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11-15-04 01:29 AM - Post#33354
Judge, feel free to chime in:
The results you've obtained are great, Teresa! Just a few things to add, if I may.
Non-flush niacin has greater toxic effects on the liver than does plain niacin, so be sure to have your AST/ALT blood levels checked every 4 months. I personally find that plain old nicotinic acid works better, especially at increasing LDL particle density (something non-flush niacin has yet to do clinically that I'm aware of), and the flush is easily disuaded with a baby aspirin in the morning. If your doc OKs it, I think aspirin would be a good addition to the stack. Just an enterically-coated baby aspirin will do the trick according to the AHA.
Bear in mind that cholesterol levels alone have NOT been linked to heart disease nearly to the extent that the media and pharmeceutical companies would love for you to believe. Most MIs are caused by blood clots...something simple aspirin helps. Over 50% of these MIs occur in people with cholesterol levels under 200; ratios only slightly improve this. Heart disease is even more skewed with over 65% registering low to normal cholesterol.
What 'is' important, from what I've learned, is to monitor the following, in addition to playing it safe by keeping cholesterol in the normal range:
1. Make sure your LDL particle size is LARGE. This can be shown on a VAP test (www.atherotech.com). There is quite a bit of evidence that suggests LDL particle size has more to do with HD than mere LDL levels, ratios, etc. This explains why families like mine (with nearly everyone registering cholesterol in the 400-500 range) have no history of heart disease. Our LDL particle size is large enough to prevent damage, and we have naturally low inflammatory response markers (like LP(a), for example...a nasty little protein deviant.)
2. Stress, smoking and genetics have more to do with HD than cholesterol ever will, at least for most of us. Blood pressure ranks right up there as well. Needless to say, so will drugs and so-forth.
KUDOS to the Judge for suggesting this stack over dangerous (and often unnecessary) statin drugs. It's similar to the one I use on my clients who are concerned about their lipid levels. I personally am not that concerned (I'm more of the www.thincs.org mindset), however there's no harm in playing it safe.
Oh, and bravo on the CoQ10/magnesium connection, Judge. I've seen great results at 200mg/day of CoQ10 alone.
Keep up the good work Teresa!
Jon Benson
Nutrition and Fitness Lifecoach
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