The Cholesterol Conspiracy Podcast by Ladd McNamara, M.D.

In this episode Dr. Ladd McNamara provides concluding thoughts and some specific daily supplement considerations. Chapter 39: Conclusion Chapter 40: Specific Daily Supplement Considerations Chapter Excerpts According to Dr. Ladd McNamara, the best treatment to prevent heart disease and stroke is NOT to simply lower cholesterol with statin drugs as much as it is to PROTECT LDL cholesterol... NO MATTER the level... from OXIDATION. Dr. Ladd McNamara emphasizes that even among people with higher levels of cholesterol, those whose LDL cholesterol is NOT oxidized, along with a LOW homocysteine level (less than 6.5), will have a lower risk of heart disease and stroke than those that simply have a "normal" LDL cholesterol level (which IS oxidized). Shall we risk serious and permanent side effects, including disease and possible death from statin drugs, or shall we enjoy all the positive benefits of nutrition, including longer life, less disease and no harm from the use of vitamins and minerals? Dr. Ladd McNamara states, "The choice is in our hands ...literally!"

In this episode Dr. Ladd McNamara discusses how C Reactive Protein is predictive of the severity of active formation of atherosclerosis; and the importance of testing your homocysteine and CRP Levels. Chapter 37: C Reactive Protein is Predictive of...

In this episode Dr. Ladd McNamara answers the apparent dilemma "I’m on Antioxidants, But My Cholesterol is Still High!" and discusses how low free testosterone levels in men are associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Chapter 34: "I’m o...

In this episode Dr. Ladd McNamara discusses vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids: a real an alternative way to reduce the risk of death from heart disease and stroke. Chapter 33: Vitamins, Minerals, Antioxidants, and Essentia...

In this episode Dr. Ladd McNamara discusses vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids: a real an alternative way to reduce the risk of death from heart disease and stroke. Chapter 33: Vitamins, Minerals, Antioxidants, and Essential Fatty Acids: The Real Way to Reduce the Risk of Death from Heart Disease and Stroke - Part 2 Chapter Excerpts Studies using levels of vitamin C, well above 700 mg per day have shown a decreased risk of diseases, including the risk of heart disease. Bioflavanoids such as grape seed extract, resveratrol, & quercetin all have shown remarkable results in reducing the risk of heart disease and cancers. They work synergistically, as well as with other antioxidants to reduce the risk of disease. Dr. Ladd McNamara believes that L-carnosine may slow down the aging process, and protect the brain, skin, and arteries from damage. Furthermore, L-carnosine helps the heart to contract more effectively through enhancing the use of calcium. Chapter References 95: Mehra M, et al. Prevention of atherosclerosis. Postgraduate Med. 1995 98:1:175-182. 96: Hoffman RM, et al. Antioxidants and the prevention of coronary heart disease. Arch Int Med. 1995 155:241-244. 97: Morrison H, et al. Serum folate and risk of fatal coronary heart disease. J Am Med Assoc. 1996 275:24:1893-1896. 98: Chasan-Taber L, et al. A prospective study of folate and vitamin B-6 and risk of myocardial infarction in U.S. physicians. J Am Coll Nutri. 1996 15:2:136-143. 99: Levine GN, et al. Ascorbic acid reverses endothelial vasomotor dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease. Circulation. 1996 93:6:1107-1113. 100: Gatto LM, et al. Ascorbic acid induces a favorable lipoprotein profile in women. J Am Coll Nutri. 1996 15:2:154-158. 101: Hallfrisch J, et al. High plasma vitamin c associated with high plasma HDL (1) - and HDL (2) cholesterol. Am J Clin Nutri. 1994 60:100-105. 102: Osganian S, Stampfer M, Rimm E, Spiegelman D, et al. Vitamin C and risk of coronary heart disease in women. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003 42:246-252. 103: Rifici V, Khachadurian A. Dietary supplementation with vitamins C and E inhibits in-vitro oxidation of lipoproteins. J Am Coll Nutri. 1993 12:6:6331-6337. 104: Gaziano J. Antioxidant vitamins and coronary artery disease risk. Am J Med. 1994 97:3A-18S-3A-21S. 105: Lagrue G, et al. A study of the effects of procyanidol oligomers on capillary resistance in hypertension and in certain nephropathies. Sem Hop Paris. 1981 57:1399-1401. 106: Detre A, et al. Studies on vascular permeability in hypertension: action of anthocyanosides. Clin Physiol Biochem. 1986 4:143-149. 107: Meunier MT, et al. Free-radical scavenger activity of procyanidolic oligomers and anthocyanosides with respect to superoxide anion and lipid peroxidation. Plant Medphytother. 1989 4:267-274. 108: Tixier J, et al. Evidence by in vivo and in vitro studies that binding of pycnogenols to elastin affects its rate of degradation by elastases. Biochem Parmacol. 1984 33:3933-3939. 109: Facino R, et al. Free-radical scavenging action and anti-enzyme activities of procyanidines from vitis vinifera; a mechanism for their capillary protective action. Arzneimittel-Forschung Drug Research. 1994 44(1):5:592-601. 110: Dartenuc JY, et al. Capillary resistance in the geriatric: study of a micro-angioprotector. Bordeaux Medicale. 1985 13:903. 111: Kuhnau J. The flavonoids, a class of semi-essential food components: their role in human nutrition. World Rev Nutr Diet. 1976 24:117-191. 112: Gabor M. Pharmacologic effects of flavonoids on blood vessels. Angiologica, 1972 9:355-374. 113: Knekt P, et al. Flavonoid intake and coronary mortality in finland: a cohort study. Brit Med J. 1996 312:478-481. 114: Stephens N, et al. Randomized Controlled Trial of Vitamin E in Patients with Coronary Disease: Cambridge Heart Anti-Oxidant Study (CHAOS). The Lancet. 1996 347:781-786. 115: Niki E, et al.

In this episode Dr. Ladd McNamara discusses vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids: a real an alternative way to reduce the risk of death from heart disease and stroke. Chapter 33: Vitamins, Minerals, Antioxidants, and Essential Fatty Acids: The Real Way to Reduce the Risk of Death from Heart Disease and Stroke - Part 1 Chapter Excerpts The answer to lowering the risk of arteriosclerosis, heart disease and stroke is to reduce the oxidative damage to the LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and the arterial lining so that plaque does not form. The Cholesterol Conspiracy is about the makers of statin drugs hiding the truth that antioxidants work better than the statin drugs to reduce the risk of cardiac death. Antioxidants appear to be much more effective in reducing the risk of death from heart disease than current treatments using aspirin or cholesterol-lowering drugs combined. There is a balance of D-alpha tocopherol and gamma tocopherol that is required to protect the fat and the protein components, respectively, or LDL cholesterol from oxidation. LDL that is not oxidized does not stick to the arterial walls.   Chapter References 85: Aviram M. HDL--associated paraoxonase 1 (PON1) and dietaryantioxidants attenuate lipoprotein oxidation, macrophage foam cells formation and atherosclerosis development. Pathophysiol Haemost Thromb. 2006;35(1-2):146-51. 86: Hertog M, Feskens E, Hollman P, Katan M, Kromhout D. Dietary antioxidant flavonoids and risk of coronary heart disease: the Zutphen Elderly study. Lancet 1993 Oct 23;342(8878):1007-1011. 87: Street D, et al. A population based case control study of the association of serum antioxidants and myocardial infarction. Am J Epidemiol. 1991 134:719-720. 88: Steinberg D, et al. Antioxidants in the prevention of human atherosclerosis. Circulation. 1992 85:6:2338-2343. 89: Gey K, et al. Inverse correlation between plasma vitamin E and mortality from ischemic heart disease in cross-cultural epidemiology. Am J Clin Nutri. 1991 53:326S-334S. 90: Stampfer M, et al. Vitamin E consumption and the risk of coronary disease in women. New Engl J Med. 1993 328:1444-1449. 91: Rimm E, Stampfer M, et al. Vitamin E consumption and the risk of coronary artery disease in men. New Engl J Med. 1993 328:1450-1456. 92: Munteanu, A. et al. Anti-atherosclerotic effects of vitamin E – Myth or reality? J Cell Mol Med., 2004, Jan-Mar;8(1):59-76. 93: I-Min Lee, et al. Vitamin E in the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer. JAMA. 2005, Vol. 294, 56-65. 94: Losonczy K, et al. Vitamin E and vitamin C supplement use and risk of all-cause and coronary heart disease mortality in older persons: the established populations for epidemiologic studies of the elderly. Am J Clin Nutri. 1996 64:190-196.  

In this episode Dr. Ladd McNamara discusses The Real Importance of LDL Cholesterol and The Role of Diabetes and High Blood Sugar in the Development of Coronary Artery Disease Chapter 31: The Importance of LDL Cholesterol Chapter 32: The Role of Diabetes and High Blood Sugar in the Development of Coronary Artery Disease Chapter Excerpts Evidence supports the theory that when a person’s total cholesterol drops below 160, the immune system is weakened. Statin drugs, i.e., cholesterol-lowering drugs, are known to suppress the immune system. Obesity leads to diabetes through oxidation of insulin receptors, and along with the oxidation of lipids (including cholesterol) and inflammation of the arterial wall leads to heart disease, stroke, and eventually death. Chapter References 74: Rauchhaus M, Clark A, Doehner W, Davos C, et al. The relationship between cholesterol and survival in patients with chronic heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003 Dec 3; 42(11):1933-1940. 75: Fuller C, Jialal I, et al. rrr-alpha-tocopherol acetate supplementation at pharmacologic doses decreases low-density-lipoprotein oxidative susceptibility but not protein glycation in patients with diabetes mellitus. Am J Clin Nutri. 1996 63:753-759. 76: Somogyi A, et al. Hypothetical connection between diabetes mellitus and free radical reactions in arteriosclerosis. Orvosi Hetilap [Hungarian] 1994 135:(33):1815-1818. 77: Jialal I. Effect of combined supplementation with alpha-tocopherol ascorbate and beta-carotene on low-density lipoprotein oxidation. Circulation. 1993 88:2780-2786. 78: Munch G, Mayer S, Michaelis J, et al. Influence of advanced glycation end-products and AGE-ingivitors on nucleation-dependent polymerization of beta-amyloid peptide. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1997 1360(1):17-29. 79: Hipkiss A, Michaelis J, Syrris P. Non-enzymatic glycosylation of the dipeptide L-carnosine, a potential anti-protein-cross-linking agent. FEBS Lett. 1995 371(1):81-85. 80: Brownson C, Hipkiss A. Carnosine reacts with a glycated protein. Free Radic Biol Med. 2000 28(10):1564-1570. 81: Yamano T, et al. Effect of L-carnosine on the hyperglycemia caused by intracranial injection of 2-deoxy-D-glucose in rats. Neurosci Lett 2001 Nov 2;313(1-2):78-82. 82: Heitzer T, et al. Beneficial effects of alpha-lipoic acid and ascorbic acid on endothelium-dependent, nitric oxide-mediated vasodilation in diabetic patients: relation to parameters of oxidative stress. Free Radic Biol Med 2001 Jul 1;31(1):53-61. 83: El Midaoui A, de Champlain J. Prevention of hypertension, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress by alpha-lipoic acid. Hypertension 2002 Feb;39(2):303-307. 84: Takaoka M, et al. Effects of alpha-lipoic acid on deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt-induced hypertension in rats. Eur J Pharmacol 2001 Jul;20;424(2):121-129.

In this episode Dr. Ladd McNamara discusses The Combination of Antioxidant Supplements and Statin Drugs Chapter 30: The Combination of Antioxidant Supplements and Statin Drugs Chapter Excerpts According to Dr. Ladd McNamara, the most significant risk factor for heart disease and stroke is not the level of LDL cholesterol, but the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, homocysteine and inflammation of arterial walls. If the oxidized LDL cholesterol, homocysteine and the C reactive protein had been measured in the study, the antioxidant use would most surely have shown a protective effect. Do not be fooled by a study here or there that shows that "antioxidants are bad" because of the changes in cholesterol levels. It is only important to the pharmaceutical industry that wants to scare you from taking vitamins and minerals... Chapter References 71: Brown B, Zhao X, Chait A, et al. Simvastatin and niacin, antioxidant vitamins, or the combination for the prevention of coronary disease. N Engl J Med. 2001 345(22):1583-1592. 72: Collins R, Peto R, Armitage J. The MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study: preliminary results. Int J Clin Pract. 2002 56(1):53-56. 73: Manuel-Y-Keenoy B, Vinckx M, Vertommen J, et al. Impact of Vitamin E supplementation on lipoprotein peroxidation and composition in Type 1 diabetic patients treated with Atorvastatin. Atherosclerosis 2004 Aug; 175(2):369-76.

In this episode Dr. Ladd McNamara discusses vitamins verses statin drugs, and asks, "Which Makes More Sense?" Chapter 28: Which Makes More Sense? Chapter 29: Adding Vitamins to Statin Drugs Chapter Excerpts Medications, even taken the way they're prescribed, are the third leading cause of death in the United States after cardiovascular disease and cancer. Over 100,000 people die every year in the United States from taking prescription medications. According to Dr. Ladd McNamara, the drug manufacturers will never admit that it is the antioxidants that reduce disease and death. In order to make money, the industry needs to sell you patented drugs, ...not convince you that you should be taking vitamins and minerals. Chapter References 56: Rosenson RS. Statins in atherosclerosis: lipid-lowering agents with antioxidant capabilities. Atherosclerosis. 2004. Mar;173(1):1-12. 57: Tsimikas S, et al. High-dose atorvastatin reduces total plasma levels of oxidized phospholipids and immune complexes present on apolipoprotein B-100 in patients with acute coronary syndromes in the MIRACL trial. Circulation. 2004 Sep 14;110(11):1406-12. 58: Sparks DL., et al. Statin therapy in Alzheimer’s disease. Acta Neurol Scand Suppl. 2006;185:78-86. 59: Wolozin B., et al. Re-assessing the relationship between cholesterol, statins and Alzheimer’s disease. Acta Neurol Scand Suppl. 2006;185:63-70. 60: Nunomura A, et al. Involvement of oxidative stress in Alzheimer disease. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2006. Jul;65(7):631-41. 61: Harman D. Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis: role of aging. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2006 May;1067:454-60. 62: Moreira PI, et al. Therapeutic options in Alzheimer’s disease. Expert Rev Neurother. 2006 Jun;6(6):897-910. 63: Ono K., et al. Anti-amyloidogenic effects of antioxidants: implications for the prevention and therapeutics of Alzheimer’s disease. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2006 Jun;1762(6):575-86. 64: Montiel T, et al. Role of oxidative stress on beta-amyloid neurotoxicity elicited during impairment of energy metabolism in the hippocampus: Protection by antioxidants. Exp Neurol. 2006 Apr 18; [Epub ahead of print]. 65: Ono K, Yamada M. Antioxidant compounds have potent antifibrillogenic and fibril-destabilizing effects for alpha-synuclein fibrils in vitro. J Neurochem. 2006 Apr;97(1):105-15. Epub 2006 Mar 8. 66: Hajieva P, Behl C. Antioxidants as a potential therapy against age-related neurodegenerative diseases: amyloid Beta toxicity and Alzheimer’s disease. Curr Pharm Des. 2006;12(6):699-704. 38: Langsjoen P, Langsjoen A. The clinical use of HMG CoA-reductase inhibitors and the associated depletion of coenzyme Q10. A review of animal and human publications. Biofactors. 2003 18(1-4):101-111. 67: Passi S, Stancato A, Aleo E, Dmitrieva A, Littarru GP. Statins lower plasma and lymphocyte ugiquinol/ubiqinone without affecting other antioxidants and PUFA. Biofactors 2003 18(1-4):113-124. 68: Mortensen S, Leth A, Agner E, Rohde M. Dose-related decrease of serum coenzyme Q10 during treatment with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. Mol Aspects Med. 1997 18(suppl):S137-S144. 69: Folkers K, Langsjoen P, Willis R, et al. Lovastatin decreases coenzyme Q10 levels in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1990 Nov; 87(22):8931-8934. 70: Quiles J, Farquharson A, Ramirez-Tortosa M, et al. Coenzyme Q10 differentially moderates phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathionate peroxidase gene expression and free radicals production in malignant and non-malignant prostate cancer. Biofactors 2003 18(1-4):265-270.

In this episode Dr. Ladd McNamara discusses more of the side effects of the usage of Cholesterol-Lowering Statin Drugs. Chapter 25: Statin Drugs May Cause Depression and Possibly Suicide Chapter 26: Statin Drugs Impair Memory and the Ability to Think Chapter 27: Statin Drugs may Cause Cancer Chapter Excerpts Fifteen percent of those taking statin drugs develop some cognitive side effects. Dr. Ladd McNamara is concerned that the pharmaceutical industry denies that statin drugs can cause amnesia; yet in many of their own studies, memory loss was reported. Over 5 years, of the approximately 250 women taking Lipitor®, there were 12 new cases of breast cancers, compared to one new case among the placebo group. Certainly not proof that statin drugs cause breast cancer, but a 1500% increase risk of breast cancer is enough"smoke" to be worried about a fire. Because Co-Q10 levels are decreased by statin drugs, it is easy for Dr. Ladd McNamara to predict that we will see an increased risk of prostate and breast cancer as a result. Chapter References 43: King D, Wilburn A, Wofford M, et al. Cognitive impairment associated with atorvastatin and simvastatin. Pharmacotherapy 2003 Dec; 23(12):1663-1667. 44: Muldoon M, Barger S, Ryan C, Flory J, et al. Effects of lovastatin on cognitive function and psychological well-being. Am J Med. 2000 May; 108(7):538-546. 45: Eleanor Laise. The Lipitor Dilemma, Smart Money: The Wall Street Journal Magazine of Personal Business, November 2003. 46: Duane Graveline, MD., Lipitor: Thief of Memory, 2004, www.buybooksontheweb.com. 47: Lopena O, Pharm D, Pfizer, Inc., written communication, 2002. Quoted in an email communication from Duane Graveline, spacedoc@webtv.net. 48: Leung, B, Sattar N, Crilly A, et al. A novel anti-inflammatory role for simvastatin in inflammatory arthritis. J Immunol 2003 170:1524-1530. 49: Palinski, W, et al. Immunomodulation: a new role for statins? Nature Medicine, 2000 Dec 6(12):1311-1312. 50: Newman T, Hulley S. Carcinogenicity of lipid-lowering drugs. JAMA 1996 Jan 3; 275(1):55-60. 51: Folkers K, et al. Activities of Vitamin Q10 in animal models and a serious deficiency in patients with cancer. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1997 234(2):296-299. 52: Lockwood K, Moesgaard S, Yamamoto T, Folkers K. Progress on therapy of breast cancer with vitamin Q10 and the regression of metastases. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1995 Jul 6; 212(1):172-7. 53: Sacks F, Pfeffer M, Moye L, et al. The effect of pravastatin on coronary events after myocardial infarction in patients with average cholesterol levels. Cholesterol and Recurrent Events Trial investigators. N Engl J Med. 1996 Oct 3; 335(14):1001-1009. 54: Boudreau D, Gardner J, Malone K, et al. The association between 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl co-enzyme A inhibitor use and breast carcinoma risk among postmenopausal women: a case-control study. Cancer 2004 Jun 1; 100(11):2308-2316. 55: Heart Protection Study Collaborative Group. MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study of cholesterol lowering with simvastatin in 20,536 high-risk individuals: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2002 Jul 6; 360(9326):7-22.