering cholesterol may just add to the problem and increase recovery time. The Journal of Cardiac Failure published the findings of Horwich and colleagues in a paper entitled "Low Serum Total Cholesterol is Associated with Marked Increase in Mortality in Advanced Heart Failure." In their analysis of 1,134 patients with heart disease, they found that low cholesterol was associated with worse outcomes in heart failure patients and impaired survival while high cholesterol improved survival rates. Interesting to note, their findings showed that elevated cholesterol among patients was not associated with hypertension, diabetes, or coronary heart disease.

Low cholesterol has also been linked to depression and anxiety. Duke psychologist Edward Suarez found that women with low cholesterol levels, below 160 mg/dL, were more likely to show signs of depression and anxiety relative to women with normal to high cholesterol levels. In 2003, Duke University showed a 20% absolute increase in depression among those taking cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins. Their results add to the literature linking cholesterol and mood. Those who think they are safe from heart disease due to lowering total cholesterol levels may want to seriously rethink their preventative efforts. Lowering cholesterol, whether by prescription drugs or dietary supplements, would prove dangerous and goes against centuries of scientific research findings, which clearly shows that HIGH CHOLESTEROL IS PROTECTIVE RATHER THAN DETRIMENTAL.

Combined, these facts are a deathblow to the cholesterol lowering myth. As such, they render America's best selling cholesterol- lowering drugs useless and in some cases deadly. This is why people are still dying from heart disease; the truth is not readily available.

T: Shane, you've pointed out what cholesterol is, its role in the body and the consequences of lowering cholesterol with drugs. Things are starting to look clearer to me. Have other researchers studied the correlation between total cholesterol levels and atherosclerosis?

S: Yes. Looking for a correlation between total cholesterol levels and the changes in atherosclerosis development, we must go all the way back to a landmark study from 1961. Researchers Mathur and colleagues studied the levels of cholesterol and the degree of atherosclerosis seen at autopsy within the arteries of 20 deceased patients as well as 200 more cases selected from medical libraries. All cholesterol levels were taken within 16 hours of death. Combined, no correlation could be observed between these patients' blood cholesterol levels and the amount or severity of "atherosclerotic plaque" within the arteries. Hence, cholesterol levels, whether high or low, had no impact on the growth of atherosclerotic plaque, the major cause of heart disease. This study showed the exact opposite of what Americans are told and shakes the very foundation of the current medical model for treating or preventing heart disease.

Many other studies have confirmed these findings by Mathur and colleagues. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has also shown that at autopsy, postmortem patients who died suddenly showed no correlation between total cholesterol levels and atherosclerosis.(vi) In their research, Jose Mendez, PhD, and co-workers point out that their findings agree with previous studies. Notably, they cited researchers Lande and Sperry who in 1936 also failed to find a correlation between cholesterol levels and atherosclerotic plaque.

For more recent studies, we can look to the statin drug trials. These trials were well funded and used large populations to find a correlation between drug-induced (Lipitor, Pravachol, Zocor, and Crestor) low cholesterol and the prevention of early death from heart disease. Like the previously mentioned studies, the statin drug trials rarely showed a correlation between low cholesterol and prevention of early death from heart disease. Among the many trials, only two prevented absolute total mortality rates when compared to a placebo. The Long Term Intervention with Pravastatin (Pravachol™) in Ischemic Heart Disease (LIPID) trial showed a contemptible 3.1% reduction in absolute total mortality rates. Similarly, the 4S trial showed a minimal 3.3% reduction in absolute total mortality rates among those taking 20-40mg/day of Zocor™. These unappealing results were obscured with advertising and statistical contortionists. Important to note, the minimal reductions were most likely associated with anti-inflammation, not low cholesterol.

That heart disease can be prevented or delayed with substances that have anti-inflammatory properties is of paramount importance. The majority (basically the entire world) of medical doctors, natural health practitioners, and purveyors of nutritional supplements are promoting cholesterol lowering via diet, cholesterol-lowering drugs, red yeast rice or policosanol. Doing this discounts and often misses the major factor in preventing heart disease: anti-inflammation. Not recognizing such a crucial piece to the heart disease puzzle will inevitably contribute to heart disease. A plethora of inexpensive and safe natural anti-inflammatory compounds exist. These include but are not limited to alpha lipoic acid and green tea.

Continuing, let's go ahead and hammer the nail into the cholesterol myth coffin. If it is true that the risk of heart disease rises as blood cholesterol rises, then we should see elevated total cholesterol among those who die early from heart attack. This too has not been the case. Specifically, half of all heart attacks and strokes occur in persons without elevated levels of cholesterol. Let's cover the coffin with a layer of cement. If cholesterol caused atherosclerosis, then we would find atherosclerosis throughout the 70,000 miles of arteries within the body through which cholesterol travels. Yet, 90% of the time atherosclerosis is found in the coronary arteries, while the rest of the arteries remain unharmed by cholesterol. Hence, to say that cholesterol is the culprit is akin to saying that if you jump in water, only your hair will become wet while the rest of your body remains dry. While this may sound absurd to you, so does the cholesterol myth when you consider scientific evidence.

T: So how does one prevent heart disease?

S: We are still learning the answer to this. Scientists have made some incredible strides in understanding heart disease and preventing it.

The first step towards preventing heart disease is engaging in healthy lifestyle habits, not popping pills. This includes both prescription drugs and nutritional supplements. Neither will prevent heart disease among those who have poor lifestyle habits. Once healthy lifestyle habits are formed, nutritional supplements can be considered. If you are serious about preventing heart disease, the following lifestyle habits must be employed:

Exercise
Abstain from sugar (sucrose and fructose)
Abstain from cigarettes
Minimize all alcohol intake from all sources including wine
Abstain from artificial flavors and processed foods
Eat more green leafy vegetables on a daily basis
Drink more purified (not distilled) water
Avoid milk
Consume more fat in the form of omega-3 fatty acids via walnuts and pecans
Minimize grain

Exercise appears to be the most important factor for preventing heart disease. This does not mean training for a marathon. It simply means light exercise for moderate periods of 30-60 minutes. Proper exercise has more benefits than any prescription drug to date. First, exercise keeps the blood flowing smoothly through the arteries, thereby preventing blockage. This is known scientifically as improving endothelial dysfunction. By improving endothelial function, arteries are better able to dilate in order to meet an increased demand of blood. Second, exercise lowers homocysteine levels. As previously mentioned elevated homocysteine in the blood is another risk for heart disease for its ability to scars arterial walls and elicit plaque build-up. And finally, exercise lowers blood glucose levels. High blood glucose has shown to increase the risk of heart disease exponentially. This is why diabetics have a 4.5 times greater chance of suffering from heart disease relative to non-diabetics - high blood glucose. These benefits of exercise are proof that habits create and eradicate disease, not drugs. Recognizing this, drug companies and medical doctors will have to take huge pay cuts. Personal trainers and fitness instructors are the true custodians of public health, as dictated by science not hype.

T: Thank you, Shane. Your research and book has been a tremendous help in clarifying the heart disease conundrum.

Taryn Hitchman: I've been an AEA-certified group fitness instructor since 1999 and the passion of my life is teaching water exercise. I am also a Naturopathic Doctor who graduated from Trinity College in 2003 and a Certified Natural Health Professional since 2003. I became a Naturopath to learn more about health and healing, as opposed to diseases and cures. I believe that the study of health of the human body should not be such a complicated process, and I want to promote the truth regarding medical myths that affect an unsuspecting, trusting public.

Shane Ellison: Shane holds a Master's degree in organic chemistry and has first-hand industry experience with drug research, design and synthesis. He understands that Americans want and deserve education rather than prescriptions. He is a member of The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics (THINCS). His shocking ebook about statin drugs can be downloaded for FREE at www.health-fx.net. His book "Health Myths Exposed" is available at www.healthmyths.net or Amazon.com. Email: shane@health-fx.net.

References:

Ravnskov, Uffe. Quarterly Journal of Medicine 2003; 96:927-934.

Specifically, high blood sugar leads to advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs), which are compounds found in the blood of diabetics due to an oxidation reaction with excess glucose found in the bloodstream. These scar arterial walls.

Ravnskov, Uffe. Quarterly Journal of Medicine. 2003; 96:927-934.

Anderson KM. Et al. "Cholesterol and Mortality. 30 Years of Follow-up from the Framingham Study." Journal of the American Medical Association. 1987 Apr 24;257(16):2176-80.

Steffens DC, McQuoid DR, Krishnan KR. "Cholesterol-lowering medication and relapse of depression." Psychopharmacology Bulletin. 2003;37(4):92-8.

Mendez, Jose. Tejada, Carlos. Relationship between serum lipids and aortic atherosclerotic lesions in sudden accidental deaths in Guatamala city. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vol 20, No 10, October 1967, pp. 1113-1117.

Mathur, K.S. et al. "Serum Cholesterol and Atherosclerosis in Man." Circulation. 1961:23:847-52. Ridker PM. "Connecting the role of C-reactive protein and statins in cardiovascular disease." Clinical Cardiology. 2003 Apr;26(4 Suppl 3):III39-44.

Rath, Matthias, M.D. Why Animals Don't Get Heart Attacks … But People Do! Copyright 2003. MR Publishing. ISBN#0-9679456-8-1.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shane holds a Master's degree in organic chemistry and has first-hand industry experience with drug research, design and synthesis. He understands that Americans want and deserve education rather than prescriptions. He is the author of the controversial and shocking book Health Myths Exposed. To learn more visit www.healthmyths.net. You can get his free eBook What You MUST know about Cholesterol Lowering Drugs at www.health-fx.net.