Despite decades of widespread statin use, heart disease remains the leading cause of death, suggesting the cholesterol hypothesis that drives statin prescriptions is fundamentally flawed.
In a recent study, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) has been validated as a robust inflammatory biomarker in prospective studies and clinical trials. Research such as JUPITER and CANTOS demonstrated that reducing hs-CRP significantly decreases cardiovascular events, even in people with normal LDL cholesterol. Furthermore, hs-CRP predicts the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death in general populations and in patients with established disease, and outperforms LDL cholesterol in predicting recurrent events. This protein, produced by the liver in response to infections, tissue damage, autoimmune diseases, obesity, or diabetes, indicates activation of the immune system.
If inflammation is not present in the body, there is no way for oxidized cholesterol to accumulate in the blood vessel walls and cause heart disease and stroke. Without inflammation, cholesterol would move freely throughout the body to meet biological needs. It is inflammation that causes cholesterol to become trapped, especially in very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and low in HDL. A diet rich in healthy fats, antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals is essential to prevent oxidation. Mercola has reported on causes of inflammation and cholesterol oxidation. Activation of the genetically determined NLRP3 inflammasome is associated with systemic inflammation and cardiovascular mortality, a risk that is similar to that of COVID-19.
The famous surgeon Cardiologist Dr. Dwight Lundell, with 25 years of experience and over 5,000 open-heart surgeries, said today that we must correct the wrong in medical and scientific practice.
The only accepted therapy was prescribing cholesterol-lowering medications and a diet severely restricting saturated fat intake. These recommendations are considered heresy and constitute malpractice.
The biggest culprits behind chronic inflammation are an overload of highly processed simple carbohydrates (sugar, flour, and all products made from them) and excessive consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils such as soybean, corn, and sunflower.
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.
New guidelines from the American Heart Association could reduce the number of adults eligible for statin therapy. According to the new guidelines, approximately 40% fewer people will meet the criteria to receive statins.
The 2023 PREVENT equations provide a more comprehensive assessment of cardiovascular risk than previous guidelines, removing race as a factor and including additional health indicators such as kidney disease and obesity.
A cross-sectional study published in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that if the PREVENT equations are adopted into national guidelines, approximately 40% fewer people would qualify for statins.
The study, which analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2017–March 2020), included a weighted sample of 3,785 U.S. adults aged 40–75 without known atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).
As I report in other commentaries, other factors must be considered before prescribing statins. The American Heart Association's new guidelines could reduce the number of adults eligible for statin therapy. According to the new guidelines, approximately 40% fewer people will meet the criteria to receive statins.
Oxidative stress is considered a major cause of many cardiovascular diseases, including endothelial dysfunction in atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and heart failure. The reality is that atherosclerosis has many causes. This review examines emerging risk factors beyond cholesterol, such as chronic inflammation, gut microbiota composition, oxidative stress, and environmental exposures. Inflammation plays a fundamental role in atherogenesis, and markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) serve as indicators of disease activity. The gut microbiome, particularly metabolites such as trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), has been implicated in vascular inflammation and plaque development, while beneficial short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) demonstrate protective effects. Oxidative stress further exacerbates endothelial dysfunction and plaque instability, driven by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation. In addition, environmental factors, such as air pollution, heavy metal exposure, endocrine disruptors, and chronic psychological stress, have become significant contributors to cardiovascular disease. Understanding these emerging risk factors offers a broader perspective on the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and opens new avenues for prevention and targeted therapeutic interventions.
This systematic review analyzed a total of 154 articles to evaluate the metabolic effects of coenzyme Q10, magnesium, and vitamin D in cardiovascular diseases. It concluded that magnesium plays a fundamental role in glucose and insulin metabolism and glycemic homeostasis, as well as in the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate, proteins, and nucleic acids. Vitamin D plays an important role in innate and adaptive immune responses, the cell cycle, and metabolic processes, as demonstrated by the reported relationship between its deficiency and the prevalence of immune-mediated disorders, cancer, and cardiometabolic diseases. Coenzyme Q10 exerts a significant antioxidant protective effect. Clinical studies have shown that pathologies such as acute myocardial infarction, hypertension, statin-induced myopathies, exercise-induced fatigue, male infertility, preeclampsia, Parkinson's disease, periodontal disease, and migraines are associated with low plasma concentrations of Q10. Furthermore, Coenzyme Q10 reduces the amount of lipid peroxide found in atherosclerotic lesions. Thus, Q10 protects the lipids present in cell membranes, as well as plasma lipoproteins.
To protect your heart health, it's better to take care of your gut health than to rely on prescription medications. Evidence suggests that an altered gut microbiome is involved in cardiovascular disease. Researchers from the Broad Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard identified certain gut bacteria that influence cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood glucose levels, as well as the risk of heart disease.
Another home run by MWD! Coming up through the years, indoctrinated by well meaning teachers fed on Legacy Media information, also educated in higher education trained to also trust areas captured by Industry's. Followed what became dogma...consume vegetable oils, use I Can't Believe It Feeds a Heart Attack.
But as years went by, what the people around me experienced did not match the - Statins are so needed. (So much so, it wasn't that long ago there were those who were agitating to include them in drinking water, along with Fluoride. Just one more thing One Size is Supposed to Fit All. No adjusting for age, weight, or consumption. )
When the big push started the grown ups were scratching their heads with Uncle so and so, Grandpa such and such ate all these things and could work any younger man under the ground, up and into their eighties. Yet, caved to they are the Doctors, they should know, they are educated, they are smarter than me. (May be just me, they are smarter than me means, an acknowledgment an awareness I don't know it all, because no one does, However, there are supposed to be those who have an innate understanding of that area. They are schooled to be smarter than me about such things. THIS why corruption, to have any industry capture to monopolize all the institutions from top to bottom with self serving corruption is the problem.)
Watching the oldest have what today would likely be recognized as excellent health, while their children coerced in believing Statins were a necessary Staff of Life fall apart. Become weak, lose what health positives they had before the Statins.
Now we are were we are at, still having to push to stop Corruption, to get back to what actually feeds us body and soul...real foods. Fresh, home cooked along with what the second article calls biologically active whole foods. Living foods, not chemically engineered calories needing chemically engineered med's to keep us limping along to fall far short of what was once the average finish line of a healthy active human lifespan.
In a recent study, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) has been validated as a robust inflammatory biomarker in prospective studies and clinical trials. Research such as JUPITER and CANTOS demonstrated that reducing hs-CRP significantly decreases cardiovascular events, even in people with normal LDL cholesterol. Furthermore, hs-CRP predicts the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death in general populations and in patients with established disease, and outperforms LDL cholesterol in predicting recurrent events. This protein, produced by the liver in response to infections, tissue damage, autoimmune diseases, obesity, or diabetes, indicates activation of the immune system.
https://www.infobae.com/salud/2025/12/26/la-proteina-c-reactiva-un-marcador-clave-junto-al-colesterol-en-la-evaluacion-cardiaca/ (2025).----------------------------------------------------------------------
If inflammation is not present in the body, there is no way for oxidized cholesterol to accumulate in the blood vessel walls and cause heart disease and stroke. Without inflammation, cholesterol would move freely throughout the body to meet biological needs. It is inflammation that causes cholesterol to become trapped, especially in very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and low in HDL. A diet rich in healthy fats, antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals is essential to prevent oxidation. Mercola has reported on causes of inflammation and cholesterol oxidation. Activation of the genetically determined NLRP3 inflammasome is associated with systemic inflammation and cardiovascular mortality, a risk that is similar to that of COVID-19.
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/omcl/2017/1273042/abs/ (2017)
https://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/full/10.2217/fca-2021-0027 (2021)
https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article-abstract/42/18/1742/6179517 (2021)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00033197211017406 (2022)
https://heart.bmj.com/content/108/1/73?utm_content=americas&utm_campaign=usage&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=trendmd (2022)
The famous surgeon Cardiologist Dr. Dwight Lundell, with 25 years of experience and over 5,000 open-heart surgeries, said today that we must correct the wrong in medical and scientific practice.
The only accepted therapy was prescribing cholesterol-lowering medications and a diet severely restricting saturated fat intake. These recommendations are considered heresy and constitute malpractice.
The biggest culprits behind chronic inflammation are an overload of highly processed simple carbohydrates (sugar, flour, and all products made from them) and excessive consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils such as soybean, corn, and sunflower.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A-BEm8xtW0----
http://istem.info/ueditor/php/upload/file/20191121/1574335434995707.pdf----
https://www.proze.com/dr-dwight-lundell/---
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.
New guidelines from the American Heart Association could reduce the number of adults eligible for statin therapy. According to the new guidelines, approximately 40% fewer people will meet the criteria to receive statins.
The 2023 PREVENT equations provide a more comprehensive assessment of cardiovascular risk than previous guidelines, removing race as a factor and including additional health indicators such as kidney disease and obesity.
A cross-sectional study published in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that if the PREVENT equations are adopted into national guidelines, approximately 40% fewer people would qualify for statins.
The study, which analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2017–March 2020), included a weighted sample of 3,785 U.S. adults aged 40–75 without known atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).
https://scitechdaily.com/new-cholesterol-guidelines-could-drastically-reduce-statin-use-for-millions/ (2024)
As I report in other commentaries, other factors must be considered before prescribing statins. The American Heart Association's new guidelines could reduce the number of adults eligible for statin therapy. According to the new guidelines, approximately 40% fewer people will meet the criteria to receive statins.
Oxidative stress is considered a major cause of many cardiovascular diseases, including endothelial dysfunction in atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and heart failure. The reality is that atherosclerosis has many causes. This review examines emerging risk factors beyond cholesterol, such as chronic inflammation, gut microbiota composition, oxidative stress, and environmental exposures. Inflammation plays a fundamental role in atherogenesis, and markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) serve as indicators of disease activity. The gut microbiome, particularly metabolites such as trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), has been implicated in vascular inflammation and plaque development, while beneficial short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) demonstrate protective effects. Oxidative stress further exacerbates endothelial dysfunction and plaque instability, driven by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation. In addition, environmental factors, such as air pollution, heavy metal exposure, endocrine disruptors, and chronic psychological stress, have become significant contributors to cardiovascular disease. Understanding these emerging risk factors offers a broader perspective on the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and opens new avenues for prevention and targeted therapeutic interventions.
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/14/7/2352 (2025).--------------------------------------------------------------
This systematic review analyzed a total of 154 articles to evaluate the metabolic effects of coenzyme Q10, magnesium, and vitamin D in cardiovascular diseases. It concluded that magnesium plays a fundamental role in glucose and insulin metabolism and glycemic homeostasis, as well as in the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate, proteins, and nucleic acids. Vitamin D plays an important role in innate and adaptive immune responses, the cell cycle, and metabolic processes, as demonstrated by the reported relationship between its deficiency and the prevalence of immune-mediated disorders, cancer, and cardiometabolic diseases. Coenzyme Q10 exerts a significant antioxidant protective effect. Clinical studies have shown that pathologies such as acute myocardial infarction, hypertension, statin-induced myopathies, exercise-induced fatigue, male infertility, preeclampsia, Parkinson's disease, periodontal disease, and migraines are associated with low plasma concentrations of Q10. Furthermore, Coenzyme Q10 reduces the amount of lipid peroxide found in atherosclerotic lesions. Thus, Q10 protects the lipids present in cell membranes, as well as plasma lipoproteins.
https://ijn.zotarellifilhoscientificworks.com/index.php/ijn/article/view/259 (2023)
To protect your heart health, it's better to take care of your gut health than to rely on prescription medications. Evidence suggests that an altered gut microbiome is involved in cardiovascular disease. Researchers from the Broad Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard identified certain gut bacteria that influence cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood glucose levels, as well as the risk of heart disease.
https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(24)00305-2 (2024).—
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/gut-bacteria-may-reduce-cholesterol-lower-heart-disease-risk (2024).--
https://link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/978-3-031-32047-7_106-1 (2025).--
Another home run by MWD! Coming up through the years, indoctrinated by well meaning teachers fed on Legacy Media information, also educated in higher education trained to also trust areas captured by Industry's. Followed what became dogma...consume vegetable oils, use I Can't Believe It Feeds a Heart Attack.
But as years went by, what the people around me experienced did not match the - Statins are so needed. (So much so, it wasn't that long ago there were those who were agitating to include them in drinking water, along with Fluoride. Just one more thing One Size is Supposed to Fit All. No adjusting for age, weight, or consumption. )
When the big push started the grown ups were scratching their heads with Uncle so and so, Grandpa such and such ate all these things and could work any younger man under the ground, up and into their eighties. Yet, caved to they are the Doctors, they should know, they are educated, they are smarter than me. (May be just me, they are smarter than me means, an acknowledgment an awareness I don't know it all, because no one does, However, there are supposed to be those who have an innate understanding of that area. They are schooled to be smarter than me about such things. THIS why corruption, to have any industry capture to monopolize all the institutions from top to bottom with self serving corruption is the problem.)
Watching the oldest have what today would likely be recognized as excellent health, while their children coerced in believing Statins were a necessary Staff of Life fall apart. Become weak, lose what health positives they had before the Statins.
Now we are were we are at, still having to push to stop Corruption, to get back to what actually feeds us body and soul...real foods. Fresh, home cooked along with what the second article calls biologically active whole foods. Living foods, not chemically engineered calories needing chemically engineered med's to keep us limping along to fall far short of what was once the average finish line of a healthy active human lifespan.
Have you ever written about oral health care being one of the greatest challenges if not the greatest for chronic disease.