The Truth About C Reactive Protein And Cholesterol Lowering
Drugs

You might disagree with me, but hear me out on this
The drug companies know what they want you to think They want
you to think that the only reliable predictor for heart disease
is an elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level,
and the best way to decrease your risk to take “statin” drugs
such as Zocor and Lipitor
Cholesterol-reducing medications are among the highest-grossing
pharmaceutical products ever, so drug companies want to lead you
to their medications But an elevated LDL-cholesterol level is
not the only predictor of heart disease It’s not even the best
predictor–that honor goes to a little known test that looks for
elevated levels of C-reactive protein
What is C-reactive protein?
C-reactive protein is produced by the body during times of
inflammation Doctors are not exactly sure why some people have
elevated C reactive protein and others have normal levels, but
they do know that high C reactive protein is linked to higher
rates of heart disease, stroke, heart attack, and sudden cardiac
death
Traditional doctors agree that a test for C-reactive protein is
a better measure of a person’s risk for heart disease than
cholesterol The New England Journal of Medicine reported in
November of 2002 that elevated C reactive protein predicts
cardiovascular problems better than elevated LDL-cholesterol
The American Heart Association agrees
How Is Elevated C Reactive Protein Determined?
The test to determine C-reactive protein levels is quite
simple A blood sample is taken, and the sample is analyzed in
the laboratory It’s a test that’s neither expensive nor
invasive
Even though doctors agree that C-reactive protein is such a
powerful predictor for heart disease, the simple test is not
often offered to patients Why? They don’t ask for it
Commercial advertising (supported by pharmaceutical companies
who make money from lowering people’s cholesterol levels) leads
patients to ask their doctors to prescribe cholesterol-lowering
statin drugs They rarely ask about C-reactive protein tests and
remedies because it’s not a big-money business
What Home Remedies Treat High C Reactive Protein?
Drug companies that sell statin drugs know that they could lose
money if people start worrying more about their C-reactive
protein levels than they do about their LDL-cholesterol levels
They are quick to point out that studies show that the same
drugs used to lower cholesterol will also lower C-reactive
protein However, these drugs are both expensive and dangerous
Muscle reactions have left patients severely disfigured, and
even physicians are questioning the wisdom and efficacy of
widespread use of statin drugs
Happily, natural healing offers many ways to keep C-reactive
protein levels in the healthy range These methods can be used
to lower elevated C reactive protein, or to maintain good heart
health Even better, natural methods for reducing C-reactive
protein have been proven by scientists to be as good as or
better than drug therapy at combating C-reactive protein
Diet–Healthnotes Newswire reported the conclusions of one
study that showed that making several positive changes to one’s
diet could significantly reduce C-reactive protein levels
Adding plant sterols, insoluble fiber, soy protein, and almonds
to the low-fat, vegetarian diets of test subjects helped reduce
C-reactive protein levels by 28 percent more than a control
group fed a low-fat, vegetarian diet
Other studies have found links between increased consumption of
whole grains and reduced C-reactive protein levels These
studies show that subjects who ate more simple carbohydrates had
higher C reactive protein levels than subjects who ate more
complex carbs
Supplementation–Vitamin and mineral supplements have also
shown to be an inexpensive, effective weapon against C-reactive
protein
Niacin–Niacin is a B-complex vitamin that works so well to
lower cholesterol and C-reactive protein that it is regulated by
the FDA and available by doctors in prescription strengths
Consumers can also buy high-quality B-complex vitamins, which
have many other benefits, from any health food store
Coenzyme Q10 and Vitamin E–Supplementing with vitamin E will
reduce your C-reactive protein levels and enhance your health
Scientists have recently proven that combining vitamin E
supplementation with coenzyme Q10 is even more effective, and
can reduce C-reactive protein levels by as much as 30 percent
Conclusions
It’s still a good idea to make the diet and lifestyle changes
that will lower your LDL-cholesterol levels Reducing your
intake of trans and saturated fats will help you live a longer
life If you’re concerned about your risk of coronary disease,
though, focus on you C-reactive protein levels Ask your doctor
for a blood test to determine your level of C-reactive protein
If it’s high, talk to your physician about using diet and
exercise, along with nutritional supplementation, to lower your
C-reactive protein levels and your risk of heart disease
References
“Comparison of C-Reactive Protein and Low-Density Lipoprotein
Cholesterol Levels in the Prediction of First Cardiovascular
Events” Paul M Ridker, MD, Nader Rifai, PhD, Lynda Rose,
MS, Julie E Buring, ScD, and Nancy R Cook, ScD The New
England Journal of Medicine 347:1557-1565, Nov 11, 2002
“Inflammation, Heart Disease and Stroke: The Role of C-Reactive
Protein”
http://wwwamericanheartorg/presenterjhtml?identifier=4648
“Dietary Changes Can Reduce Cholesterol and C-Reactive Protein
as Much as Medication”
http://wwwnewhopecom/newscfm?news=1355

Tags | association, cardiac, cholesterol, levels, medicine, problems, protein, reactive, result, sample, simple, statin, traditional