Originally published on www.sayerji.substack.com
Simple, Evidence-Based Insight That Rewrites the Story of Heart Disease
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Executive Summary:
- Chronic Scurvy = Heart Disease: Two-time Nobel laureate Linus Pauling proposed that long-term vitamin C deficiency weakens blood vessel collagen, leading to small cracks in arterial walls - essentially a mild, chronic form of scurvy[1][3]. The body responds by producing sticky lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) particles to plaster over the cracks like an internal Band-Aid, forming atherosclerotic plaques[2]. In Pauling's view, plaque is not the disease itself but the body's repair mechanism to prevent arteries from rupturing due to structural weakness[2][3]. High-dose vitamin C (with proline and lysine) was found to strengthen collagen and even reverse plaque buildup, addressing the root cause rather than just symptoms[2][3].
- Endothelial Damage and "Risk Factors": The true common denominator in cardiovascular disease is damage to the endothelial lining (just one cell thick) of arteries. Many so-called risk factors - oxidized LDL, high blood sugar, smoking toxins, fluoride, etc. - all inflict injury on this delicate lining, inciting inflammation and plaque formation. For example, research shows fluoride can trigger oxidative stress and endothelial inflammation, leading to artery stiffness and calcification[8]. Likewise, homocysteine (from B-vitamin deficiencies) and oxidative free radicals can weaken collagen and impair nitric oxide, accelerating arterial damage[2]. In short, anything that chronically irritates or inflames the endothelium contributes to atherosclerosis. Plaques preferentially form at high-stress spots (e.g. branch points or coronary arteries near the heart) where mechanical forces make endothelial integrity most critical[2][3]. Understanding heart disease as a response to injury shifts focus to preventing endothelial damage in the first place, rather than solely lowering blood lipids.
- Calcium, Magnesium, and Hydration Balance: Beyond chemistry, heart function involves bioelectric and mechanical factors. Excess calcium with inadequate magnesium can cause the heart muscle and artery wall to "cramp" - akin to a charley horse in your coronary arteries. Magnesium naturally helps blood vessels relax; deficiency in this mineral is known to promote arterial spasms and arrhythmias[4]. Many sudden cardiac deaths may involve acute coronary vasospasm triggered by magnesium deficiency, not just plaque rupture. Likewise, dehydration increases blood viscosity and makes the heart work harder[5][4]. The body's water isn't just a passive fluid: it forms an organized "hydration shell" or exclusion zone (EZ) water next to vessel walls that carries charge and assists blood flow. Pioneering work by Dr. Gerald Pollack reveals that structured water in capillaries can drive blood like a second pump, using infrared energy to separate charges and propel liquid - meaning the heart is more a vortex regulator than a simple pressure pump[6]. When we're optimally hydrated and exposed to natural light/infrared, this mechanism lightens the heart's load. Conversely, poor hydration and lack of sun impair this "free energy" circulation, forcing the heart to strain.
- Nutrition as Information - Beyond Isolated Chemicals: Albert Szent-Györgyi, who won the 1937 Nobel Prize for discovering vitamin C, noted that the anti-scurvy power of whole foods (like paprika or citrus) exceeded that of pure ascorbic acid. He later found the missing link: flavonoid co-factors (once dubbed "vitamin P") in plant foods that greatly enhance vitamin C's effects[10]. This suggests nutrition works as a synergy of compounds and energetics, not just single molecules. In other words, vitamins carry a "vital force" - information and structure from living systems - that cannot be fully captured by a lab-made chemical alone. This perspective resonates with emerging science on biofields and morphogenetic fields (an invisible "aether" of biological information), wherein living organisms draw on an order-making field to maintain and restore health. Life consistently strives for increased order (negative entropy), defying what pure chemistry would predict - perhaps due to this guiding field or blueprint. Heart disease, then, is not just a biochemical event but a breakdown of biological order - one that can be prevented or reversed by supplying the body with the right informational nutrients (like natural vitamin C complex) and removing disrupters.
- Statins and the Conventional Paradigm - A Pyrrhic Victory: Mainstream treatment focuses on cholesterol-lowering statin drugs. Statins do produce a modest reduction in cardiovascular events, but the benefits are far smaller in absolute terms than often advertised. For example, in people without prior heart disease, five years of statin therapy yields only about a 1-2% absolute reduction in heart attack risk and no clear impact on overall mortality[7]. This means ~60-100 people must take a daily statin for years for one heart attack to be prevented. Meanwhile, side effects are significant: an estimated >10% of users experience muscle pain or weakness, some develop liver or kidney stress, and statin-induced diabetes is a documented risk (roughly one extra case per 100 patients in some trials)[7]. There are even concerns that long-term statin use may impair immune function or raise cancer risk in certain individuals[7], since cholesterol is vital for cell membranes and hormone production. Importantly, statins' small benefits likely stem from anti-inflammatory effects (they lower vascular inflammation/CRP) rather than cholesterol reduction alone. By damping down the immune/inflammatory response, they may slow an aggressive plaque's growth - essentially treating a symptom of arterial injury, not the root cause. This is a bit like suppressing a fire alarm instead of putting out the fire. In the short term, it can appear beneficial (less inflammation, slightly fewer events), but the underlying nutritional fire (e.g. collagen weakness from vitamin C deficit) still smolders. Indeed, when high-risk patients correct deficiencies and inflammation through diet and supplements, the addition of a statin offers little to no mortality benefit[7].
The Problem With the Old Story
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the #1 global killer, yet our understanding of its true causes and cures is evolving. For decades, the public has been taught that cholesterol "clogs" arteries and that lowering LDL-cholesterol (often with medications) is the magic bullet to prevent heart attacks. This cholesterol-centric model, however, has failed to fully explain or eradicate heart disease - billions of statin prescriptions and low-fat diets later, CVD is still rampant. Increasingly, researchers and integrative thinkers are looking deeper: beyond cholesterol numbers to the health of the arterial wall, the quality of our connective tissue, and even the biophysical state of our blood and water. What if high cholesterol is more of a symptom than the root cause? What if the true culprit is a breakdown in the integrity and energy of our vascular system?
This comprehensive article explores "the truth" about cardiovascular disease causation and cures by synthesizing insights from orthomolecular medicine, cutting-edge biophysics, and holistic nutrition. We will delve into the groundbreaking work of Linus Pauling - a two-time Nobel laureate who in his later years became convinced that heart disease is essentially a manifestation of long-term vitamin C deficiency (chronic scurvy)[1][3]. Pauling's theory, initially ridiculed by some, has gained support from recent studies and offers a unifying explanation tying together cholesterol, plaque, and even genetics. We'll explain how vitamin C and collagen are central to arterial health, and how the body ingeniously uses a cholesterol particle, lipoprotein(a), to patch up weak blood vessels when vitamin C is lacking[2].
Next, we examine the broader landscape of arterial damage: how endothelial dysfunction - caused by everything from oxidative stress, toxins and toxicants (e.g. fluoride) to mineral imbalances - sets the stage for atherosclerosis. You'll discover why plaque tends to form in certain areas (like coronary arteries) and the way modern life contributes to an "atherogenic" environment through chronic inflammation, hyperglycemia, heavy metals, and even chronic dehydration.
Moving beyond biochemistry, we introduce a fascinating dimension of heart health: the role of structured water and bioelectrical forces in circulation. Is the heart really just a pump? Or could it be a vortex generator working in tandem with the exclusion-zone water lining our vessels to circulate blood? Pioneering work by Dr. Gerald Pollack suggests that the blood may flow even without a heartbeat, driven by energies from light and water structure[6]. This has profound implications: a well-hydrated body bathed in natural infrared energy might keep blood moving with less effort, whereas a dehydrated, energy-deficient state forces the heart to labor harder. We'll explore Dr. Tom Cowan's assertion that "the heart is not a pump" in the conventional sense, and what that means for preventing heart failure and hypertension.
We also confront the quality of nutrition we provide our cardiovascular system. It's not just about RDA levels of vitamins and minerals; it's how those nutrients are delivered. The contrast between whole-food nutrition vs. isolated chemicals will be illustrated by Szent-Györgyi's discovery of flavonoids enhancing vitamin C - a reminder that nature's packages of nutrients come with co-factors and life energy that our cells recognize[10]. This leads into an intriguing discussion of "vitalism" or what one might call the biofield: the idea that beyond molecular chemistry, living systems are organized by fields of information (think morphogenetic fields or an akashic field of biological memory). While this may sound abstract, it could help explain why life consistently bucks entropy (becoming more complex and ordered over time) and how health interventions can be designed to support the body's self-organizing intelligence.
Finally, we'll circle back to current medical approaches - namely statin drugs - and re-evaluate their cost/benefit in light of the above truths. Statins will be put under the microscope: do they really prolong life? Or do they simply offer a slight reduction in heart attacks at the expense of other aspects of health? We'll examine the evidence that statins' benefits are overstated when expressed in relative risk terms, and that their true impact (absolute risk reduction) is much more modest[7]. We also discuss how statins, by lowering cholesterol (the raw material for cell repair and immune function), might inadvertently predispose some patients to other diseases like infections or even cancer - raising concerns about the current one-size-fits-all recommendation for lifelong statin usage in millions of individuals.
In sum, this article aims to synthesize a new paradigm of cardiovascular health - one that is scientifically grounded yet broadly holistic. From the orthomolecular perspective championed by Pauling (using optimal doses of natural nutrients to correct imbalances) to the biophysical perspective of Pollack and Cowan (recognizing water and energy as key players), to the functional medicine perspective (addressing root causes like inflammation and toxicity), we present an integrated view of why heart disease happens and how we can truly cure it. The ultimate message is empowering: heart disease is largely preventable and in many cases reversible, if we address its true causes instead of just its symptoms. It's time to move beyond the band-aids - both the body's (Lp(a) plaques) and medicine's (statin drugs) - and remove the knife that's causing the injury (poor nutrition, deficiencies, toxins, stress).
Let's begin by revisiting Linus Pauling's "unified theory" of heart disease, a story that starts with guinea pigs, goes back 40 million years in evolution, and could chart the future of cardiology.
The Linus Pauling Theory: Heart Disease as Chronic Scurvy
In 1989, Linus Pauling - already famous for his Nobel-winning work in chemistry - shook the medical world by declaring that heart disease is not caused by cholesterol per se, but by a long-term deficiency of vitamin C[1]. In a paper titled "A Unified Theory of Human Cardiovascular Disease," Pauling and his colleague Dr. Matthias Rath argued that what we call atherosclerosis is actually the body's ingenious response to a condition akin to chronic scurvy[1][3]. Just as scurvy (severe vitamin C deficiency) leads to broken down collagen, bleeding gums, and leaky blood vessels, so does a marginal, subclinical lack of vitamin C over years lead to fragile arteries prone to cracking. The twist is that in chronic scurvy, the body doesn't usually kill you outright - it fights back with a stop-gap repair mechanism: plaques made of cholesterol.
Specifically, Pauling identified a particular cholesterol-containing particle, lipoprotein(a), as the key player. Lipoprotein(a) is a variant of LDL ("bad cholesterol") with a sticky, adhesive protein (apolipoprotein(a)) attached. This sticky Lp(a) is not found in most animals - notably, it's present in species like humans, other primates, and guinea pigs, all of which share an odd trait: they cannot synthesize their own vitamin C[1][2]. Most mammals produce abundant vitamin C in their liver (enough to equate to several grams a day in humans), and they rarely develop atherosclerosis. But guinea pigs and humans, who lost the ability to make vitamin C due to a gene mutation eons ago, do get atherosclerosis and also happen to be the only ones with Lp(a) in their blood. This is not a coincidence, Pauling asserted, but evidence that Lp(a) evolved as a surrogate for vitamin C[1][9]. In periods of vitamin C scarcity (think of our Ice Age ancestors far from tropical fruit), having Lp(a) in the blood would help patch up incipient scurvy-induced lesions in blood vessels, preventing fatal hemorrhages. In Pauling's words, "plaques are not the cause of heart disease but the result of the body's repair process" to reinforce and mend weakened vascular tissue[2].
How does this repair process work? The mechanism centers on collagen, the primary protein giving structure and tensile strength to blood vessel walls (and skin, bone, cartilage, etc.). Vitamin C is an essential cofactor for enzymes (prolyl and lysyl hydroxylase) that cross-link collagen fibers; without enough C, new collagen is built with defective "glue," rendering tissues weak and prone to tears[3]. In scurvy, gums bleed and old wounds reopen because collagen can't hold tissues together. In arteries, the high-pressure flow and pulsing can cause poorly reinforced vessel walls to develop microscopic cracks or gaps. Pauling cited studies (like those of Canadian physician G.C. Willis in the 1950s) showing that plaques form especially in areas of most mechanical stress - for example, the coronary arteries that bend around the heart, and branch points like the aortic arch[2][3]. These are the sites where a marginally weak artery would literally suffer "fatigue cracks" over time.
When such a crack or lesion opens in the inner artery lining, the body initiates an emergency repair. Platelets and cholesterol rush in like first responders. Lp(a), being very adhesive, binds avidly to exposed collagen fibers (notably to lysine residues)[2]. Pauling described Lp(a) as "atherosclerotic glue" - it sticks to damaged vessel walls at those lysine binding sites, creating a plaster. In fact, he and Rath later patented a therapy based on this biochemistry: high-dose vitamin C plus supplemental lysine and proline (amino acids found in collagen) to both strengthen new collagen and to attract Lp(a) away from sticking to vessel walls[9]. The idea is that extra lysine in the blood can act as "decoy binding sites" for Lp(a), preventing it from piling onto the arteries, while vitamin C aids actual collagen repair of the lesion[9][2].
Over time, if the process repeats (due to persistent low vitamin C and ongoing stress on the artery), the Lp(a) patches can build up into larger plaque deposits. The plaques often incorporate fibrin (scar protein) and later calcify, becoming the hardened, narrowed arteries we associate with advanced atherosclerosis. But crucially, in Pauling's framework, this whole cascade started because the arteries were weak from poor collagen, which in turn was due to inadequate vitamin C (and perhaps other collagen-related nutrients like copper, zinc, and B vitamins - but vitamin C is the centerpiece).
Is there evidence for Pauling's theory? At first, mainstream cardiology was skeptical. However, multiple lines of evidence have since validated key aspects:
- Evolutionary biology: The coincidence that only C-deficient species have Lp(a) and get heart disease is striking. A literature review by Rath and Pauling in 1990 pointed this out in detail[1], and it remains a unique clue. Around 40 million years ago, ancestral primates lost the gene to produce vitamin C; researchers estimate Lp(a) appeared in the genome roughly around the same time[1]. From an evolutionary standpoint, this suggests Lp(a) conferred some advantage - likely helping those early primates survive injury or vitamin C-scarce diets by preventing internal bleeding (scurvy hemorrhages).
- Animal experiments: It's unethical to make humans scurvy to test heart disease, but an ingenious mouse model was developed by Dr. Rath's team in 2015 to mimic exactly the human situation. They bred mice that were (A) unable to produce vitamin C (genetically "Gulo-/-", like humans) and (B) engineered to have the human Lp(a) gene[1]. In these poor mice, when they withheld vitamin C, the mice rapidly showed increased Lp(a) levels and deposition of Lp(a) in artery walls, especially near the heart where mechanical stress is high[1]. The Lp(a) was literally acting as Pauling predicted - accumulating at sites of collagen insufficiency to shore up the vessel. The mice began developing atherosclerotic plaques when vitamin C was extremely low. When vitamin C was supplemented in the diet, Lp(a) levels fell and artery plaques diminished[1]. The authors concluded that Lp(a) serves as a "repair molecule" during vitamin C deficiency, attaching to sites of vascular injury (where collagen is insufficient) and that adequate vitamin C can prevent this entire process[1]. This landmark study (published in the American Journal of Cardiovascular Disease, 2015) essentially confirmed the Pauling-Rath hypothesis in a living organism.
- Human data and case reports: While no pharmaceutical company is funding trials of "vitamin C to cure heart disease," there are many clinical and anecdotal reports consistent with the theory. Pauling himself reported cases of patients with advanced cardiovascular disease who followed his Orthomolecular protocol (high-dose vitamin C, e.g. 6+ grams/day, plus lysine ~3-6 g/day) and saw remarkable improvements[2]. One famous example was a man with severe unstable angina (chest pain) and arterial blockages so bad he was considered inoperable - after a few months on the Pauling protocol, his symptoms resolved and imaging showed plaque regression[2]. Such reports, while not large trials, are compelling "n of 1" validations. Moreover, epidemiological studies have found that higher vitamin C levels correlate with lower risk of heart attacks, and vitamin C supplementation improves endothelial function in patients - hinting that it's not useless as some critics claim[3]. Even the prestigious Framingham study noted that people who consumed more fruit and vitamin C had fewer strokes and heart disease incidents, though mainstream attribution was to general "healthy diet" rather than C specifically. As we'll see later, hundreds of studies now confirm that certain foods and nutrients--cocoa being among the most powerful--directly repair endothelial function.
- Plaque composition: Autopsy analyses show human plaques often contain Lp(a) and signs of scurvy-like changes. One autopsy study of young accident victims found that the ones with early plaque formation had lower vitamin C levels in their tissues and scorbutic changes in their arteries, whereas those without arterial lesions did not - essentially, subclinical scurvy was linked to plaque presence[2]. Additionally, plaque often accumulates on top of the internal elastic lamina of arteries, which is collagen-rich; if that collagen is weak, it fits that plaques would preferentially form there.
Pauling's theory recasts many known "risk factors" as mere aggravators or symptoms of the root issue, chronic vitamin C deficiency (chronic scurvy). For example, high LDL cholesterol by itself doesn't cause plaques everywhere in the body - it specifically deposits at injury sites. It's well known that inflammation markers like C-reactive protein (CRP) and homocysteine (a byproduct of faulty methylation linked to low B6/B12/folate) are strongly associated with heart risk. In Pauling's view, these are not independent causes but signs that the body is under oxidative/inflammatory stress - which likely also involves collagen turnover and repair. Homocysteine, for instance, can directly damage collagen and endothelium if elevated, effectively acting like a chemical abrasive on arterial walls (thus mimicking scurvy's effect)[2]. Likewise, smoking is infamous for causing heart disease - cigarettes drastically deplete vitamin C and flood the bloodstream with free radicals that damage vessel lining (one reason smokers need more vitamin C). Diabetes is another factor: high blood glucose glycates (sugar-coats) collagen and LDL, making arteries more fragile and LDL more likely to stick - essentially compounding the collagen weakness issue from another angle. Consider, too, that our genetically hard-wired inability to convert excess glucose into ascorbate becomes a serious liability the moment we depart from an ancestral diet. This helps explain why blood-sugar dysregulation and metabolic syndrome so often emerge as the primary co-factors--if not preconditions--for endothelial dysfunction and, ultimately, cardiovascular disease.
It's important to note Pauling never said cholesterol is completely irrelevant. Rather, he identified Lp(a) (a subtype of cholesterol particle) as a secondary actor that becomes dangerous in the context of poor vascular integrity. If one has ample vitamin C and strong arteries, Pauling believed Lp(a) and LDL would not infiltrate vessel walls - thus high cholesterol alone would be far less harmful. This aligns with observations that many people with high cholesterol never get heart disease, and some heart attack victims have "normal" cholesterol. The determinant is whether the cholesterol gets drawn into repairing damage. In fact, one of Pauling's famous quotes was that triggers like oxidized LDL or homocysteine are "additional symptoms of scurvy." They only come into play when the ground is fertile for damage[2].
Therapeutic implications of the unified theory are profound. If heart disease is essentially a collagen/vitamin C problem, then the logical "cure" is not a statin or bypass surgery but to supply abundant vitamin C and collagen-building nutrients and remove whatever blocks their efficacy. Pauling himself suggested that for prevention, most people need far more vitamin C than the paltry 60-90 mg RDA. He personally took 3 to 18 grams of vitamin C daily, and recommended at least 3,000 mg/day for cardiovascular benefits[2]. He also advocated taking L-lysine and L-proline (1-3 grams each daily) for those with Lp(a) plaques, to help dissolve existing plaque buildup by binding Lp(a) away from arteries[2]. This regimen has come to be known as the "Pauling Therapy" for heart disease. It is non-patentable and inexpensive - vitamin C costs only a few cents per gram - which perhaps explains why it hasn't been taken seriously by industry despite anecdotal successes. Orthomolecular physicians (including Dr. Rath, Dr. Thomas Levy, Dr. Jeffrey Dach, and others) have used high-dose vitamin C protocols with notable success in patients, often observing improvements in angina, exercise tolerance, and even documented regression of arterial blockages on scans[2].
Mainstream cardiology is slowly catching on in indirect ways. There is growing acknowledgement that Lp(a) is an independent risk factor for heart disease - so much so that new drugs are being developed to target Lp(a) levels. But rather than recognizing Lp(a) as a surrogate for vitamin C (and treating it nutritionally), pharma is looking at antisense gene therapy to reduce Lp(a) production. Similarly, there's heightened interest in inflammation's role (e.g. the success of the CANTOS trial using an anti-inflammatory drug to lower heart attack rates confirmed inflammation is causal, not just correlated). These perspectives dovetail with Pauling's theory: if you keep your arteries free of chronic inflammation and well-supplied with collagen raw materials, you short-circuit the whole atherosclerotic process.
In summary, Linus Pauling's contribution was to see heart disease through the lens of connective tissue biology and evolution. Just as scurvy could be "cured" by a simple vitamin, heart disease - a chronic, subclinical scurvy - could be prevented and cured by repleting that vitamin (and synergistic nutrients)[3]. Modern research and patient experience are bearing out this truth. It challenges the conventional focus on lowering cholesterol numbers (which is like measuring how many bandages are in use, rather than healing the wound) and refocuses on healing the arterial wall. In the next section, we expand on the many factors that can injure the endothelium and set the stage for the "repair response" we just discussed. After all, vitamin C deficiency is a primary cause of vascular injury, but it's not the only thing that batters our arteries in modern life.
Endothelial Integrity: The Real "Risk Factor" in Heart Disease
If there's one concept to understand about atherosclerosis, it is this: a healthy endothelium (the single-cell-thick inner lining of blood vessels) resists plaque, while a damaged endothelium invites plaque. The endothelium is like Teflon when intact - blood cells and cholesterol particles glide on by without sticking. But when it's irritated or ruptured, it becomes like Velcro - platelets stick, immune cells stick, and cholesterol (especially Lp(a)) sticks. Thus, virtually all known risk factors for heart disease are unified by one thing: they harm the endothelium or the underlying collagenous structure of the artery.
This isn't theoretical. Across more than a hundred peer-reviewed studies we've collected, food-based and vitamin-based interventions--particularly high-flavanol cocoa--consistently restore endothelial function, often outperforming pharmaceuticals on key vascular markers.
Let's illustrate this with a few common risk factors and how they tie back to endothelial damage:
- Hypertension (High Blood Pressure): Think of high pressure in a hose; if the hose wall is slightly weak, high pressure will create a tear faster. Chronic hypertension mechanically stresses the arterial lining. It's not a coincidence that hypertension often precedes heart disease. You'll typically see more plaque in people with decades of high blood pressure - their endothelium has been "sand-blasted" by forceful blood flow. Hypertension also causes endothelial cells to dysfunction (they lose some ability to dilate the vessel, as nitric oxide signaling is disrupted). Lowering blood pressure is helpful because it reduces this mechanical strain, but it doesn't address why the artery wall was weak in the first place. Hypertension plus vitamin C deficiency is a dangerous combo - one reason low-income populations with poor diets and high stress (blood pressure) have more CVD.
- Smoking: Tobacco smoke (perhaps excluding organically produced, consumed ceremonially, in extreme moderation) is basically a toxic cocktail that anoints the endothelium with tar, free radicals, and pro-inflammatory chemicals. Smoking is known to consume vitamin C in the body at a high rate - smokers have ~40% lower plasma vitamin C than non-smokers, often hovering on the edge of deficiency. Smoking also raises oxidized LDL (due to oxidative stress) and directly damages the endothelial cells (some chemicals in smoke cause apoptosis or dysfunction in those cells). The end result is a chronically inflamed, dysfunctional endothelium - a perfect landing spot for plaque. No wonder smoking is one of the strongest risk factors for heart attacks.
- Diabetes / High Blood Sugar: Elevated glucose in the blood (especially when poorly controlled, as in diabetes or metabolic syndrome) is very damaging to blood vessels. Glucose reacts with proteins in a process called glycation, which produces "advanced glycation end-products" (AGEs). In arteries, AGEs form on collagen and elastin fibers, making them stiff and brittle (like sugar caramelizing). Glycation also affects LDL particles, making them more prone to oxidation and uptake into the vessel wall. Endothelial cells exposed to high insulin and glucose become inflamed and lose function. That's why diabetics often have high CRP and other inflammatory markers. Essentially, high blood sugar replicates aspects of scurvy (weakening collagen) plus adds unique oxidative damage. The combination of low vitamin C (glucose competes with vitamin C for uptake into cells, as they share transporters) and high sugar is especially problematic - it's been noted that guinea pigs fed a high-sugar diet developed atherosclerosis faster, unless extra vitamin C was given[3].
- Oxidized LDL and Free Radicals: LDL cholesterol is not inherently "bad" - it becomes problematic when oxidized (chemically rancid) because oxidized LDL can injure endothelial cells and is readily gobbled up by macrophages to form foam cells in plaque. Oxidation of LDL happens when there's an excess of free radicals and not enough antioxidants. This ties back to diet (low antioxidant/vitamin intake), toxin exposure, and even emotional stress (which can create oxidative stress via cortisol and adrenaline effects). Vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and polyphenols are the antioxidant defenders of our bloodstream. Deficiency in these allows more oxidation of lipids. One can see how a diet low in fresh fruits/veg (antioxidants) and high in refined carbs and industrial oils (which promote oxidation) can accelerate endothelial damage. Heavy metals like lead and mercury also generate free radicals that damage the endothelium and deplete antioxidants - interestingly, vitamin C helps chelate (remove) such metals, linking back again to the central role of C.
- Homocysteine: Mentioned earlier - it's a byproduct of protein metabolism that, at high levels, is toxic to blood vessels. It's like acid on the endothelial glycocalyx (the gel-like protective coating). High homocysteine is usually due to low B vitamins (B6, B12, folate) or genetic issues like MTHFR mutation. Lowering homocysteine with vitamins has been shown to improve endothelial function, though outcome trials on heart attacks have been mixed (likely because homocysteine is just one factor).
- Chronic Infections and Autoimmune Reactions: There are theories that infections (like periodontal bacteria, herpesvirus, or Chlamydia pneumoniae) contribute to arterial disease by causing low-grade infection in vessels. These organisms or their toxins can injure the endothelium and also drive inflammation systemically. Similarly, autoimmune conditions (like lupus) often involve high circulating immune complexes that can deposit in vessel walls and cause injury. Essentially, anything that causes systemic inflammation ("inflamed blood") will inflame the endothelium. Inflammation both increases the turnover (damage rate) of endothelial cells and makes existing plaques "hot" (prone to rupture). This is why high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is such a strong predictor of heart attack risk - it's a proxy for how inflamed and unstable the arterial system might be.
- Toxins: Heavy Metals, Fluoride, etc.: We live in a world where we are exposed to various chemicals that can injure our cardiovascular system. Lead, for instance, correlates with hypertension and arterial stiffening; it can displace calcium in bone and possibly in arteries. Fluoride, a controversial water additive, has been shown in some studies to accumulate in bones and arteries, contributing to calcification. A study from China found that communities with higher fluoride in water had more arterial calcifications, particularly a type called Mönckeberg's sclerosis (hardening of artery media)[8]. Fluoride stimulates bone-like cells in arteries and may reduce the elasticity of vessels. Furthermore, as referenced in a Townsend Letter review, fluoride causes endothelial cell dysfunction and increases levels of Endothelin-1, a potent vasoconstrictor, while also increasing oxidative stress markers[8]. In simple terms, fluoride can "salt the ice" of our endothelium, melting away its integrity much like salt does to an icy road[8] (to use an analogy from that article). Other environmental toxins like arsenic (from contaminated water) or air pollution (fine particulates that trigger inflammation) likewise injure vessels. And let's not forget high-fructose corn syrup or chemicals like glyphosate (which some researchers speculate could interfere with collagen structure) - the toxic exposures of modern life are myriad.
Given all these factors, one might feel overwhelmed - so many things can go wrong! However, they all funnel into the final common pathway: a compromised endothelium and weakened arterial structure. This is empowering because it means if we focus on protecting and nourishing the endothelium (and underlying collagen), we automatically tackle many risks at once. Orthomolecular and functional medicine practitioners aim to do exactly that. Key strategies include:
- Optimal intake of collagen-building nutrients: Vitamin C is paramount, as discussed. Others are Lysine, Proline (amino acids in collagen, available in protein foods and also as supplements), Copper (needed for lysyl oxidase enzyme - found in foods like nuts, seeds, shellfish, or liver), Silica (for arterial elasticity, found in horsetail herb, mineral water), and Sulfur (MSM or through garlic/onions for connective tissue cross-linking). One reason diets like Mediterranean (with lots of fruits, greens, nuts) may help is the abundance of these micronutrients.
- Antioxidants and anti-inflammatories: Ensure ample vitamin E, carotenoids, polyphenols (e.g. flavonoids, resveratrol), omega-3 fatty acids - these reduce oxidative and inflammatory hits to the endothelium. For example, flavonoids in fruits not only act as antioxidants but also improve capillary strength (Szent-Györgyi's "citrin" was actually a mix of flavonoids that reduced capillary fragility, preventing small hemorrhages)[2][10]. Taming inflammation can be done through diet (e.g. less refined carbs, more omega-3 vs omega-6 balance) and targeted supplements like curcumin, quercetin, ginger, etc. that calm NF-kB and inflammatory pathways in vessels.
- B-vitamins and minerals for homocysteine and blood pressure: Keep homocysteine in check with B6, B12, folate (methylated forms if needed). Ensure magnesium adequacy - magnesium relaxes blood vessels, helps correct endothelial dysfunction, and prevents the smooth muscle in arteries from spasming or proliferating too much. Magnesium also helps control blood pressure naturally. It's estimated a majority of people are at least moderately magnesium-deficient due to refined diets. Potassium from fruits and vegetables is another blood-pressure-lowering element (high potassium improves endothelial function and counters sodium).
- Lifestyle factors: Exercise itself increases shear stress in a good way that stimulates endothelial nitric oxide (NO) production, effectively "working out" the endothelium to keep it responsive. Exercise also raises endogenous antioxidant enzymes over time. Stress management - psychological stress can induce surges of adrenaline that spike blood pressure and cause arterial strain (ever heard of stress causing a heart attack? It often does precipitate plaque rupture). Practices like meditation, yoga, or simply adequate sleep improve vascular health via lower cortisol and sympathetic drive. Avoiding smoking and pollutants is obvious but crucial.
One might ask: if the endothelium is so important, can we measure its health? Yes, there are tests like flow-mediated dilation (ultrasound of the brachial artery) that show how well your endothelium responds. High-tech research tools can measure arterial elasticity and even circulating endothelial progenitor cells (which repair endothelium). But even without tests, we can take tangible steps to pamper our endothelial cells daily - through nutrition, avoiding toxin exposures, maintaining hydration, and controlling blood pressure and blood sugar naturally.
Speaking of hydration: let's explore that angle further, because it's often overlooked in cardiology. The hydration and structured water concept links not only to endothelial health but to the fundamental mechanics of circulation - and it's a key part of the "heart is not a pump" idea we'll discuss next.
The Heart as a Vortex Generator: Hydration, Structured Water, and Vascular Energy
For most of medical history, the heart has been viewed as a mechanical pump pushing blood through a closed loop of pipes. But some renegade thinkers, from 19th-century physician Rudolf Steiner to modern cardiologist Dr. Thomas Cowan, have suggested this view is incomplete. After all, the heart's output (~5 liters of blood per minute at rest) is an order of magnitude less powerful than what would be required to force blood through billions of tiny capillaries if they were merely passive conduits. There appears to be an additional force at play in circulation, something aiding the movement of blood, especially at the microcirculatory level. Enter the concept of structured water and the exclusion zone (EZ).
My dear colleague Dr. Gerald Pollack at University of Washington has spent decades studying water beyond its standard liquid/ice/vapor phases. He discovered that water in contact with hydrophilic (water-attracting) surfaces - like the proteins and glycocalyx lining our blood vessels - forms a quasi-crystalline gel layer he calls the Fourth Phase of Water or EZ water. This layer excludes solutes (hence "exclusion zone"), and more importantly, it carries a negative charge, while the bulk water farther from the surface carries a positive charge (in the form of protonated water. [6]. Essentially, the water self-organizes into a battery: a negatively charged lining and a positively charged core of fluid[6]. Pollack's team demonstrated that in a narrow tube, this separation of charge can actually generate a flow of liquid - without any pressure gradient, purely driven by the electrical forces. They famously showed water creeping through capillary-like tubes on its own, as long as the system was fed radiant energy (infrared light)[6]. The infrared light (which is everywhere in our environment, e.g. in sunlight and even emitted from our bodies) charges up the "water battery" by enhancing the EZ, and the repulsion of like-charged particles causes the liquid to flow.
What does this mean for human physiology? It suggests that our blood vessels themselves - down to the capillaries - contribute to blood circulation by harnessing this phenomenon. Blood is mostly water (plasma) and travels through tubes lined with hydrophilic surfaces (endothelial glycocalyx). If those surfaces are healthy and the body is well hydrated (lots of good water to form EZ) and energized (by movement, heat, infrared from sun or sauna), then blood can be induced to flow with less effort from the heart[6]. In fact, Pollack and colleagues have posited that the heart's primary role may not be to forcibly propel blood, but to create vortices and boundary conditions that optimize this internal flow. The heart does impart momentum and vortex patterns to blood (the heart's interior has a spiral configuration of muscle fibers creating a twisting, vortical flow). This swirling action could help mix blood and keep it in the right dynamical state to interact with vessel EZ layers. But the heavy lifting of pushing blood through tiny capillaries might be significantly assisted by capillary action and electric charge.
In dramatic support of this concept, experiments in the 1930s (by Dr. Bremer at Harvard) and more recently repeated by Pollack's group showed that blood circulation can continue for a time even after the heart stops, especially in small animals or embryos[6][5]. In chick embryos, for instance, a delicate secondary circulation persists momentarily when the heart is stilled, implying something else drives blood movement at the micro level[5][6]. That "something" aligns with Pollack's surface-induced flow.
So, how does dehydration play in? When we are dehydrated, our blood literally thickens and the EZ layers likely shrink. As the WomenHeart organization notes, dehydrated blood is more viscous and places a strain on the heart, increasing risk of clots and cardiovascular events[5][4]. Even mild dehydration can cause the release of vasopressin (a hormone that constricts vessels) and raise blood pressure[5]. In essence, lack of water makes the heart's job harder in multiple ways. On the other hand, good hydration promotes a larger blood volume (easier for heart to pump) and likely a more robust EZ in vessels. The endothelium is happier when well-hydrated, maintaining a slick glycocalyx. This translates to better perfusion and lower workload on the heart for the same cardiac output.
Beyond quantity of water, quality might matter too. This is where we touch lightly on "structured water" in diet - some alternative circles suggest that water from fresh vegetables or certain vortexed water has better structuring. While evidence is anecdotal, the principle is that water which has been exposed to natural vortex motion or infrared energy (like sunlight) might confer more EZ-building potential. At the very least, avoiding dehydrating beverages (excess caffeine, alcohol without moderation) and regularly consuming pure water (or water-rich fruits) is common-sense for heart health. One study even found that individuals who drank five or more glasses of water a day had significantly lower risk of fatal heart attacks compared to those who drank two or fewer - after controlling for other factors[5]. The authors postulated that higher hydration reduced blood viscosity and clot formation[5].
Now consider Dr. Thomas Cowan's perspective, as described in his book Human Heart, Cosmic Heart. Cowan argues that the heart's anatomy - a spiraling cardiac muscle that contracts in a wringing motion - is designed not so much as a piston but as a hydrodynamic organizer. He points out that in diastole (when the heart relaxes), blood actually accelerates back towards the heart, and forms vortices in the chambers - this is unusual if one thinks of the heart as just a pump, because you'd expect backflow to be a problem, but instead it's a feature that fills the ventricles efficiently. Cowan, drawing on Steiner's work, suggests that the blood has its own intrinsic movement and the heart is timing and regulating that movement rather than brute-forcing it. In fact, he notes that the heart muscle is not nearly strong enough to push blood through 100,000 miles of vessels at the pressures measured - unless those vessels were aiding the process (which is exactly what Pollack's findings imply).
Why is this relevant to curing heart disease? Because it broadens our approach: we should not only focus on biochemical factors (cholesterol, vitamins) but also on the biomechanical and bioenergetic environment of the heart and blood. Enhancing that second driver of circulation - the vessel water - can potentially relieve conditions like hypertension, edema, and even heart failure.
Some practical implications:
Sunlight therapy / Infrared: Getting safe sun exposure or using infrared saunas could improve circulation independent of the heart rate, by charging up the EZ in blood. In heart failure patients, far-infrared sauna therapy has shown improvements in cardiac output and endothelial function in some studies (likely because it relaxes vessels and maybe increases EZ flow). -
Grounding / Earthing: There's a hypothesis that walking barefoot on earth (which has a negative charge) gives the body free electrons that might enhance blood fluidity and zeta potential (the charge separation in blood). Some small studies found "earthing" reduced blood viscosity and clumping of red cells.
Water structuring habits: This can be as simple as stirring your drinking water, adding a squeeze of lemon (citrus contains structured water and flavonoids), or storing water in vortex pitchers. It might sound fringe, but users of these methods often report better hydration and circulation (subjective, but interesting). At the least, staying well-hydrated with clean water is non-negotiable.
Magnesium and electrolytes: Proper electrolytes help water get inside cells and blood; magnesium in particular aids in endothelial cell health and ATP production (heart muscle consumes a lot of ATP and magnesium is needed to make ATP). A hydrated heart cell with ample magnesium is less prone to spasms. In contrast, excess calcium (from high dairy intake or calcium supplements) with low magnesium can cause not just muscle cramps but calcification of arteries. Magnesium helps keep calcium in solution and out of soft tissues (it's nature's calcium channel blocker). So balancing these minerals is key for the "flexibility" of both muscles and water structure.
Ultimately, the heart-vessel-water triad teaches us that treating the heart isn't just about beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors (which adjust pressure and rate), but possibly about nurturing the environment in which the heart beats. An analogy: instead of whipping the horses harder (making the heart pump more or less), change the friction of the wagon wheels and smooth the road (reduce blood viscosity and vessel resistance). By doing things that improve microcirculatory flow (e.g. exercise, heat, hydration, antioxidants), we make the "road" easier for the heart to travel. This can reduce high blood pressure naturally and improve oxygen delivery.
In congestive heart failure, for instance, part of the issue is the heart is too weak to maintain circulation; if we could augment the ancillary forces (via vasodilators, yes, but also perhaps via enhancing EZ water with therapies like ozone or UV blood irradiation as some alternative practitioners do), we might better support these patients. Some forward-thinking cardiologists incorporate External Counterpulsation (EECP), which is a therapy that rhythmically squeezes the legs in diastole to push blood back - interestingly, it often leads to development of new blood vessels and improved exercise tolerance in heart failure and angina patients. This also activates the extraordinary soleus muscle, which functions like a 'second heart.' One wonders if part of EECP's benefit is that it reminds the vessels how to actively participate in pumping.
The Second Heart You Never Knew You Had
Sayer Ji · Jul 31
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Now, it's important to balance that while these ideas are fascinating, the heart absolutely does pump blood and is critical - alternative thinkers are not suggesting the heart does nothing; rather, they suggest it doesn't work alone. Recognizing this can inspire a more holistic cardiac rehab: including hydration protocols, thermal therapies, stress reduction (which improves microcirculation), and even meditation (which can increase coherence in heart rhythm and possibly influence blood flow dynamics).
To connect back to our theme of causation and cures: if dehydration, mineral imbalance, and lack of natural energy input are contributing to heart disease, then rehydrating, remineralizing, and reconnecting with natural energy sources (like sunlight and earth) are part of the cure. They might not come in a pill bottle, but their effects can be profound. Perhaps part of the reason why a whole-food plant-rich diet shows benefit is not just the vitamins, but also the structured water content of fresh plants and the high potassium (which aids cellular hydration). The same could be said of the so-called "Mediterranean lifestyle" - plenty of sun, sea (grounding), and low stress siestas could be as cardio-protective as the olive oil and vegetables.
We've now covered a lot: the biochemical (vitamin C/collagen), the pathological (endothelial injury from toxins/inflammation), and the biophysical (water and heart dynamics). It's time to tie these together into a new model of nutrition and life force, and then examine how current medical treatments align or conflict with this model.
Nutrition as a Vital Force: Whole Foods, Flavonoids, and the "Aetheric" Model of Biology
Modern nutrition tends to focus on isolated nutrients - vitamin C is equated with ascorbic acid, scurvy is cured with that; iron is iron; vitamin D is cholecalciferol, and so on. Yet living nutrition has always been more intricate. As Albert Szent-Györgyi discovered, isolating pure ascorbic acid failed to reproduce the full curative potency of the whole-food sources from which it was derived. His crude paprika extract healed scorbutic guinea pigs "amazingly well," whereas a purified ascorbic acid solution produced a noticeably weaker effect. The difference lay in the natural cofactors within the peppers - compounds he initially named "vitamin P," now understood as flavonoids such as rutin, which stabilize capillaries and amplify ascorbic acid's action. [2][10] Although the term faded from official taxonomy, the insight endured: nutrients in nature do not function as isolates but as participants in a biochemical symphony.
Szent-Györgyi later shared a vivid clinical example in his 1937 Nobel Lecture. A colleague suffering from a severe hemorrhagic condition asked him for pure vitamin C. Lacking sufficient crystalline material at the time, Szent-Györgyi sent whole paprika peppers instead.[10] The colleague recovered swiftly. But when they later attempted to replicate the cure with pure ascorbic acid alone, they could not. His reflection was simple and telling:
"My colleague was cured. But later we tried in vain to obtain the same therapeutic effect with pure vitamin C."
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This distinction highlights the central point: whole foods deliver vitamin C embedded in a living matrix of flavonoids, minerals, enzymes, and structured water - a synergy that cannot be reduced to the sum of isolated molecules. It also helps explain why whole fruits and vegetables consistently outperform synthetic vitamins in epidemiological studies: nature's design relies on relationships, not fragments.
For heart disease, this is very relevant. Many large trials of single supplements (like just vitamin E, or just beta-carotene) failed to show benefit, making people dismiss nutritional prevention. But those trials may be missing the point - it's the orchestra of nutrients working together (often delivered via whole foods) that creates a powerful effect, not one superstar in isolation. Linus Pauling's protocol did include primarily ascorbic acid, but he also emphasized lysine, proline, and a good diet. He understood scurvy itself could be cured by ascorbic acid alone, but optimal health might require the whole complex of food factors. It's noteworthy that Pauling lived to 93, maintaining robust health, and he attributed it to high intake of not just vitamin C but a range of supplements and a healthy lifestyle.
This brings us to the idea of "aetheric codality" or morphogenetic fields. These terms refer to an underlying field or template that guides biological organization - essentially a blueprint in the ether (unseen realm) that shapes living forms and functions. Biologist Rupert Sheldrake's theory of morphic resonance posits that systems (like a species or an organ) have collective memory fields that each individual taps into[5]. Ervin Laszlo's concept of the Akashic Field suggests the universe holds information in a subtle field that life can draw upon. In simpler (perhaps more traditional) terms, one might call it the life force or vital energy.
When we say "nutrition is a vital force," we mean that food is not just calories and molecular structures; it carries information. A seed contains not only protein and carbs, but a pattern that can unfold into a complex plant. Likewise, eating an orange might impart not just 70 mg of vitamin C, but also bio-photons (light stored in plants), structured water, and a harmonic blend of cofactors that our cells resonate with. There's emerging research in biophotonics that shows our DNA emits and absorbs ultraweak light, possibly using it for cellular communication. Fresh raw foods emit more biophotons than processed foods. Could it be that part of nutrition is actually informational transfer via such means? It's a fascinating possibility.
Your Body's Hidden Technology: The Scalar Field Between Your Hands
Sayer Ji · Aug 8
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The most advanced healing technology on Earth costs nothing, requires no training, and you've been carrying it since birth. You've probably used it without knowing what it does.
In the context of cardiovascular health, this perspective would emphasize eating whole, alive foods that carry the "templates" of health. For instance, leafy greens and beets carry natural nitrates and enzymes that help endothelial function (beets can markedly improve NO production and exercise capacity). Berries are rich in flavonoids that signal our cells to activate antioxidant genes (via Nrf2 pathway). These aren't just chemical interactions, but perhaps also energetic - the shapes of these molecules fit into our proteins like keys into locks, conveying messages. I cover the topic of the ideal cardiovascular health diet in my book REGENERATE and my masterclass REGENERATE YOURSELF for those who want to dive deeper.
The "aetheric model" also implies that healing can occur from a deeper level of organization. Sometimes spontaneous healings or rapid recoveries from heart disease (which are documented in some cases through intensive lifestyle change programs or spiritual experiences) might involve this kind of field effect - where the person's "blueprint" is retuned towards health and the physical follows. (Which is also why sometimes DOING NOTHING may sometimes be the best medicine for chronic diseases subject to over diagnosis and over treatment). This might sound abstract, but concrete example: stress and negative emotions clearly affect heart function (ever heard of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, or broken heart syndrome? It's when severe emotional stress stuns the heart into heart failure temporarily). Conversely, positive emotions and meditation create coherent heart rhythm patterns and improve vagal tone. Our hearts literally emit the strongest electromagnetic field of any organ, measurable several feet away. When people are in a state of love or compassion, their heart rhythms become more sinusoidal and coherent, and this can even affect those around them (couples have been shown to synchronize heart rhythms when in close contact). All this suggests the heart is both a physical pump and an energetic organ interconnected with our emotional and perhaps spiritual state. Discover how your body's simple gesture of prayer hands could unlock extraordinary healing benefits for the heart, and the body as a whole below:
From Prayer to Physics: The Science of Time-Reversed Healing
Sayer Ji · Sep 22
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Thus, a truly holistic cure for heart disease might involve: repletion of missing physical nutrients (like vitamin C), removal of physical toxins, AND restoration of emotional and informational balance (reducing stress, increasing love/connection, perhaps energy healing modalities). One could speculate that therapies like acupuncture or Reiki, often dismissed by mechanistic science, could interact with this biofield and improve heart coherence or vascular function indirectly. Indeed, some studies have noted blood pressure reductions from acupuncture or improved heart rate variability from healing touch - subtle changes, but notable.
Bringing it back to practicality: from this view, food is medicine not only because of molecules but because of life energy. Fresh uncooked plant foods have been considered especially heart-healing in many traditional diets. For example, the Hippocrates diet (raw vegetarian) or even something like pomegranate juice (which in studies actually reversed some carotid plaque) could be potent due to both antioxidant molecules and possibly the vitality of the plant essence. Pomegranates contain unique polyphenols that stimulate nitric oxide and reduce oxidative stress in arteries - but they also carry the imprint of life (it's one of the oldest fruits known for health).
In essence, we start to see heart disease not as inevitability of aging or genetics, but as a consequence of life out of balance - a disconnection from essential nutrients, from natural rhythms (day/night, seasons), from the energetic nourishment of being in a calm, loving state. Reversal of heart disease has been documented by Dr. Dean Ornish and others through comprehensive lifestyle changes: plant-based diet, exercise, meditation, and social support. Ornish's patients showed regression of coronary plaques over 1-5 years without drugs[7]. That program, while framed in modern terms, essentially provided the vital factors: high antioxidant/vitamin diet, stress reduction (thus restoring a better biofield environment), and exercise (improving vascular shear stress and maybe the EZ flow we talked about). It's a powerful vindication that causation and cure for heart disease largely lie in our choices and environment, not a mystery.
Now, having laid out this expansive understanding, let's critique where statin drugs and similar conventional approaches fit. Are they addressing any of the root causes? Or are they a band-aid (pun intended) much like Lp(a) is a band-aid?
Statins and Medical Myopia: Treating Symptoms vs. Solving the Problem
Statin drugs (like Lipitor, Crestor) have become nearly synonymous with heart disease prevention. By inhibiting the liver enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, they reduce cholesterol production, typically lowering LDL by ~30-50%. They also modestly lower inflammation (as measured by CRP) and have some anti-clotting and plaque-stabilizing effects. There's no doubt that in certain patients, statins can lower the incidence of heart attacks. The controversy, however, lies in how much benefit they truly provide, whether that benefit outweighs the risks, and whether this approach aligns with addressing root causes or merely papering over them.
Let's examine the evidence with a critical eye:
In primary prevention (people who have risk factors but no prior heart attack), statins have never been shown to significantly reduce all-cause mortality. Meta-analyses have found no statistically significant mortality benefit in low-risk groups[7]. One meta-analysis (Ray et al., 2010) of 65,000 primary-prevention patients found the difference in death rates between statin and placebo was under 0.5% - essentially nil[7]. For non-fatal events, there was some reduction: about a 1% absolute decrease in heart attacks and 0.3% in strokes over 5 years, as mentioned earlier[7]. This translates to NNT (Number Needed to Treat) ~ 100 to prevent one heart attack and ~270 to prevent one stroke in five years. And those events prevented are not necessarily big MIs; it could be small ones too. So the average person gets no perceptible benefit; a tiny minority get some benefit - and we can't identify them beforehand.
In secondary prevention (patients with established heart disease or prior MI), statins do show a mortality benefit - roughly a 2-3% absolute risk reduction in death over 5 years in some trials (NNT ~ 30-50). This is not trivial, but it's not a panacea either - 90-95% of such patients see no difference in survival over that period. Still, because heart patients are high-risk, guidelines strongly push statins there.
Now consider the risks/downsides: Diabetes: Statins are diabetogenic. They can worsen insulin resistance and pancreatic beta-cell function. Large trials and meta-analyses have consistently found a ~10-20% relative increase in new-onset type 2 diabetes from statin therapy[7]. For example, in the JUPITER trial, healthy individuals on rosuvastatin had significantly higher diabetes incidence than placebo. Translating to absolute risk, about 1 in 100 patients might develop diabetes from 5 years of statins (risk is higher if they are already pre-diabetic or overweight)[7]. Diabetes, of course, is a risk factor for heart disease itself, not to mention other complications - so this is a serious trade-off. - Muscle Damage and Fatigue: The most reported side effect is myalgia (muscle pain), which can affect 10% or more of users - some studies suggest even higher when actively inquired. Usually it's mild achiness or weakness, but in rare cases statins cause rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown). Even mild muscle issues can interfere with exercise, ironically counteracting one of the best heart disease prevention methods (exercise). CoQ10 levels drop with statin use (because the same pathway makes CoQ10), potentially contributing to muscle fatigue since CoQ10 is needed for muscle cell energy. Some forward-looking doctors give CoQ10 supplements to statin users, which can help with symptoms, but that's not standard practice. - Neurological effects: Cholesterol is critical in the brain for synapses and myelin. There have been reports of memory loss or cognitive issues in some statin users (leading the FDA to put a warning about possible memory problems). While not common, it does occur. Lower cholesterol may also affect serotonin receptors (some data links low cholesterol to higher depression or suicide rates, though causality is debated). - Hormonal effects: Cholesterol is the mother molecule for sex hormones (estrogen, testosterone) and adrenal steroids. Potent statin therapy might, in some people, subtly lower those hormones. Men on statins sometimes report erectile dysfunction (though obesity and vascular issues could be confounders). - Liver and Kidney stress: Statins can elevate liver enzymes; serious liver damage is rare but can happen. They can also cause protein spillage in urine (indicating kidney stress) and, rarely, a severe immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy that continues even after stopping the drug. - Potential Cancer Risk: This is contentious. Most trials haven't shown a big cancer signal, but some long-term observations hint at slight increases in certain cancers in statin groups - especially in the elderly or in those with very low LDL. One mechanistic reason could be that cholesterol is needed in cell membranes; extremely low levels might impair immune cell function or cell signaling involved in surveilling and destroying nascent cancer cells. The jury is out, but it underscores that artificially driving a vital substance down beyond normal levels may carry unforeseen consequences.
So, if statins are like a double-edged sword, why do guidelines push them so broadly? Partly, it's because they do reduce cardiovascular events somewhat, and for lack of a better quick-fix tool, the medical community clings to them. Also, statistical framing plays a role: a "36% relative risk reduction in MI" (which might just be from 3% risk to 2% risk in absolute terms) sounds impressive. It's important for patients to understand absolute risk vs relative risk. A drug that cuts risk from 2% to 1% is touted as "50% risk reduction!" but 98 out of 100 people saw no difference - they either weren't going to have the event or the drug didn't prevent it. Meanwhile, those 100 people are all exposed to side effects.
Another question: What about the anti-inflammatory aspect of statins? Interestingly, a trial called CANTOS tested an anti-inflammatory (canakinumab) that lowered CRP without affecting lipids, and it reduced heart attacks similarly to statins, even in patients on statins. This suggests that inflammation reduction can independently reduce events. Statins happen to lower CRP by ~hsCRP 0.5-1.0 mg/L on average[7]. Some cardiologists now speak of "the fire within" - meaning we should treat the arterial inflammation. But if we think holistically, why is there inflammation? It goes back to the factors we discussed: poor diet (sugar, trans fats), visceral adiposity, chronic infections (gum disease, etc.), toxins - these stoke inflammation. Statins are kind of like a systemic anti-inflammatory (some compare them to a low-dose immunosuppressant, as they also reduce certain immune cell activities). Using them is akin to using a medication to tamp down the immune system's response while not removing the splinter that's causing the response. Sure, if someone's in immediate danger (unstable plaques), calming inflammation quickly might help avoid an acute event. But long-term, wouldn't it be better to remove the "splinters" (correct the vitamin deficiencies, stop smoking, treat the gum disease, lose excess fat, remove heavy metals)?
It's notable that statins don't really cause plaque regression in most cases - at best they stabilize or slightly shrink plaques. Meanwhile, aggressive lifestyle therapy in Ornish's program caused modest regression, and newer evidence shows high-dose nutraceutical protocols (like bergamot extract, vitamin K2, etc.) might shrink plaque. For example, vitamin K2 (menaquinone) has been shown to reduce arterial calcification by activating Matrix Gla Protein, which is a calcification inhibitor; it works only if there's enough K2. Guess who often is deficient in K2? People on warfarin (a blood thinner) - they get rapid arterial calcification sometimes, because warfarin antagonizes vitamin K. This is a tangent, but crucial: calcification is the end-stage of plaque development - and nutrients like vitamin K2, magnesium, and vitamin D status influence it. The mainstream only recently began to acknowledge K2's role in heart health.
The Cholesterol Con: How Statins Became a Billion-Dollar Threat to Human Health
Sayer Ji · Apr 18
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Cholesterol on Trial: A Molecule Maligned, But Not Guilty
From a patient's perspective, if statins have only mild benefit and some risk, why are they prescribed to tens of millions? Part of it is guideline-driven: experts panels (often with pharma ties) set lower and lower cholesterol targets, enveloping more of the population. Another part is the simplicity factor - it's easier to take a pill than change one's lifestyle, so doctors lean on that. But an unintended effect is that patients may get a false sense of security ("My cholesterol is 150 on my statin, so I can eat what I want or I'm safe"). In reality, heart attacks still occur in people with "perfect" LDL if underlying issues aren't fixed - about half of heart attack patients have normal cholesterol levels. Many cardiologists quip that the real benefit of statins is that they make doctors and patients feel like they're doing something, while allowing the actual causes to remain.
There's also the angle that statins do address one part of Pauling's triad: they lower Lp(a) a little in some people (though can raise it in others), and they thin blood slightly, and reduce some endothelial oxidative stress. So they're not useless - they're just blunt and indirect. It's like using a hammer to press a thumbtack: it works, but you might damage the wall in the process. Nutritional and lifestyle approaches are more like using a proper thumbtack - they directly solve the problem with minimal collateral damage.
Are there scenarios in which statins are genuinely worthwhile? Possibly, but doubtful, in my opinion. In cases of true familial hypercholesterolemia--where LDL levels can exceed 300-400 mg/dL--statins may offer life-saving benefit, as these individuals face markedly elevated risk of early heart attacks due to extreme cholesterol accumulation. But even here, the picture is incomplete. Comparisons with botanical, nutritional, and lifestyle-based interventions remain limited (even though hundreds of promising candidates have been researched), largely because non-patentable therapies do not attract the research investment required for large, long-term clinical trials. As a result, many safe and potentially effective alternatives remain understudied--not because they lack promise, but because they lack profitability. Especially when you consider the fact that there are over 350+ signals of toxicity within the statin drug class, all of which have been documented on GreenMedInfo.com.
Also, in someone who has already had a stent or bypass, statins do reduce stent re-closure and new events moderately, so as a temporizing measure they are believe to help, but at what trade-off costs? Increased cancer risk? Increased risk of deadly infection? And so the question is for how long and at what dose? And according to what risk/benefit calculus, with what end-point? Some integrative cardiologists try to use "statin minimiization" - e.g. use the lowest effective dose, perhaps every other day dosing, and monitor for needs, while focusing on lifestyle, but when natural alternatives like the incredibly safe and effective sugar cane wax known as policosanol may do the trick for pennies a day, it is time to rethink the way we are doing medicine.
To sum up, statins treat a symptom (high LDL or high inflammation) but not the root cause (arterial fragility and ongoing injury). They are like applying a chemical band-aid to the problem we described earlier (the body's band-aid is plaque; our band-aid is a statin that keeps the band-aid from getting too large). But neither is true healing. True healing would mean strengthening the arterial wall so it doesn't need patching and cooling the inflammation so it doesn't throw sparks.
Imagine if the billions spent on statins were redirected to programs teaching people how to eat whole foods, providing vitamin C and micronutrient supplements to those in need, environmental clean-up (less lead/mercury/plastics), and mind-body stress reduction training. We might see a far greater drop in heart disease - with side benefits of less diabetes, less cancer, improved overall vitality - rather than side effects.
Conclusion: A New Vision of Cardiovascular Health
Heart disease has often been called a lifestyle disease, but it's more precise to call it a deficiency and toxicity disease - a condition driven by deficiency of vital nutrients and excess of harmful substances, compounded by an energy imbalance in our bodies and lives. The truth about cardiovascular disease causation is that it is multi-factorial yet unified: diverse insults (poor diet, smoking, stress, pollutants, inactivity) all converge on the arterial wall, and a series of nutrient-driven repairs (or lack thereof) determine whether a harmless fatty streak becomes a life-threatening plaque.
Linus Pauling's legacy teaches us that adequate intake of the right nutrients can allow the body to repair itself and prevent much of the degenerative process[1][3]. Subsequent research by Dr. Rath and others confirmed that even advanced plaques can stabilize and even regress when given high-dose vitamin C, lysine, proline, and other supporting nutrients[9][2]. These aren't expensive or high-tech interventions - they are accessible to all, often available in a health food store or local market (imagine, citrus fruits and peppers as part of a heart treatment plan!). The Orthomolecular approach, combined with a diet rich in plant-based antioxidants and an avoidance of refined sugars and trans fats, strikes at the root: it stops the ongoing injury to arteries and enhances the intrinsic repair mechanisms.
Beyond the biochemistry, we've seen that recognizing the heart as more than a pump - as part of an energy circulation system - opens new avenues for care. Hydrate, ground, breathe, and expose yourself to nature - these simple prescriptions can favorably alter blood flow and autonomic balance, effectively acting as "heart medicine." Something as basic as ensuring you drink enough water each day, and perhaps adding a pinch of unrefined sea salt or a squeeze of lemon for minerals, can improve your blood viscosity and pressure[5][4]. Taking a walk in the morning sun not only exercises your heart but also infuses your body with infrared energy that might be charging your blood's EZ water. It's poetic that what's good for the soul - fresh air, sunshine, clean water - is also good for the heart in a very literal sense.
The integrative model also underscores the role of mental and emotional health. Chronic anger, loneliness, or depression have been shown to increase heart disease risk significantly - they promote inflammation and destructive coping habits. Conversely, love, connection, and purpose have healing power. It's notable that in some studies, heart disease patients given social support or stress management training had better outcomes than those who just got standard care. The heart is an emotional organ; positive emotions trigger the release of oxytocin, nitric oxide, and other heart-healthy hormones, and induce a relaxed vascular tone.
As for statins and conventional drugs - they may still have their place as short-term tools or for certain high-risk situations (but in my life, I wouldn't touch them with a 10-foot pole). The fact that even on high-dose statins many patients still experience heart attacks (and many without high cholesterol experience them too) tells us that we are missing something if we rely solely on that strategy. The real breakthrough will come when medicine shifts from suppressing risk markers to genuinely rebuilding health. Imagine cardiology appointments where instead of a quick prescription, patients receive a comprehensive plan: dietary counseling focusing on whole foods (with specific goals like 5 servings of vitamin-C rich produce and 5 servings of leafy greens daily), a check of nutrient levels (vitamin D, omega-3 index, magnesium, etc.), personalized exercise and stress reduction coaching, toxin testing (and chelation or sauna therapy if needed for heavy metals), and yes, maybe a mild drug if absolutely indicated - but as a bridge while the root causes are being dealt with.
We stand at a point where science is validating many "unconventional" ideas: Vitamin C's crucial role in the endothelium[1], magnesium's prevention of arterial spasm[4], vitamin K2's role in decalcifying arteries, gut microbiome's influence on metabolism (e.g., gut bacteria can produce TMAO from meat which might affect arteries - another factor to correct by managing diet and gut health). The new paradigm integrates all these factors into one understanding - that cardiovascular disease is not a fate, but a consequence of how we live and what we're made (or not made) of.
The hopeful message is that cures - not just treatments - are within reach. Cases of atherosclerosis reversal have been documented through intensive lifestyle changes, and it no longer seems miraculous but logical when you consider the physiology. When you stop damaging the arteries (quit smoking, for example) and start feeding them optimally (plant nutrients, omegas, etc.), the body often can slowly self-heal. Arteries can expel plaque (particularly the soft inflammatory kind) and remodel back to wider channels. It might take time - one reason pharmaceuticals seem attractive is they work fast on lab numbers - but slow and steady wins the race if one is persistent.
In conclusion, the truth about cardiovascular disease causation and cures is that your body is your ally. It wants to heal and maintain flexible, clean arteries. If you provide the needed building blocks (like vitamin C for collagen), remove the hurdles (like smoking or heavy metals), and tend to the whole system (hydration, mind-body health, etc.), the "inevitable" outcomes like heart attacks become very evitable. We can envision a future - perhaps not too distant - where heart disease is no longer the top killer. As I pointed out in my previous article, this information is like a "steamroller aimed at the $100 billion heart disease industry"[3]. When people realize they have the power to prevent and even reverse heart disease naturally, the need for invasive surgeries and lifelong drug dependence will diminish. That's a future where our arteries age gracefully as our souls do, without fear of sudden rupture or blockage - a future where heart disease could indeed become a curiosity of the past[3].
Let's take this knowledge to heart - literally - and begin the cure from within.
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References
[1] Rath, Matthias, and Linus Pauling. "Hypothesis: Lipoprotein(a) is a surrogate for ascorbate." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U.S.A. 87, no. 16 (1990): 6204-6207.
[2] English, Jim, and Cass, Hyla. "Linus Pauling's Unified Theory of Human Cardiovascular Disease - The Collagen Connection." Nutrition Review (April 1996).
[3] Dach, Jeffrey, MD. "Linus Pauling Heart Disease Prevention with Vitamin C." GreenMedInfo (December 27, 2016).
[4] Turlapaty, P. D., and Altura, B. M. "Magnesium deficiency produces spasms of coronary arteries." American Journal of Cardiology 60, no. 10 (1987): 56J-60J.
[5] WomenHeart: National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease. "Is Water Good for Your Heart? Hydration & Heart Health Explained." WomenHeart.org (2023).
[6] Li, Zheng, and Pollack, Gerald. "On the Driver of the Circulation Beyond the Heart." PLoS ONE 9, no. 11 (2014): e113516.
[7] TheNNT Group. "Statins for Heart Disease Prevention (Without Prior Heart Disease)." TheNNT.com (May 2015).
[8] Townsend Letter - Last, John. "Fluoride Factors in COVID-19 and Endothelial Dysfunction." Townsend Letter (April 8, 2023).
[9] Cha, Ji-Yong, Niedzwiicki, Aleksandra, and Rath, Matthias. "Hypoascorbemia induces atherosclerosis and vascular deposition of lipoprotein(a) in transgenic mice." American Journal of Pathology 147, no. 4 (1995): 1135-1145.
[10] Deville, Lauren, NMD. "Natural Ways to Lower Lipoprotein(a)." Nature Cure Family Health Blog (January 10, 2020).
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