Heart and cholesterol — does a plate of vegetables work better than statins?

Sources: 9 · Article: 9 590 characters

Jerzy Jaśkowski attributes muscle weakness, memory problems, and an increase in atherosclerotic changes in the arteries to statins.

Ewa Dąbrowska describes a fruit-and-vegetable fast as a way to help improve insulin resistance, which is associated, among other things, with atherosclerosis and lipid disorders.
Andrzej Frydrychowski links the effects of statins to disrupted synthesis of coenzyme Q10 and squalene, while Thomas E. Levy warns against their long-term use and very low cholesterol levels because of cancer risk.

What the authors write

Ewa Dąbrowska

A fruit-and-vegetable fast is intended to help improve insulin resistance, which underlies, among other things, atherosclerosis and lipid disorders.

„Metabolic diseases Fasting helps reduce excess body fat and reverse fatty liver. As a result, cells become more sensitive to insulin. This is important because insulin resistance underlies many metabolic diseases: type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, lipid disorders, and gout.”Choroby metabolicznePost wspomaga redukcję nadmiaru tkanki tłuszczowej i cofa stłuszczenie wątroby. W efekcie poprawia się wrażliwość komórek na insulinę, co jest kluczowe, ponieważ insulinooporność leży u podstaw wielu chorób metabolicznych: cukrzycy typu 2, miażdżycy, nadciśnienia, zaburzeń lipidowych czy dny moczanowej.

Schorzenia i świadectwa

Andrzej Frydrychowski

Statins lower cholesterol by blocking the HMG-CoA pathway, which, according to Andrzej Frydrychowski, also disrupts the synthesis of coenzyme Q10 and squalene.

„First, statins lower cholesterol by blocking the HMG-CoA metabolic pathway. This disrupts the synthesis of coenzyme Q10 and squalene. Impaired Q10 synthesis has serious consequences because Q10 affects energy production in heart cells.”Po pierwsze, statyny obniżają poziom cholesterolu, blokując szlak metaboliczny HMG CoA. W wyniku tego dochodzi do zaburzeń syntezy koenzymu Q10 i skwalenu. Uszkodzenie syntezy Q10 daje poważne konsekwencje, ponieważ wpływa on na energetykę komórek serca.

Wpływ statyn na nasze zdrowie

Jerzy Jaśkowski

Jerzy Jaśkowski links statins to reduced production of coenzyme Q10, as well as muscle weakness and memory problems.

„As I mentioned, statins reduce the cholesterol pathway and thus lower the production of CoQ10, a natural coenzyme that is absolutely essential for our bodies. Statistics show that surgical treatment of a “heart attack” carries a postoperative mortality rate of up to 47% within one year.”Statyny, obniżając szlak cholesterolowy, jak wspomniałem, zmniejszają produkcję Co Q 10, absolutnie niezbędnego dla naszego organizmu naturalnego koenzymu. Jak wykazują statystyki, leczenie operacyjne „zawału” powoduje śmiertelność pooperacyjną w okresie roku do 47%.

Statyny – lekarze o tym nie mówią

Jerzy Jaśkowski

Jerzy Jaśkowski attributes an increase in atherosclerotic changes in the coronary arteries and aorta to statins, as well as a higher risk of cardiovascular complications in people with diabetes.

„Further studies have shown that statin use increases the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the coronary arteries and increases atherosclerosis in the aorta. Other studies show that taking statins not only increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but also accelerates the onset of diabetes-related cardiovascular complications.”Kolejne badania udowodniły, że stosowanie statyn powoduje wzrost tworzenia się blaszek miażdżycowych w tętnicach wieńcowych i wzrost miażdżycy aorty. Inne badania dowodzą, że przyjmowanie statyn nie tylko powoduje wzrost ryzyka wystąpienia cukrzycy typu 2, ale także przyspieszenie występowania powikłań sercowo-naczyniowych związanych z cukrzycą.

Statyny – lekarze o tym nie mówią

Jerzy Jaśkowski

Jerzy Jaśkowski presents cholesterol as a substance the body needs and opposes lowering its levels with statins.

„Cholesterol is a single chemical compound. It is essential for building the cell structure. From a biochemical point of view, coenzyme Q—the compound responsible for detoxification, or removing toxins from our bodies—is produced as the end product from the same starting substances.”Cholesterol to jeden związek chemiczny. Jest on niezbędny do budowy szkieletu komórki. Z biochemicznego punktu widzenia z tych samych substancji pierwotnych jako produkt końcowy powstaje koenzym Q, czyli związek odpowiedzialny w naszym organizmie za detoksykację, czyli usuwanie wszelkich toksyn.

Czego nie wiemy o statynach?

Thomas E. Levy

Thomas E. Levy warns against long-term statin use and very low cholesterol levels, linking them to an increased risk of cancer.

„The lower your cholesterol levels go without addressing the underlying toxin presence, the greater your chances of cancer. Period. Furthermore, in a recent 2013 study, it has now been shown that long-term statin use is associated with increased risks of two different types of breast cancer, completely consistent with the long-established link between cancer and low cholesterol.”The lower your cholesterol levels go without addressing the underlying toxin presence, the greater your chances of cancer. Period. Furthermore, in a recent 2013 study, it has now been shown that long-term statin use is associated with increased risks of two different types of breast cancer, completely consistent with the long-established link between cancer and low cholesterol.

Dr. Thomas Levy

Research from PubMed · Europe PMC

We selected 3 studies with the best, positive results. This is a selection, not a full review of all research.

Total number of studies on this topic in PubMed: 21.

A diet combining plant sterols, soy protein, fiber, and almonds lowered LDL more than the control diet, but this study did not directly compare it with a statin.

Aim of the study: Reductions in low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) result from diets containing almonds, or diets that are either low in saturated fat or high in viscous fibers, soy proteins, or plant sterols. We have therefore combined all of these interventions in a single diet (portfolio diet) to determine whether cholesterol reductions could be achieved of similar magnitude to those reported in recent statin trials which reduced cardiovascular events.

Results: The reductions in LDL-C and the LDL:HDL-C ratio were both significantly lower on the portfolio diet than on the control diet (P<.001 and P<.001, respectively). Mean weight loss was similar on test and control diets (1.0 kg and 0.9 kg, respectively). No difference was seen in blood pressure, HDL-C, serum triglycerides, lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], or homocysteine concentrations between diets. Combining a number of foods and food components in a single dietary portfolio may lower LDL-C similarly to statins and so increase the potential effectiveness of dietary therapy.

The effect of combining plant sterols, soy protein, viscous fibers, and almonds in treating hypercholesterolemia. · Metabolism 2003

Money for the studynot stated

Do the authors have ties to companies?not stated

Did a manufacturer help with the study?unknown

Type of studystudy with random allocation to groups (RCT)

“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.

After one year on the portfolio diet, LDL fell by an average of about 13%, and in some participants the reduction was comparable to results from their earlier statin trial.

Aim of the study: Cholesterol-lowering foods may be more effective when consumed as combinations rather than as single foods. Our aims were to determine the effectiveness of consuming a combination of cholesterol-lowering foods (dietary portfolio) under real-world conditions and to compare these results with published data from the same participants who had undergone 4-wk metabolic studies to compare the same dietary portfolio with the effects of a statin.

Results: At 3 mo and 1 y, mean (+/-SE) LDL-cholesterol reductions appeared stable at 14.0 +/- 1.6% (P < 0.001) and 12.8 +/- 2.0% (P < 0.001), respectively (n = 66). These reductions were less than those observed after the 1-mo metabolic diet and statin trials. Nevertheless, 31.8% of the participants (n = 21 of 66) had LDL-cholesterol reductions of >20% at 1 y (x +/- SE: -29.7 +/- 1.6%). The LDL-cholesterol reductions in this group were not significantly different from those seen after their respective metabolically controlled portfolio or statin treatments. A correlation was found between total dietary adherence and LDL-cholesterol change (r = -0.42, P < 0.001). Only 2 of the 26 participants with <55% compliance achieved LDL-cholesterol reductions >20% at 1 y.

Assessment of the longer-term effects of a dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods in hypercholesterolemia. · Am J Clin Nutr 2006

Money for the studynot stated

Do the authors have ties to companies?not stated

Did a manufacturer help with the study?unknown

Type of studyclinical study in people

Participants66

“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.

After 8 weeks on a plant-based diet, participants’ total cholesterol had decreased.

Aim of the study: Plant-based vegan diets (PBVDs) improve cardiometabolic risk markers, hence are recommended as an adjunct treatment by some cardiologists. To complete a service evaluation, practical measures of dietary adherence are required, and perceptions of patients need to be considered.

Results: Twenty patients completed the dietary assessment. After 8 weeks, 55% (n = 11) were classified as fully adherent to the PBVD. Mean score for the PBVD-S increased from 20.3 ± 8.7 at baseline to 38.9 ± 5.8 at Week 8. Mean total cholesterol (TC), body mass index (BMI), body mass, and waist circumference significantly decreased (p < 0.001) after 8 weeks on the PBVD. The PBVD-S satisfied the feasibility criteria of alignment with diet education and assessment of adherence. The PBVD was rated as either "moderately" or "extremely" acceptable by 80% of patients. The PBVD-S is a feasible option for assessing adherence and diet quality of a PBVD in a cardiology outpatient setting.

A Feasibility Assessment of Measuring Acceptance and Adherence to a Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in a Cardiology Clinic. · Clin Cardiol 2026

Money for the studynot stated

Do the authors have ties to companies?no — the authors say so

Did a manufacturer help with the study?NO

Type of studyother

Participants20

“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.

Perspectives and opinion materials

The content below presents the authors’ opinions, interpretations and hypotheses. It is not treated as equal to scientific studies and systematic reviews.

Orthomolecular Medicine News Service Opinion material

„Only six died, against a statistical expectation that 62 would have died with conventional care. He stated, "From the strictly medical viewpoint I believe all patients taking niacin would survive longer and enjoy life much more." His prediction came true when the National Coronary Drug Study was evaluated by Canner recently. But Boyle's data spoke for itself. Continuous use of niacin will decrease mortality and prolong life. Niacin Combined With Other Drugs Which Lower Cholesterol Familial hypercholesterolemia is an inherited disease in which plasma cholesterol levels are very high.”Only six died, against a statistical expectation that 62 would have died with conventional care. He stated, "From the strictly medical viewpoint I believe all patients taking niacin would survive longer and enjoy life much more." His prediction came true when the National Coronary Drug Study was evaluated by Canner recently. But Boyle's data spoke for itself. Continuous use of niacin will decrease mortality and prolong life. Niacin Combined With Other Drugs Which Lower Cholesterol Familial hypercholesterolemia is an inherited disease in which plasma cholesterol levels are very high.

VITAMIN LOWERS CHOLESTEROL

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