Cholesterol Fraud - Related Article

Exposing the Cholesterol Fraud - By Aleksandra Niedzwiecki

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Hundreds of millions of people worldwide (100 million in the USA ) again have their health and lives put at risk in order to increase profits for the drug companies! Newly released information about the study with Vytorin, a widely prescribed cholesterol lowering drug, reveals that the drug does nothing to reduce plaque build up in the arteries. Just the opposite —using Vytorin doubled plaque growth and led to an increase in heart attacks and strokes. The study, conducted on 720 patients (most in the Netherlands with high blood cholesterol levels, tested the effects of Vytorin (a "multi-drug" combining Zocor, a statin which inhibits cholesterol production in the liver; and Zetia, a drug that inhibits cholesterol absorption in the intestine). Although Vytorin lowered cholesterol levels in the blood by about 20% more than Zocor alone, it did not show any beneficial effects on slowing down progression of heart disease - it worsened it! Although some people may be surprised with the result, we at the Dr. Rath Research Institute are not.

More than a decade ago, Dr. Rath presented scientific evidence that indiscriminate lowering of cholesterol does not prevent heart attacks and strokes. This is because high cholesterol is a symptom but not the cause of heart disease. The production of cholesterol increases in response to weakening of the structure of the arteries of the heart and the need for their biological "repair". The most frequent reason for such weakening is impaired production of collagen — the building material of the blood vessel wall — which is caused by insufficient intake of micronutrients in our diet, such as vitamin C, Lysine, vitamin B6, copper and others. If these nutrients are not supplied, then cholesterol starts depositing in the arteries which with time leads to clogging of the blood flow, heart attacks and strokes. The cholesterol-based theory of heart disease does not explain why we are getting heart attacks but not those or other organs attacks, why blockages occur in the arteries not veins, or many other aspects of heart disease. This theory only serves as a marketing tool for cholesterol lowering drugs.

Since cholesterol cannot be a primary cause of heart disease, its lowering without optimizing collagen production and healthy function of the artery walls cannot prevent heart disease. But nutrients can do that! Our study with Dr Rath's Cellular Health Program based on nutrient synergy has shown that growth of calcified plaques in the heart arteries can be stopped within one year of using it. Further, we documented that nutrients can trigger a natural reversal of early cardiovascular deposits. (J Appl Nutr, 1996). In addition, we documented that the synergy of nutrients supporting the function of the blood vessels can effectively decrease blood cholesterol levels. This includes not only LDL cholesterol but also its more atherogenic type — the Lp-a. Why? Because we target the cause not a symptom of heart disease. You may ask, what was the reason for conducting the Vytorin study and why the release of the results were delayed for two years by its manufacturers, Merck and Schering-Plough. Of course, the answer is money. One of the components of Vytorin, a statin sold under the name Zocor, was about to loose its patent in June, 2006. Therefore the manufacturers were hoping that a study showing positive results with a combination of Zocor and Zetia (which makes Vytorin) could be used to extend the patent for Zocor. Unfortunately for the drug makers, the study resultscompleted in 2006 were disappointing and Merck and Shering used different excuses not to reveal the data to the public for about two years. However, during this time, advertisements for Vytorin continued and, of course, so did its sales. Over these two years Vytorin brought more than $4 billion (!) in revenues for Merck and Shering. Even more, Merck found a way to rake more revenues on Zocor, for which patent could not be renewed. The Zocor formula was given to an India based company, Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd, and licensed to make a so-called "authorized generic" in return for a share of revenues. Yet another deceptive marketing practice, in other words. In light of this, you may ask why all these marketing tricks are made at the expense of our health? Who had taken patients' rights into account?

This calculated deception, and the health risks experienced by hundreds millions of patients, are done in the name of profits. The case of Vytorin is not an exception — it is the rule! This is why Dr Rath and all of us have been fighting for years to end this business with disease and stop the patenting of our health and lives. How many more people have to get sick or die before this unscrupulous business is stopped? We can't wait until someone else does it for us — we have to do itourselves!

"Heart/cardiovascular disease today in modern society is primarly caused by Stress which causes (in conjunction with poor diet), inflammation in the smooth muscles of the arteries, arterioles and capillaries thus causing vasoconstriction and plaque to form due to reduced clearance and roughened intima lining surface. In chronic conditions of unrelenting stress the condition causes blockage of blood supply thus leading to claudication, infarct, stenosis, T.I.A. and stroke. Aerobic exercise and meditation/breathing have shown promising results on reversing the process and keeping elasticity in the vascular system thus ultimately lowering blood pressure."

— Dr. Kent G. Carlomagno D.C.