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A Comprehensive Guide to Heart Health
Chris D. Meletis, ND (with permission from cpmedical.net, access pin: 587556)
In the January newsletter, I discussed my protocols for some of the most important health
concerns as we age. Throughout the year, I will delve deeper into each of the concerns mentioned in the
initial article.
In this article, I will offer an expanded discussion of heart health, describing nutritional options
for anyone who wants to be proactive and strengthen their heart as well as offering solutions for
individuals who are concerned about specific aspects of heart health.
Thirty percent of the patients I see in my practice are dealing with overt cardiovascular issues.
Statistics confirm that heart disease is a major threat to health and longevity. According to the most
recent statistics from the American Heart Association, the overall death rate from cardiovascular disease
in 2006 was 262.5 deaths per 100,000 people. In that same year, cardiovascular disease accounted for 1
of every 2.9 deaths in the United States and nearly 2,300 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each
day.1
In 2010, the American Heart Association estimates that 785,000 Americans will have a new
coronary attack, and approximately 470,000 will have a recurrent attack. An additional 195,000 silent
first myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) are estimated to occur each year. Approximately every 25
seconds, an American will have a coronary event, and approximately every minute, someone will die of
one.1
Based on these statistics and my own clinical experience I recognize how important it is to
nurture the health of the heart specifically and the cardiovascular system as a whole.
Overall Heart Health
Optimizing heart health helps ensure that this amazing muscle is up to the job of pumping blood
through the 60,000 miles of blood vessels that nourish the 50-100 trillion cells that comprise the body. A
person with an average pulse of 72 beats per minute needs their heart to beat 103,680 times per day.
As mentioned in the initial installment of this article, I find that three of the most effective
supplements to support overall cardiovascular health are CardioCare, CoQ10-H2™ and Extension
Resveratrol.
To briefly recap: CardioCare is a combination of ingredients found to work in a variety of ways
including protecting heart cells from damage,2 inhibiting LDL oxidation, decreasing blood flow
resistance,3-4 and enhancing endurance exercise tolerance in heart failure patients.5-6
The medical literature is overflowing with reports of trans-resveratrol’s ability to activate
longevity proteins (such as SIRT-1) and improve cardiac function. Resveratrol has been shown to protect
the heart during myocardial infarction, maintain healthy cholesterol levels and support healthy blood
sugar levels.7 Recent in vitro studies show that resveratrol can protect the mitochondria of human
endothelial cells (cells lining the blood vessel walls) from oxidative damage.7-8 Resveratrol even
increases mitochondrial content in endothelial cells by activating SIRT-1.9
CoQ10 also is crucial to overall heart health and protects the heart in a number of ways. It
improves endothelial dysfunction in the mesenteric arteries and reduces markers of oxidative stress and
inflammation.10 I like to use CoQ10-H2 due to its increased bioavailability.
Cholesterol
According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 35,700,000 adults 20 years of age
and older have total serum cholesterol levels greater than or equal to 240 mg/dL. LDL “bad” cholesterol
levels of 130 to 159 mg/dL are considered borderline high. Levels of 160 to 189 mg/dL are classified as
high, and levels of 190 mg/dL and above are considered very high.1 An HDL “good” cholesterol level
below 40 mg/dL in adults is considered low and is commonly considered among many to be a risk factor
for heart disease and stroke.1
It is controversial to what extent cholesterol itself is responsible for heart disease with many
people citing the fact that many people who die of heart attacks don’t have high cholesterol. Still, it is a
topic of concern to many and the evidence is mounting that it is the oxidation of LDL cholesterol (the
“bad” cholesterol) rather than the mere presence of cholesterol itself that is responsible for the most
damage done to the heart.
Consequently, I take a two-step approach to maintaining healthy cholesterol levels in my
patients. I find that LipiControl® is a powerful tool to balance cholesterol levels combined with CoQ10H2, which, as an antioxidant, can help reduce LDL oxidation.11
Blood Pressure
Approximately 20 to 30 percent of the population worldwide suffers from essential
hypertension, a condition that contributes significantly to cardiovascular mortality and morbidity.12
Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2006 indicate that
33.6 percent of US adults 20 years of age and older have hypertension (1 in 3 adults), totaling an
estimated 74,500,000 people.1 Data from NHANES 2005 to 2006 found that an additional 28 percent of
US adults had prehypertension.1 High blood pressure is defined as systolic blood pressure of at least 140
mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure of at least 90 mmg Hg.
Hypertension increases the risk of stroke, heart failure, heart attacks or kidney failure.13
Hypertension is associated with shorter overall life expectancy, shorter life expectancy free of
cardiovascular disease and more years lived with cardiovascular disease. Total life expectancy is
approximately 5 years longer for people with normal blood pressure compared to hypertensives of the
same gender at 50 years of age.14
Depending on what may be causing a patient’s hypertension, I usually take two approaches to
blood pressure control. Too much parathyroid hypertensive factor (PHF) will increase intracellular
calcium and lowering PHF will reduce calcium entry into vascular smooth muscle, reducing blood
pressure. Consequently, I find that cordyceps and shark cartilage (both found in the formula PRESSUREfX™) can help support healthy blood pressure levels by virtue of their ability to control PHF.15
Yet, in many individuals, hypertension originates due to causes other than high PHF. Nitric oxide
deficiency and the activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) are two other equally important
factors. Additionally, minimizing arterial calcification also can have impressive effects on blood pressure
by improving dilation and blood flow through the arteries. In these cases, consuming a mixture of
vitamin K, grapeseed and wild blueberry extract (as found in Circutrol BP™) can help maintain healthy
blood pressure. Grapeseed increases nitric oxide levels,16 blueberry extract inhibits the enzyme ACE17
and vitamin K2 improves arterial elasticity.18
Uncontrolled high blood pressure can be a dangerous condition and one should always consult a
physician before stopping or reducing dosages of any blood pressure medications. It should be noted
that an additional risk factor for hypertension is untreated sleep apnea. I encourage all my patients who
snore to get screened for possible apnea.
Arrhythmia
Atrial Fibrillation (AF), one of the most common kinds of arrhythmias, is responsible for at least
15 to 20 percent of all ischemic strokes.19 Furthermore, AF is an independent risk factor for ischemic
stroke severity and recurrence.20 A study of 4,600 patients diagnosed with first atrial fibrillation showed
that risk of death within the first 4 months after the AF diagnosis was high.21 The projected number of
persons with atrial fibrillation may exceed 12 million by 2050.22
Ventricular fibrillation is another form of arrhythmia. The overwhelming majority of sudden
cardiac deaths from coronary disease (estimated at 310,000 per year) are thought to be from ventricular
fibrillation.1
In my clinical practice, I often use a combination of magnesium, taurine, Panax notoginseng,
Sophora flavescens and berberine sulfate (all found in Cardio Rhythm) to help optimize heart rhythm in
my patients. Insufficient serum and red blood cell magnesium levels results in altered heart rhythm, and
studies support the value of intravenous magnesium in preventing post-surgical atrial fibrillation.23-24
Research shows that taurine may prevent arrhythmia by limiting cardiac hypertrophy and calcium
overload of the myocardium.25 Berberine has been shown to increase the strength of heart
contractions and has anti-arrhythmic properties.26 Saponins found in Panax notoginseng significantly
improve arrhythmia induced by ischemia/reperfusion in animal models27 while compounds in Sophora
have been shown to reduce the incidence and delay the onset of experimentally induced ventricular
tachycardia and help improve heart rate variability (HRV).28-29
Maintaining a healthy cardiac rhythm is a very important; therefore, I encourage all my patients
to get routine monitoring of the success of their therapeutic choice.
Non-Traditional Risk Factors
Traditional cardiovascular risk factors only partly explain the development of cardiovascular
concerns. We now know that substances in the blood other than cholesterol contribute significantly to
cardiovascular disease and serve as triggers for potentially catastrophic events such as heart attacks and
strokes. These substances include fibrinogen, homocysteine and C-reactive protein (CRP). Therefore,
besides monitoring traditional cardiovascular risk factors in my patients, I typically monitor these other
non-traditional risk factors due to extensive evidence that indicates they may play an important role in
cardiovascular disease development.
Homocysteine
High levels of the amino acid homocysteine have been linked to an increased risk of coronary
artery disease, stroke, and deep vein thrombosis, and homocysteine is a strong predictor of mortality
among patients with ischemic heart disease.30
Homocysteine is thought to damage the cardiovascular system as well as exert damaging effects
on other systems of the body by oxidizing and producing a byproduct known as homocysteic acid, which
activates receptors that increase reactive oxygen species. Even a short-term exposure of cells to
homocysteic acid at concentrations characteristic of hyperhomocysteinemia (high homocysteine)
initiates cell death.31
Vitamin B12, B6 and folate are well researched for their homocysteine-lowering effects. I like to
combine these three nutrients with betaine (as found in Advanced Methyl Caps) because betaine has
been shown to lower homocysteine levels in the majority of patients unresponsive to vitamin B6
therapy.32
Fibrinogen
A high level of the protein fibrinogen in the blood is another “non-traditional” risk factor for
cardiovascular disease. Fibrinogen has been linked to coronary disease in healthy middle-aged adults
and strongly predicts silent myocardial ischemia in diabetic patients.33
Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) measures the thickness of two layers (the intima and
media) of the wall of the carotid arteries, the largest conduits of blood feeding the brain. Carotid IMT is
thought to be an even earlier manifestation of atherosclerosis than coronary artery calcification,
because thickening precedes the development of atherosclerotic plaque.
In one study, researchers investigated whether plasma fibrinogen levels correlated with carotid
lesions and IMT. The study authors measured the plasmatic levels of fibrinogen in 100 patients with
asymptomatic carotid lesions and who had at least one traditional cardiovascular risk factor. The
researchers found a significant correlation between plasma fibrinogen levels and severity of carotid
lesions.34
According to the scientists, “Beyond traditional cardiovascular risk factors, high plasmatic levels
of fibrinogen significantly correlate with the thickness of carotid wall in asymptomatic subjects.”
To lower fibrinogen levels, I have my patients use a combination of turmeric and Natto 3X.
Turmeric has been shown to reduce abnormally high levels of fibrinogen.35-36 Typically, I suggest my
patients consume 600 to 1,000 mg per day of turmeric (300 to 500 mg, two times per day).
Nattokinase is a potent fibrinolytic enzyme (breaks up fibrin) that helps break up clots that form
at the vessel wall.37-38 Taking enteric-coated Nattokinase capsules 1.3 grams three times per day
seems to significantly increase measures of fibrinolytic activity for 2 to 8 hours.39
C-Reactive Protein
Since atherosclerosis may, in part, be an inflammatory disease, circulating factors related to
inflammation may predict cardiovascular disease. One of these inflammatory factors is high-sensitivity
C-reactive protein (CRP). Researchers have found that circulating levels of CRP can help predict the risk
for initial cardiovascular events.40
Both elevated LDL and CRP are a combined risk factor working together to damage blood
vessels. Even more powerful was the finding that the 27,939 women participants with low LDL and high
CRP were at higher risk than those with high LDL and low CRP levels.41
For patients whose test results show a high CRP level, I suggest nutrients that can reduce
inflammation such as those found in Advanced Inflammation Control and fish oil (Ethyl EPA).
Advanced Inflammation Control contains Stephania tetrandra. Two components of this
botanical, tetrandrine (Tet) and fangchinoline (Fang), have strongly suppressed IL-6 activity. IL-6 is the
main cause of elevated blood C-reactive protein.42 Green Tea, also found in Advanced Inflammation
Control, has been shown to reduce inflammatory markers such as CRP in animal studies.43
Omega-3 fatty acids are equally essential as fish oil supplements have reduced CRP levels in
human studies.44
Conclusion
Maintaining the health of the heart is one of the most crucial aspects of a healthy aging
regimen. In addition to monitoring for any of the risk factors mentioned above and incorporating the
necessary supplements into a healthy aging regimen, I also stress the importance of undertaking a
regular exercise routine since remaining physically inactive increases the risk of coronary heart disease
comparable to the risk observed for high blood cholesterol, hypertension or cigarette smoking.
Individuals who work out or exercise heavily may want to add D-ribose, ATP Cofactors, and extra
magnesium to their supplement program.
In my clinic I have noted a great deal of success using the supplements described in this article,
whether patients are already suffering from a particular heart-related concern or simply trying to keep
their hearts working as optimally as possible.
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