★Could This Be One of the Most Influential Medical Decisions in Recent Decades?
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Could This Be One of the Most Influential Medical Decisions in Recent Decades?
It began as widely accepted guidance, grew into a major field, and shaped patient care for years. New perspectives are now prompting fresh questions about what may have been overlooked.
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Far better than taking statins is the Cholesterol Lowering Capacity Index (CLCI), a standardized score that quantifies the effectiveness of a food or nutraceutical product in reducing LDL cholesterol. This concept is inspired by analogous indices in nutrition, such as the glycemic index (which ranks carbohydrate-containing foods according to their glycemic response) and the ORAC score for antioxidant capacity. The CLCI integrates multiple factors: the presence and levels of compounds with proven cholesterol-lowering efficacy, the efficacy of these compounds based on evidence (from clinical trials or meta-analyses), their bioavailability in the food matrix, and any synergistic interactions when combining various ingredients. The result is a single scale (for example, from 0 to 100, or a categorical classification such as "low/moderate/high capacity") that can be assigned to a food or supplement. In principle, a higher CLCI score indicates a greater expected reduction in LDL cholesterol when the product is consumed regularly as directed. Table 1 in the link (presented above) lists many of these compounds and their effectiveness. For the construction of the index, we incorporated the following:
----1. Plant sterols/stanols: Average LDL cholesterol reduction of approximately 10% with 2 g/day. These would deserve one of the highest base scores (as few food ingredients achieve this effectiveness).
----2. Soluble viscous fiber: LDL cholesterol reduction of approximately 5-7% for every 3 g of β-glucan or 10 g of psyllium. Therefore, fiber could contribute approximately five points per effective dose in a product.
---3. Berberine: LDL cholesterol reduction of approximately 10-15% with approximately 1 g/day. Baseline score of approximately 10 points for a full 1g serving (smaller amounts are reduced proportionally).
----4. Soy protein/isoflavones: LDL cholesterol reduction of approximately 3-7% per 25g of soy protein. The baseline score is low (e.g., approximately 3-5 points) for a serving with high soy protein content.
----5. Bergamot extract: LDL cholesterol reduction of approximately 8-15% with usual doses. The baseline score can be around 10 points for a standard dose of bergamot polyphenols.
----6. Garlic extract: LDL reduction of approximately 5% (up to 10%). Baseline score of approximately 3-5 points for a full daily dose (e.g., approximately 0.5-1g of garlic extract).
----7. Artichoke extract: LDL reduction ~5%. 3–5 points for a typical dose.
----8. Omega-3 (high dose): Primarily for triglycerides; the effect on LDL is neutral or slight.
----9. Other (nuts, green tea, etc.): Effects of 3–5 with a serving of almonds or tea high in EGCG, reflecting a minor benefit for LDL.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This 2025 article explores polyphenol intake and its relationship to cardiovascular risk factors in different age groups, emphasizing the importance of promoting daily fruit and vegetable consumption. The results support the potential role of polyphenols in cardiovascular health throughout life. Promoting the consumption of polyphenol-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts, in the daily diet is essential for all age groups to reap these benefits. Future large-scale studies using polyphenol biomarkers will be crucial for refining dietary guidelines and targeting specific polyphenols to maximize their impact on health.
----1) Polyphenols inhibit cholesterol synthesis: Polyphenols can inhibit the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which is involved in cholesterol synthesis. Polyphenols present in barley sprouts increased AMPK activity and improved cholesterol and glucose metabolism in vitro and in vivo.
----2) Polyphenols can increase cholesterol excretion through bile (Cha
----3) Some polyphenols can increase HDL levels, which helps remove bad cholesterol from the blood.
----4) Polyphenols can reduce LDL levels, a major risk factor for heart disease.
Have you ever written about oral health care being one of the greatest challenges if not the greatest for chronic disease.