Re: statin alternative

[Guest guest]

Phil,

As you said, Nicotinic Acid is the form of niacin to take; that should be

stressed. Many companies will put Inositol or Niacinimide in the bottle and

label it " Niacin, " though most will say what the actual active ingredient is.

Call their 800 number if needed.

I found it surprisingly difficult to locate Nicotinic Acid--except for a couple

of very expensive brands--in drugstores or Walmart/Taget/etc. Finally located a

single brand in a health food store.

Also, if you take the Niacin with the meal, you may be able to forego the

aspirin beforehand. Or so I was told, and have found.

My doctor agreed with my taking Niacin, but said nothing about its raising blood

sugar' I'm diabetic. Does anyone have experience with any other treatment, for

example, flaxseed in some form?

Thanks,

________________________________________________________________________________\

______

>

> I have mentioned it before but I do see several posts where guys are concerned

about taking statins.I was too and sought an alternative.Turns out niacin was

used effectivly for many years.Vitamin B3.Of course there is no profit in it so

we have the profitable

[Guest guest]

, you might want to look at Pantethine, which is a modified form of

pantothenic acid, or vitamin B5. Pantethine appears to improve the lipid

profile much as niacin does, but without the flushing, blood sugar increases, or

other side effects of niacin. A few people do experience " increased bowel

activity " in the beginning, but that's about it. I think most people take the

Jarrow brand, 300mg, three times a day.

But the problem with all these non-statin products is that they don't provide

what increasingly appears to be the primary benefit of statins - reduction in

inflamation. While statins were certainly designed primarily to lower

cholesterol, it's not clear that that actually does you much good. It's too bad

we don't have an inflammation reduction drug that just does that, without the

liver, muscle pain, brain fog, sexual dysfunction side effects of statins, or

the lowering of cholesterol. We could put everybody on it.

> >

> > I have mentioned it before but I do see several posts where guys are

concerned about taking statins.I was too and sought an alternative.Turns out

niacin was used effectivly for many years.Vitamin B3.Of course there is no

profit in it so we have the profitable

>

[Guest guest]

Adequate thyroid levels reduce inflammation and cholesterol, and your

risk for most of today's diseases: heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis,

dementia, etc.

http://thyroid.about.com/b/2005/07/11/inflammation-blood-sugar-and-subcl\

inical-hypothyroidism.htm

Inflammation, Blood Sugar and Subclinical Hypothyroidism Monday July 11,

2005 Researchers have found that people who have subclinical

hypothyroidism (TSH above 4.2) have higher levels of C Reactive Protein

(CRP) a marker of inflammation that is thought to be a predictor of

heart disease risk. In addition, Insulin levels of subclinically

hypothyroid patients are higher than normal controls. Mean total and

LDL-cholesterol levels of subclinically hypothyroid patients are also

higher.

Researchers concluded that the resulting low grade inflammation,

associated with fasting hyperinsulinemia, may be a predictor of later

insulin resistance in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism.

Source: Alpaslan Tuzcu, et. al. " Subclinical Hypothyroidism may be

Associated with Elevated High-sensitive C-Reactive Protein (Low Grade

Inflammation) and Fasting Hyperinsulinemia " Endocr J Vol. 52: 89-94,

(2005) .

It's too bad we don't have an inflammation reduction drug that just does

that, without the liver, muscle pain, brain fog, sexual dysfunction side

effects of statins, or the lowering of cholesterol. We could put

everybody on it.

[Guest guest]

Here is a detailed report on statins and alternatives. LEF is a great

organization and I highly recommend it. There are many things I like about it,

but the one outstanding thing is that ALL claims are referenced to studies(the

numbers at the end of some sentences are references to studies). You get none of

the " I was wandering around the Himalayas and found this healthy tribe with very

old people who ate this berry..... "

http://search.lef.org/cgi-src-bin/MsmGo.exe?grab_id=0 & page_id=1618 & query=Panteth\

ine & hiword=Pantethine%20

and just in case you need a subscription.......

Lower Cholesterol Safely

Nutritional Interventions for Healthy Lipids

By Haas, MS

Are statin drugs right for you?

At Life Extension®, we have long maintained that one's decision to take a

particular drug should be based on individual blood test findings.

For blood lipids, we recommend members seek to achieve the following optimal

ranges:

Total cholesterol 160-180 mg/dL

LDL 50-99 mg/dL

HDL 50-60 mg/dL (and higher)

Triglycerides Under 80 mg/dL

Statin drugs lower LDL and total cholesterol, but have only a modest effect on

boosting artery-cleansing HDL. Statin drugs do not lower triglycerides.

Physicians often rely solely on high-dose statin drug therapy to achieve desired

blood lipid readings. One problem with this approach is that side effects

elevate markedly as the dose of the statin drug is increased.

While you should take all necessary steps to protect heart health—which may

include cholesterol-lowering medications—high-dose statins are often

unnecessary. They should not be considered the only approach, given their

considerable risks at high doses. The side effects of sustained statin use are

well documented—muscle wasting, cognitive impairment, blurred vision, and nerve

damage, among others.

The encouraging news is that safe, low-cost, broad-spectrum interventions exist

right now, especially for individuals with elevated cholesterol, LDL, and

triglyceride levels (and low HDL) who do not have other risk factors for

vascular disease.

In this article, we explore a novel set of natural lipid-lowering compounds

shown to support healthy cholesterol levels. Monacolin-K, a compound found in

standardized red yeast rice extract, is a naturally occurring statin. It may

surprise you to learn that in clinical studies, red yeast rice along with

healthy lifestyle practices lowers cholesterol as effectively as the

prescription drug simvastatin.1

A substantial body of supportive research further indicates that monacolin-K

also reduces triglycerides and boosts HDL, thus offering a safer and broader

spectrum alternative to taking synthetic prescription statins.2-8

You will also discover the clinically demonstrated heart-protective benefits of

other natural compounds that can bring your blood lipids into healthy balance,

lower C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood, quell chronic system-wide

inflammation, and support healthy endothelial function.

Together they provide a potent, complementary alternative to prescription statin

drugs.

Why So Many Doctors Advocate Statin Use

The simple answer is: many of them have been misled by Big Pharma. It's no

exaggeration to say that statins have become the new aspirin in mainstream

medicine's war on cardiovascular disease. They're considered wonder drugs by

many in the medical community. As one leading cardiologist observed, " You can't

go to a cardiology conference and ask who's on statins without everyone's hand

going up. " 9

This almost casual attitude toward statin drug use largely stems from industry

influence. Not content with letting doctors decide whether or not to prescribe

statins on the merits of questionably favorable research data, some drug

companies have apparently taken to bribing physcians to push statins on their

patients. A 2009 investigative report disclosed that Pfizer and AstraZeneca,

pharmaceutical giants that make the two best-selling statins—Lipitor® and

Crestor®, respectively—offered Canadian doctors $100 for every new patient they

put on the cholesterol-lowering drugs.10 This outrageous marketing ploy is

nothing new. In 2003, when AstraZeneca was poised to launch Crestor®, which was

already known to have twice the adverse side effects of other statins, another

unethical deceit was discovered. Dr. Brewer, a highly influential

cholesterol researcher, raved about the drug, telling attendants at a seminar at

an American Health Association convention that the drug was safe and effective.

His comments were conveniently published in a " special supplement " of the

American Journal of Cardiology, timed perfectly with the release of Crestor® to

the US market.11

An investigation later revealed that Dr. Brewer had financial ties to

AstraZeneca as a paid speaker. It also revealed that AstraZeneca directly

financed Dr. Brewer's American Health Association seminar and Circulation's

special supplement. Dr. Brewer's monetary ties to the drug maker were not

disclosed in his article.

Red Yeast Rice: A Better Alternative to Statins

Red yeast rice (RYR), a staple of Chinese medicine and a traditional Asian

seasoning, is made by fermenting polished rice with various strains of the yeast

monacus purpureus. It contains a naturally occurring statin called monacolin-K.

High-dose statins are often unnecessary, and may not be the right choice for

millions of people, given their side effect profile.

Monacolin-K effectively lowers cholesterol by acting as an HMG-CoA reductase

inhibitor—the same mode of action as synthetic statin drugs. Bioactive compounds

found in RYR complement monacolin-K's lipid-lowering effects, including

unsaturated fats.12 These act both as cholesterol-lowering and anti-inflammatory

agents.13

Mainstream medicine has been slow to embrace red yeast rice (RYR) as an

alternative treatment therapy because the FDA does not regulate the

supplement—and because many doctors remain unaware of its lipid-lowering ability

and safety profile. This constitutes a great disservice to the millions of

Americans now taking synthetic statin drugs. There is a wealth of compelling

evidence indicating RYR's power to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and

triglyceride levels and raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL)—without unwanted

and sometimes dangerous side effects.

In one of the largest studies of its kind, a meta-analysis of 93 randomized

controlled trials involving almost 10,000 Chinese patients found that RYR could

significantly lower levels of total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides, and

raise levels of HDL compared with placebo.14

In a study specifically designed to determine if RYR could lower lipid levels

without causing myalgias (muscle pain), researchers conducted a randomized,

double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in patients with high cholesterol.15

Study participants were randomly assigned to take either 1,800 mg of red yeast

rice or placebo twice daily for 24 weeks. All participants were also enrolled in

a 12-week therapeutic lifestyle change program during the study.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: RED YEAST RICE

Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs are one of the most widely prescribed classes

of drugs.

While protecting heart health is an important lifelong habit, the long-term

effects of high-dose statin drugs carry considerable risks and should not be

taken without thoughtful consideration.

Safe, low-cost interventions are available now for those seeking to safeguard

heart health.

Red yeast rice contains monacolin-K, which works by the same mechanism as statin

drugs to lower cholesterol.

Red yeast rice has been shown to lower LDL, total cholesterol, and triglycerides

while raising HDL. Red yeast rice has even benefitted individuals who could not

tolerate the side effects of statin drugs.

Since red yeast rice works similarly to statin drugs, practitioners recommend

consuming extra CoQ10 while using it.

Other therapies that support healthy cholesterol levels include beta-sitosterol,

pantethine, policosanol, and niacin.

LDL levels decreased more in the RYR treatment group (average decrease of 35

mg/dL) than in participants receiving the placebo (average placebo decrease was

15 mg/dL). The RYR treatment achieved these results without increasing muscle

pain or CPK (creatine phosphokinase)—an enzyme in the blood that indicates

muscle damage.

RYR has been shown in some studies to perform as well or better than some widely

used synthetic statins. In one randomized, open-label clinical trial,

investigators looked at 74 individuals with high cholesterol, dividing them

between a simvastatin treatment group (40 mg/day) and an alternative treatment

(AT) group.1

The alternative treatment included lifestyle changes and ingestion of RYR and

fish oil supplements for 12 weeks; the statin group received their medication

and traditional counseling. Both groups achieved a statistically significant

reduction in LDL levels (AT group –42.4% and the simvastatin group –39.6%). But

the AT group also achieved significant reductions in triglycerides (–29% in the

AT group vs. –9.3% in the statin group) and weight loss (–5.5% vs. –0.4% of body

weight in the statin group). The data showed that lifestyle changes (i.e., diet,

exercise, relaxation techniques) combined with ingestion of RYR and fish oil

reduced LDL in proportions similar to standard therapy with simvastatin.

Investigators concluded that, " This multifactorial, alternative approach to

lipid lowering has promise for a subset of patients unwilling or unable to take

statins. "

Individuals already suffering from coronary heart disease (CHD) may also benefit

from RYR as it has been shown to blunt the increase in triglycerides following a

meal in patients with clinically documented coronary heart disease (CHD).16

After a high-fat meal, RYR significantly reduced fasting serum lipids while

increasing fasting HDL. Post-meal triglyceride levels fell by 43% after 6 hours

in the treatment group—but not in the control group.

Pantethine: A Lipid-Lowering Vitamin

Pantethine is the active form of vitamin B5 (or pantothenic acid), the molecule

used to make coenzyme A (CoA). CoA is involved in the transport, synthesis, and

oxidation of fatty acids to and from the cells, and into the mitochondria. As a

member of the B-complex family of vitamins, pantothenic acid is essential to

numerous bodily functions, including

synthesis of neurotransmitters, hormones, and hemoglobin. Studies have shown

that pantethine can reduce serum triglycerides and cholesterol levels while

increasing HDL levels. This is true across a broad range of at-risk populations.

Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death in women, especially

post-menopause. In a 16-week study of 24 menopausal women with high cholesterol

(total cholesterol greater than or equal to 240 mg/dL), pantethine yielded

significant reductions of total cholesterol, LDL, and LDL/HDL ratio.17

Another study of pantethine in 7 children and 65 adults with high cholesterol

and/or high triglycerides showed a significant reduction in total cholesterol,

LDL, and triglycerides—as well as a substantial increase in HDL.18

RISKS OF STATIN DRUGS

Using prescription statins is not without serious health risks and no one knows

the long-term effects of living on them for life, which is how they must be

taken. People who use them and then quit a year later face elevated risk levels

of stroke and heart attack.34,35 Many people who take statins have to stop

because of muscle pain, the most commonly reported side effect.36,37 A serious

and potentially fatal type of rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) has also been

reported in statin users.38-41

Numerous published studies have documented other hazards of taking statin drugs

that afflict an untold number of users, including muscle damage,42 cognitive

impairment,43 vision problems,44 peripheral neuropathy,45-47 and tendonopathy.48

Published surveys reveal that doctors tend to deny or to minimize statin risks

to their patients. These denials occur even when patients present with symptoms

that are well-documented adverse reactions to statin drugs, such as muscle pain

and detrimental changes in memory, concentration, and mood.49

In another illustrative clinical trial, researchers examined the effect of oral

treatment with pantethine on 20 patients with elevated cholesterol and

triglycerides.19 They found significant decreases of total cholesterol, LDL, and

triglycerides, with increased levels of HDL.

eta-Sitosterol: An Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Cholesterol Plant Extract

Beta-sitosterol is a primary plant sterol. This class of compounds is

molecularly similar to cholesterol and may inhibit cholesterol's absorption in

the lower intestine and reduce levels of cholesterol in the blood. Phytosterols

have also been shown to act in synergy with red yeast rice by achieving a

therapeutic effect at a lower dose.

In effect, beta-sitosterol acts as a potent dietary cholesterol blocker. A

significant body of clinical evidence has demonstrated its cholesterol-lowering

effects. In a 2005 study, researchers gave 29 individuals with high cholesterol

(40-80 years old, average age = 55; 14 with type 2 diabetes) an edible

beta-sitosterol spread.20 Both diabetic and non-diabetic patients experienced a

greater reduction in LDL—27% and 15% respectively—than controls.

A meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials investigated the effects of

plant sterols added to margarine on cholesterol levels.21 The sterol-fortified

margarine caused a reduction in the mean concentration of LDL, an effect that

tended to increase with age.

The results of two older beta-sitosterol studies further indicate it can

decrease systemic inflammation. In one meta-analysis, the lead investigator

noted that beta-sitosterol appears to support proliferation of peripheral blood

lymphocytes and enhance the cytotoxic effect of natural killer cells.22 Another

study that measured inflammation and immune suppression in marathon runners

found that beta-sitosterol could help prevent immune system suppression and

could reduce bodily inflammation.23 Together, these anti-inflammatory properties

led researchers to suggest that beta-sitosterol might be of clinical use in

treating a number of chronic inflammatory conditions that could lead to cancers

of the breast and colon.

Policosanol

Policosanol is a naturally occurring component of beeswax and whole sugar cane.

More than 80 studies performed mostly by a single research institute suggest

that policosanol obtained from Cuban sugar cane at doses of 5-40 mg/dL exerts

cholesterol-lowering effects equivalent to that of statin drugs.24,25 (It should

be noted that other research groups using policosanol from alternative sources

have failed to reproduce the efficacy of these alcohols observed in earlier

studies.)26

Numerous animal models studies have been conducted using policosanol. One study

found that pretreatment with policosanol and omega-3 fatty acids prevented

arterial wall thickening and endothelial damage in animals whose arteries had

been damaged artificially.27

Some research suggests that policosanol is effective in lowering cholesterol in

patients with progressive atherosclerosis and diabetes. One study tested

policosanol in patients suffering ischemic stroke who were also treated with

aspirin and vitamins. They achieved substantially positive results, with

improvements in neurological outcomes and recurrent events.28

Niacin

Niacin's ability to lower LDL, raise HDL, and lower triglyceride levels has been

conclusively established by a wealth of clinical research.29 It is one of the

best-known and most widely used vitamins for lowering blood cholesterol levels.

It has also been shown in multiple studies to provide better heart health

protection than some statins. A widely publicized study appearing last November

in the New England Journal of Medicine found that niacin was more effective at

shrinking artery plaque than a billion-dollar blockbuster called ezetimibe, the

active ingredient in the cholesterol drugs Zetia® and Vytorin®.30

RED YEAST RICE PRECAUTIONS

Let your doctor know if you decide to take red yeast rice extract. Use it only

under the guidance and supervision of your doctor or a healthcare practitioner.

Pregnant or breast-feeding women should check with a health care provider before

using products that contain red yeast rice extract.

Due to the relative lack of regulation of supplement manufacture, the stated

content of red yeast rice products is unpredictable unless you use a product

with certified concentrations of standardized monacolin-K content.

We strongly recommend using only standardized red yeast rice extract from

reputable manufacturers who routinely test their products for purity.

As with prescription statins, people who ingest high doses of red yeast rice

extract can experience muscle pain.50-52

As is also the case with statins, use of red yeast rice products may also

deplete tissue levels of CoQ10.53 Life Extension® recommends taking additional

CoQ10 for those people who take statins and red yeast rice-containing products.

Recent studies further indicate that niacin reduces oxidative stress and

inhibits vascular inflammatory genes, including key cytokines involved in

atherosclerosis.29,31,32 Until recently, niacin's general use and widespread

patient tolerability have been impeded by the need to take it 4 times a day and

by the high incidence of skin flushing, gastric problems, and other adverse

events.

A form of " no-flush " niacin has emerged, called inositol hexaniacinate (IHN).33

It consists of six molecules of nicotinic acid (niacin) and one molecule of

inositol. It is metabolized in the body into its component parts, niacin and

inositol, and does not reach maximum blood levels for approximately 10 hours

after ingestion. This form of the vitamin has not been linked with the skin

" flushing " or other typical niacin reactions, even when ingested in amounts

typically associated with skin flushing, nausea, vomiting, and agitation.

Regrettably, it also does not work as well as niacin in reducing LDL and

triglycerides and boosting HDL.

Summary

Statin drugs are heavily used and over-prescribed, owing to industry influence

and misinformation. High-dose statins are often unnecessary, and may not be the

right choice for millions of people, given their side effect profile. Studies

indicate that any reduced cardiovascular risk from taking statins may be offset

by other serious side effects, from sexual, visual, hepatic, renal, and

cognitive dysfunction to disability and death. Aging individuals who want to

lower their blood lipid levels and C-reactive protein (CRP) number may be able

to achieve similar benefits with standardized red yeast rice extract,

beta-sitosterol, pantethine, policosanol, and niacin. These synergistic

ingredients have been shown to reduce blood lipid levels while promoting healthy

endothelial function and reducing CRP and systemic inflammation. They offer a

safer alternative to taking synthetic prescription statins.

If you have any questions on the scientific content of this article, please call

a Life Extension® Health Advisor at 1-866-864-3027.

COQ10 MAY BOOST HEART HEALTH OF DIABETICS ON STATINS

Coenzyme Q10 supplements may increase the vascular health of diabetics receiving

statins, according to a new study from Australia.

Following 12 weeks of supplementation with CoQ10 (200 mg per day), an

improvement in the blood flow was observed, according to findings published in

the journal Diabetes Care.54

It is well known that statins deplete the body's natural stores of CoQ10, and

this has boosted use of CoQ10, particularly in the US, where the popularity of

statins has increased.55

The new findings indicate that, in addition to redressing the balance of CoQ10,

supplementation may also improve endothelial dysfunction in statin-treated type

2 diabetic patients.

" The patients in our study had endothelial dysfunction despite satisfactory

control of blood pressure, glycaemia and lipids, which may represent the

proportion of statin-treated patients at increased residual risk of

cardiovascular disease, " wrote the researchers, led by Professor Gerald Watts

from the University of Western Australia.

" Our absolute improvement in [blood flow in the arm] of 1% with CoQ10

supplementation may potentially translate to a 10-25% reduction in residual

cardiovascular risk in these patients. "

According to the International Diabetes Federation, there are over 245 million

people with diabetes worldwide. If current trends continue, this number will

rise to a staggering 380 million by 2030. Current costs of diabetic

complications are estimated to account for 5 to 10% of total global healthcare

spending.56

Study details

In order to test their hypothesis that oral CoQ10 supplementation would improve

the vascular health in statin-treated diabetics, Professor Watts and his

co-workers recruited 23 statin-treated type 2 diabetic patients with endothelial

dysfunction (and LDL-cholesterol levels less than 97.5 mg/dL). The volunteers

were randomly assigned to receive either CoQ10 or placebo for 12 weeks.

The randomised, double-blind, crossover study analysed by brachial artery

flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), a measure of endothelial dysfunction since a low

value is indicative of a blood vessel's inability to relax, and nitrate-mediated

dilation (NMD), which relates to nitric oxide, a potent endothelium-derived

relaxing factor.

The researchers report a 2.7-fold increase in blood levels of CoQ10 following

supplementation, and an increase in FMD of 1%. However, no changes in NMD were

recorded, nor were any changes in levels of oxidative stress observed, assessed

by measuring levels of compounds called F2-isoprostanes in the blood and urine.

" Impaired FMD is a consistent predictor of adverse cardiovascular events, " wrote

the researchers. " Several interventions that improve FMD also improve

cardiovascular outcomes. "

" The significance of the findings in our report, however, require further

investigation in a clinical endpoint trial, " they added.

The CoQ10 used in this study was provided by Blackmores (Balgowlah, Australia),

and the study was funded by a CardioVascular Lipid Research grant from Pfizer.

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December 29, 2009.

[Guest guest]

Wayback and Barb,

Thanks for your very helpful suggestions, which I'll be looking into and

discussing with my internist.

On inflammation, it would be useful to have something that helped, too. A

couple of years ago, my erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)--a general measure

of inflammation, was a 87 of a possible 100, when normal is under 15. The docs

said they couldn't diagnose anything based on that (i.e., the cause), so I asked

why give me the test?

It later came down to 81, and since then, if the lab is correct, to 3 or so.

Something wierd is going on--though I know I'm under severe and chronic stress,

have prostatitis, diabetes, hypothyroidism, and some other conditions....

And Phil, I had caught on about your medical " crisis, " but certainly hope things

are looking up, and that you've found some help,

________________________________________________________________________________\

_____

>

> It's too bad we don't have an inflammation reduction drug that just does

> that, without the liver, muscle pain, brain fog, sexual dysfunction side

> effects of statins, or the lowering of cholesterol. We could put

> everybody on it.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Do you have an autoimmune disease or had your ANA antibodies tested?

If you know you're hypo, I hope you're not being dosed by TSH, but having Free

T3 and Free T4 checked too, and getting those to at least mid-range. Everyone I

know who had high cholesterol that started on thyroid meds saw their levels

drop.

Barb

> >

> > It's too bad we don't have an inflammation reduction drug that just does

> > that, without the liver, muscle pain, brain fog, sexual dysfunction side

> > effects of statins, or the lowering of cholesterol. We could put

> > everybody on it.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Phil, my wife was on statins (simvastatin) and had leg pain to the point where

her PCP had her go to a neurologist for testing. He said she had neuropathy but

had no suggestions for treatment other than the gabapentin she was already

taking.

She knew that my blood work was perfect taking 1500 mg Slo-Niacin and 600 mg Red

Yeast Rice QD. She stopped her statin and adopted my protocol instead and her

leg pain went away.

At her next visit with her PCP she announced she had stopped the statin in

preference for my protocol and her pain had gone away. She was shocked when he

said, " Good. Many of my patients do quite well on that. " When we asked him why

he hadn't suggested it, his answer revealed about about our medical system. He

said, " If she had a cardiac event, I could be sued and even lose my license.

Statins are considered the 'standard of care' and if I deviate from it,I can be

liable. " He said, " Let's get some fresh blood work and make sure it is working. "

It was.

> > >

> > > Adequate thyroid levels reduce inflammation and

> > cholesterol, and your

> > > risk for most of today's diseases:  heart

> > disease, cancer, osteoporosis,

> > > dementia, etc.

> > >

> > >

>