5 replies to this topic

[kismet]

I need to set up a nice and cheap regimen for my father. Cost will be max. 30€, so I'm looking for the best bang for the buck supplements. I am worried because he has a family history of cardiovascular problems and alzheimer's disease and he is heading the same way. He is a smoker, a moderate drinker (beer). Dietwise: moderate sugar intake, no fast food, moderate-high fat intake, "average" vegetable and fruit intake.

First a necessarily longish introduction:
Age: 50
Height: 1.69m
Weight: 74kg
BP: 130/85

Blood work:
Glucose: 95mg/dl (55-110mg/dl)
Triglycerides: 332mg/dl (max. 200mg/dl)
Cholesterin: 246mg/dl (max. 200mg/dl)
Chol/HDL: 5,86 (max. 5)
HDL: 42mg/dl (>35mg/dl)
LDL: ?
MCV: 95 fl (78-97)
MCH: 33 pg (27-33)
MCHC: 35g/dl (31-36)
Eosinophils: 8% or 598/ul (max 400)

diagnosed with:
varicose veins, high cholesterol, snoring, eosinophilia
less importantly:
mild depression, probably mild memory impairment

Aim: Reduce cholesterin, triglycerides, blood pressure, fasting glucose and visceral fat.

Current treatment:
Pharmacologic
varicose veins - Daflon: 450mg Diosmin + 50mg Hesperidin
varicose veins - Oxerutin 1000mg
snoring - Loratadin (5mg) + Pseudephedrin (120mg)
Magnesium (365mg)
Some cholesterin lowering drug, maybe a statin, I don't know at the moment

Lifestyle
Sport running/walking at least 5 times a week for at least 10min
Replace beer with wine
A diet reduced in cholesterin and saturated fats
More balanced diet: more vegetables and fruits
Compression bandage for the veins

Supplements I'd try:

• Fish oil: at least 2g, but I don't know if megadosing wouldn't be more benefical.
• Cocoa: 20g/d
• Green tea: 1L/d ~4 tea bags/d
• Garlic extract: 2*260mg, containing 2*25mg Allicin
• A multi vitamin, though, I am not sure as to its composition and how much of the RDA values for different minerals and vitamins it should provide.

I'm thinking about adding some additional supps, but too much will probably kill the compliance: Any advice which of those are best suited?

• Cinamon, ceylon: 1-6g: preliminary research suggests it can lower blood glucose, triglycerides and cholesterine, LDL.
• a berries, pomegranate, or wine/grapeseed extract
• plant sterols: beta-sitosterol
• I could get his doctor to prescribe something like vinpocetine or a racetam for "mild cognitive impairment".
• curcumin for AD prevention

Edited by kismet, 21 July 2008 - 12:28 PM.

[Dallee]

Several suggestions:

1. Try to get your father off any statin, which can contribute to mental issues -- see
http://www.spacedoc....ion_statins.htm
Given that statins are expensive, that step might pay for the rest of any supplements

2. Try to get on top of the snoring, which can disturb sleep and greatly increase stress

3. Have tests for B-12, thyroid, testosterone; press the doctor for what other physical problems might contribute to confusion (there are about 9 other such conditions but I don't have the list at hand -- you need to have those ruled out)

4. Grape seed extract for varicose veins -- look for research connected with cosmetic surgery and dermatology, which is where this subject is normally covered

5. Get him a pedometer and have him try to build up walking to 10,000 steps a day -- that's a good start for an exercise program and there is a lot of research on the subject on the web, as well as available forms and tips

6. 100 mg a day of milk thistle (standardized to at or above 80%) is supposed to reduce platelet aggregation for smokers -- and avoid anything with beta-carotene, which is supposed to increase cancer risk for smokers

7. If the depression has obsessive-compulsive features, try 500 mg inositol -- but the 6 steps above all should help address depression in general.

Best wishes!

Edited by Dallee, 08 August 2008 - 03:56 AM.

[Dmitri]

I need to set up a nice and cheap regimen for my father. Cost will be max. 30€, so I'm looking for the best bang for the buck supplements. I am worried because he has a family history of cardiovascular problems and alzheimer's disease and he is heading the same way. He is a smoker, a moderate drinker (beer). Dietwise: moderate sugar intake, no fast food, moderate-high fat intake, "average" vegetable and fruit intake.

First a necessarily longish introduction:
Age: 50
Height: 1.69m
Weight: 74kg
BP: 130/85

Blood work:
Glucose: 95mg/dl (55-110mg/dl)
Triglycerides: 332mg/dl (max. 200mg/dl)
Cholesterin: 246mg/dl (max. 200mg/dl)
Chol/HDL: 5,86 (max. 5)
HDL: 42mg/dl (>35mg/dl)
LDL: ?
MCV: 95 fl (78-97)
MCH: 33 pg (27-33)
MCHC: 35g/dl (31-36)
Eosinophils: 8% or 598/ul (max 400)

diagnosed with:
varicose veins, high cholesterol, snoring, eosinophilia
less importantly:
mild depression, probably mild memory impairment

Aim: Reduce cholesterin, triglycerides, blood pressure, fasting glucose and visceral fat.

Current treatment:
Pharmacologic
varicose veins - Daflon: 450mg Diosmin + 50mg Hesperidin
varicose veins - Oxerutin 1000mg
snoring - Loratadin (5mg) + Pseudephedrin (120mg)
Magnesium (365mg)
Some cholesterin lowering drug, maybe a statin, I don't know at the moment

Lifestyle
Sport running/walking at least 5 times a week for at least 10min
Replace beer with wine
A diet reduced in cholesterin and saturated fats
More balanced diet: more vegetables and fruits
Compression bandage for the veins

Supplements I'd try:

• Fish oil: at least 2g, but I don't know if megadosing wouldn't be more benefical.
• Cocoa: 20g/d
• Green tea: 1L/d ~4 tea bags/d
• Garlic extract: 2*260mg, containing 2*25mg Allicin
• A multi vitamin, though, I am not sure as to its composition and how much of the RDA values for different minerals and vitamins it should provide.

I'm thinking about adding some additional supps, but too much will probably kill the compliance: Any advice which of those are best suited?

• Cinamon, ceylon: 1-6g: preliminary research suggests it can lower blood glucose, triglycerides and cholesterine, LDL.
• a berries, pomegranate, or wine/grapeseed extract
• plant sterols: beta-sitosterol
• I could get his doctor to prescribe something like vinpocetine or a racetam for "mild cognitive impairment".
• curcumin for AD prevention

Looks good

For the multi's you should go for one that's formulated for people over 50. Also, have you considered an Aspirin regimen? In the U.S. it's recommended for men over 40 (and women over 50) to take a low dose of aspirin to reduce the risk of a heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and hypertension.

This was written in Men's Health magazine:

"Swallow a low dose aspirin before bed and you'll wake up with lower blood pressure, according to Spanish scientists. They found that pre-hypertensive patients who popped 100 mg of aspirin prior to sacking out saw their systolic BP drop by 5 points and diastolic BP drop by 3 points-compared with no change when they took the analgesic in the a.m. The night-and-day difference may be due to aspirin slowing the production of blood clotting hormones that are pumped out while your body is at rest. Talk to your doctor before starting the regimen."

Edited by Dmitri, 25 August 2008 - 05:07 AM.

[RickSantos]

I need to set up a nice and cheap regimen for my father. Cost will be max. 30€, so I'm looking for the best bang for the buck supplements. I am worried because he has a family history of cardiovascular problems and alzheimer's disease and he is heading the same way. He is a smoker, a moderate drinker (beer). Dietwise: moderate sugar intake, no fast food, moderate-high fat intake, "average" vegetable and fruit intake.

First a necessarily longish introduction:
Age: 50
Height: 1.69m
Weight: 74kg
BP: 130/85

Blood work:
Glucose: 95mg/dl (55-110mg/dl)
Triglycerides: 332mg/dl (max. 200mg/dl)
Cholesterin: 246mg/dl (max. 200mg/dl)
Chol/HDL: 5,86 (max. 5)
HDL: 42mg/dl (>35mg/dl)
LDL: ?
MCV: 95 fl (78-97)
MCH: 33 pg (27-33)
MCHC: 35g/dl (31-36)
Eosinophils: 8% or 598/ul (max 400)

diagnosed with:
varicose veins, high cholesterol, snoring, eosinophilia
less importantly:
mild depression, probably mild memory impairment

Aim: Reduce cholesterin, triglycerides, blood pressure, fasting glucose and visceral fat.

Current treatment:
Pharmacologic
varicose veins - Daflon: 450mg Diosmin + 50mg Hesperidin
varicose veins - Oxerutin 1000mg
snoring - Loratadin (5mg) + Pseudephedrin (120mg)
Magnesium (365mg)
Some cholesterin lowering drug, maybe a statin, I don't know at the moment

Lifestyle
Sport running/walking at least 5 times a week for at least 10min
Replace beer with wine
A diet reduced in cholesterin and saturated fats
More balanced diet: more vegetables and fruits
Compression bandage for the veins

Supplements I'd try:

• Fish oil: at least 2g, but I don't know if megadosing wouldn't be more benefical.
• Cocoa: 20g/d
• Green tea: 1L/d ~4 tea bags/d
• Garlic extract: 2*260mg, containing 2*25mg Allicin
• A multi vitamin, though, I am not sure as to its composition and how much of the RDA values for different minerals and vitamins it should provide.

I'm thinking about adding some additional supps, but too much will probably kill the compliance: Any advice which of those are best suited?

• Cinamon, ceylon: 1-6g: preliminary research suggests it can lower blood glucose, triglycerides and cholesterine, LDL.
• a berries, pomegranate, or wine/grapeseed extract
• plant sterols: beta-sitosterol
• I could get his doctor to prescribe something like vinpocetine or a racetam for "mild cognitive impairment".
• curcumin for AD prevention

Looks good

For the multi's you should go for one that's formulated for people over 50. Also, have you considered an Aspirin regimen? In the U.S. it's recommended for men over 40 (and women over 50) to take a low dose of aspirin to reduce the risk of a heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and hypertension.

This was written in Men's Health magazine:

"Swallow a low dose aspirin before bed and you'll wake up with lower blood pressure, according to Spanish scientists. They found that pre-hypertensive patients who popped 100 mg of aspirin prior to sacking out saw their systolic BP drop by 5 points and diastolic BP drop by 3 points-compared with no change when they took the analgesic in the a.m. The night-and-day difference may be due to aspirin slowing the production of blood clotting hormones that are pumped out while your body is at rest. Talk to your doctor before starting the regimen."

I'd try this based on the research - EPA and DHA combined for a 900 mg total as used in the GISSI study. And include walking if he can 3 times a week . Movement is far more important than formal exercise and maybe even better. You could even have a frisbeeee catch with him. Never have him push things though. He also needs to de stress His favorite things to do . He could try meditation and deep breathing also to increase nitric oxide etc.

The statins might help, but please realize the way they help is their 11 OTHER effects not related to cholesterol lowering.

Edited by RickSantos, 25 December 2009 - 05:01 PM.

[VespeneGas]

Any updates, kismet? I'm guessing by now you have him on D3 + K2 and fish oil at minimum.

I normally rage when I see antioxidant supplementation recommended, but smokers (I used to be one) have basically built in a disease of chronically elevated oxidative stress. Vitamin C is depleted in smokers, and protects alpha and gamma tocopherol from degradation. It may help restore some vascular integrity, which is being trashed by tobacco smoke.

Lipoic acid would also probably be a great choice here. If I had to add one, it'd probably be this (600 mg/day in divided empty stomach doses) based on both safety and efficacy. It seems to help protect virtually every organ:

kidney:
http://www.nature.co...s/4493909a.html
http://ndt.oxfordjou...ract/24/10/3012
http://www.biomedexp..._injury_in_rats

heart:
http://www.pnas.org/...ent/104/10/4077
http://lpi.oregonsta...iglyceride.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC2533724/
www.hindawi.com/getpdf.aspx?doi=10.1080/15438600490486778
http://www.articlesb...ice-978017.html

nerves:
http://care.diabetes...1/2365.abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/10836205

brain:
http://www.ncbi.nlm....7?dopt=Abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm....9?dopt=Abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm....0?dopt=Abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm....8?dopt=Abstract

liver:
Berkson, BM. “Thioctic Acid in the Treatment of Poisoning with Alpha amanitin.” Amanita Toxins and Poisonings, 1980. Amanita Toxins and Poisonings, 203 (Heidelberg: International Amanita Symposium, Nov. 1-3, 1978). eds Faulstich, H., Kommerell, B., and Th. Wieland, Verlag Gerhard Witzstrock, Baden-Baden, Koln, New York 1980.

Berkson, B. 1979. Thioctic acid in treatment of hepatotoxic mushroom poisoning (letter). New England Journal of Medicine. 300:371.

Bartter FC, Berkson BM, Gallelli J and Hiranaka P. “Treatment of Four Delayed-Mushroom-Poisoning Patients with Thioctic Acid.” in Amanita Toxins and Poisonings, eds Faulstich, H., Kommerell, B., and T.Wieland, Verlag Gerhard Witzstrock, Baden-Baden, New York 1980.

Berkson BM. “A Conservative Triple Antioxidant Approach to the Treatment of Hepatitis C. Combination of Alpha-Lipoic Acid (Thioctic Acid), Silymarin and Selenium. Three Case Histories.” Medizinische Klinik 94(3), 1999: 84-89.

http://www.mitochond...p?pmid=11229361

General antioxidant:
http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/10569644
http://grande.nal.us...mp;therow=86148

etc etc etc.

Hope your dad is well, best of luck.

[AgeVivo]

2. Try to get on top of the snoring, which can disturb sleep and greatly increase stress

Hi kismet, first time i see this thread. Snoreers should force not to sleep on the back: it increases snorings which strongly tires the heart, slightly creates hypoxemia and slightly thickens the blood. Sleeping on the side or on the body with the head on one side is best. hope all is well.