One Simple Nutrient That Can Help Prevent You From Becoming Another Alarming Statistic (for Cholestero)

May 12, 2005 - The incident of heart disease in this country is mind-blowing. It has been the leading killer in America for over a century. The strain and costs on healthcare associated with heart disease is crippling the system. Everyone needs to take the threat seriously and start taking positive steps to promote better cholesterol levels and a healthier heart. Today, we explore some important studies on a single, inexpensive nutrient that can creates a significant advantage in maintaining the health of our life-giving heart.

It is estimated that there are over 100 million adult Americans in the United States who have borderline or high total cholesterol blood levels. That's about ½ of every one of you reading this newsletter right now.

The latest statistics from the American Heart Association show that there are about 70 million Americans who suffer with one or more types of cardiovascular disease - close to a third of you. There are 13 million of us in this country who currently have coronary artery disease that will lead to a heart attack. Since 1900, cardiovascular disease has been the number one killer in the United States every year except 1918 (when there was an influenza epidemic).

It is estimated that the direct and indirect costs of cardiovascular disease in the U.S. for 2005 will approach $400 billion. Yes, you read it right, that's 400 BILLION DOLLARS. No wonder healthcare costs and insurance are spiraling upwards at an alarming rate.

Approximately 700,000 people in this country die every year from heart disease. Putting it another way, imagine a jumbo jet with 300 people crashing with no survivors. Well, 700,000 deaths a year is equivalent to over six of these giant jumbo jets going down every day. Do you think if 6 passenger jets fell out of the sky each day for a full year, we'd have people's attention on the danger of flying? Well, heart disease is more dangerous, and while crashing planes are an extreme analogy, I hope I have your attention now.

You see, I feel a tremendous responsibility to you, my loyal readers of this weekly newsletter. I want to keep you out of harm's way as best I can. I think of you just as I do the patients I see in my private practice every day. I do not take this job lightly. I know that many of you turn to this newsletter every week to gain cutting-edge information about the latest research on nutrition. You want safe, natural solutions to protect yourself and your family. You're looking for specific recommendations to stay healthy and prevent many of the risks and diseases associated with the condition that every one of us faces continually - the simple act of just getting older.

You look to your doctors for guidance and leadership in managing your health. I'm honored to play a role in your goal of living a longer, healthier and more productive life. I do understand my responsibility to you, and I work extremely hard to live up to that responsibility. Along those lines, I hope you'll find this week's newsletter provides you with some solid research findings and a specific, cost-effective, easy-to-implement recommendation that helps you maintain a healthier heart.

In the latest edition of the journal Nutrition Research, a meta-analysis was performed looking at all published studies in human subjects from 1966 up through December 2002 on the nutrient pantethine in regard to serum lipids. Over almost four decades, there were 28 clinical trials identified. A total of 646 patients with hyperlipidemia were studied and the results reported. A median dose of 900 mg a day of pantethine was used in these particular studies. The findings with pantethine showed a mean decrease in serum cholesterol from baseline to one month was 8.7%. Not bad, but the positive results from pantethine didn't stop there. With each additional month, the total cholesterol further decreased. After four months, the study showed that total cholesterol of the pantethine patients was down on average about 15%. Likewise, the low density lipoprotein (LDL - bad cholesterol) in this group diminished each month over four months, going down approximately 10% to 20% from baseline. The change in triglyceride levels was even more remarkable. At one month, the triglycerides were typically decreased by 14%, but by four months, almost 33%. Finally, HDL cholesterol (good) likewise increased by approximately 10%. These are impressive results, and pantethine has none of the side-effects associated with some of the cholesterol-lowering drugs on the market. The nutrient is generally well tolerated in most individuals, and it also costs a fraction of those higher-priced drugs. The take-home message for you from this meta-analysis is: Pantethine is an effective nutrient to promote healthy cholesterol levels. Keep in mind, its full benefits may not be obtained until at least four months from commencing the supplementation.

There was another, more recent study on pantethine that was presented at the American Heart Association meeting in New Orleans last November. It was a six-week, randomized study in 48 subjects given either 600 mg or 900 mg of pantethine daily, or placebo. At the end of the six-week trial, those individuals consuming 900 mg daily had a reduction in LDL cholesterol of about 16% to 17% with a 26% reduction in triglycerides. Additionally, in 30% of the individuals the pantethine decreased abdominal fat and increased abdominal muscle by utilizing special testing.

Now you might be thinking, "Wow Dr. Josephs, a supplement that lowers my cholesterol, protects my heart and improves my waistline? It sounds too good to be true!" Well, it certainly appears that it is true, and here's how we think it works:

Pantethine is a precursor of co-enzyme A (CoA). Co-enzyme A appears to play a pivotal role in the production of energy in the cells via the Krebs cycle. (The Krebs cycle is a complex series of chemical reactions in our bodies that convert carbohydrates, sugars and fats into ATP - the body's main source of energy.) Aside from the beneficial effects on lipids, pantethine also appears to reduce cardiovascular risk by decreasing clumping of platelets and reducing production of inflammation within the artery wall. As an added benefit, pantethine might also provide you some additional energy and vigor. I'm sure all of us could benefit from a little more "pep" in our lives.

So let me be crystal clear with you: I believe that pantethine is an extremely important nutrient and will benefit the vast majority of you. For the 100 million people in this country with borderline to elevated cholesterol, this nutrient is a must.

If your cholesterol ratio is not ideal and/or your triglycerides are high, I would recommend 900 mg of pantethine per day. This nutrient should be synergistic to any other supplements and even drugs that you currently take.

To gain further benefit, I would also recommend 1,200 mg - 2,400 mg of NSI Red Yeast Rice, which I had recently discussed in another recent newsletter. As usual, Nutraceutical Sciences Institute (NSI) leads the field in providing the best quality product at the best value. We offer the standardized form of pantethine, Pantesin, which appears to be the best form of pantethine available on the market. We sell a stand-alone pantethine product containing 450 mg per tablet. A two-month supply of this important nutrient costs less than $30, or only about $.50 a day. Pantesin at 900 mg per day is also included in our new NSI Synergy Platinum and at 500 mg per day in our Synergy Supreme and Synergy Max multi-vitamins. With the potential benefits from this nutrient so reasonably priced, I hope all of you will seriously consider adding this nutrient to your diet, starting today.

We truly have safe, natural supplements to help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke in this country. We don't have to wait to address the problem until it is often too late or with expensive and potentially dangerous drugs and surgery. Please take a stand for yourself and your family today: Add pantethine to your daily regimen.

For more information on pantethine please visit our science section by clicking here.