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Mediterranean-style nutrition represents an alternative worth considering to a group of lipid reducing drugs, the statins, with regard to the development of an atherosclerosis (also called arteriosclerosis or colloquially vessel calcification) at increased blood lipid concentrations. Moreover, the main effect of the statins does not seem to lie in the reduction of increased cholesterol concentrations but rather in decreasing inflammation and modulating the immune system.
The results of numerous studies are presented and assessed differentiatedly in a review of the Swiss pathologist Jan-Olaf Gebbers in the international interdisciplinary electronic medical journal "German Medical Science" of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF) regarding the worldwide importance of the atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis, which is an inflammatory disease of the endothelium, causes approximately half of all deaths of adults over age 60 in industrialized nations. Inappropriate nutrition and hyperalimentation/overweight as well as lack of exercise play a causative role in all age groups from childhood until old age. Further risk factors are smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and increased cholesterol concentrations.
With appreciation of the world literature the correlation between cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, intake of animal fats with the nutrition and the severeness and the consequences of the atherosclerosis seems much weaker than often believed.
The main effect of the widely used statins does not seem to lie in the reduction of increased cholesterol concentrations but rather in decreasing inflammation and modulating the immune system.
Regarding the side effects and costs of the statins it is worth while to think about other possibilities to influence the atherosclerosis, especially the nutrition.
The quality of the nutrition plays an important role, where a mediterranean-style nutrition which includes for example olive oil can be superior to a low-fat nutrition.
B vitamins taken with the nutrition, especially B6, B12 and folic acid, are able to lower increased homocysteine concentrations as risk factor for an atherosclerosis. In diabetics a sufficient vitamin C supply is able to improve the vessel reaction ability. Industrially produced trans fats should be avoided with regard to the risk of atherosclerosis.
A health-conscious lifestyle with an adequate nutrition, normal weight, much exercise and not smoking is desirable and contains factors, which lie all in the decision area of the single person.
Publication:
Gebbers JO. Atherosclerosis, cholesterol, nutrition, and statins - a critical review.
Atherosklerose, Cholesterin, Ernährung und Statine - eine kritische Übersicht.
GMS Ger Med Sci. 2007;5;Doc04. Online verfügbar unter:
http://www.egms.de/pdf/gms/2007-5/000040.pdf (PDF) und
http://www.egms.de/en/gms/2007-5/000040.shtml (shtml)
Contact address:
Prof. Jan-Olaf Gebbers, M.D.
Institute of Environmental Medicine
Kantonsspital
CH-6000 Luzern 16
Switzerland
Tel. 0041-41-2054270
JanOlaf.Gebbers@ksl.ch
http://www.egms.de/pdf/gms/2007-5/000040.pdf Article in PDF-format
http://www.egms.de/en/gms/2007-5/000040.shtml Article in online format
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Ernährung / Gesundheit / Pflege, Medizin
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Forschungsergebnisse, Wissenschaftliche Publikationen
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