#23

80g/day that’s too much saturated fat and iron for my liking, but that sounds delicious. Dumping iron is one of my bio hacks.

I typically dunk my squares in almond butter to dampen the stringency some.

Any concerns with things like lead, cadmium, mercury etc? Ever checked your levels?

2 Likes
#24

Yea, I’m under no illusion it’s healthy but I don’t drink so I’m going to permit myself this one vice.

#25

I have had many patients go the same route and do well. I would think there is some kind of genetic component that allow some to do this type of diet and do well and others not.

#26

N=1
I have been a heavy chocolate eater all of my life. Still keep on ticking at 81. So I don’t think cadmium is of a particular concern in chocolate, but it may becoming an issue as there seems to be more and more cadmium in the food supply.

“This review mainly provides insights into the cytotoxic effects of Cd in plants and the increasing human risk for developing various diseases due to the problem of enhanced accumulation of this harmful heavy metal in the food chain and dietary sources.”

#27

iirc donating blood also dumps some heavy metals and other hard to get rid off toxins (eg dioxins)

edit: Effect of Plasma and Blood Donations on PFAS Levels in Firefighters in Australia
Donor blood remains a source of heavy metal exposure | Pediatric Research

1 Like
#28

I am a regular blood donor, but only in recent years.
BTW, I visited the Netherlands when I lived in Germany during the 80s and early 90s and I loved it. I hope it has not changed too much.

#29

You don’t necessarily need to take statins daily. Here’s a study showing it can lower LDL through non-daily use:

I take crestor 2-3x/week, my ldl has always been around 130 without intervention, but when I take it daily my finger joints, back and shoulders hurt. It also lowers my T by about 100 points.

2 Likes
#30

unfortunately it has and not for the better :pensive:

1 Like
#31

Right now I am in a quandary about taking statins. I started up again after my last two blood tests showed an unacceptable rise in my lipids.

Niacin has an amazing ability to lower LDL and triglycerides.
Unfortunately, only the form that produces flushing and you have to take a gram or more for it to work. I start having an unpleasant flush after 100 milligrams, but I am going to try it once again and hope I can develop a tolerance. There are methods, aspirin, ibuprofen, etc that will help with the flush, but they might be counter-acting the very effects that I am taking niacin for. Slow-release niacin may increase the probability of liver problems.

If I can work up to 1 gram a day I will quit taking a statin.

1 Like
#32

Niacin makes sense in theory and I know a doctor who’s slowly gotten himself up to 2 grams per day.
The issue is that niacin has been studied and showed no effect in reducing cardiovascular mortality rates.

#33

It is odd that it doesn’t reduce cardiovascular mortality. If the main reason for taking statins is to reduce your cholesterol levels and niacin does the same thing, you would probably expect the same cardiovascular mortality results.
Do you have a theory or know why this is not the case?

#34

Yes. There hasn’t been a drug trial yet of any drug that increases HDL cholesterol showing a mortality benefit.
HDL’s aren’t created equally. It would appear that HDL with anti inflammatory capacity is the beneficial type, not just your standard Hdl. I’m assuming that interventions like niacin aren’t producing the valuable sub type.

#35

This is only one article of several that I have read lately that indicates that HDL levels may not be very important. I first started to wonder about this when it did not appear on the Levine age calculator spreadsheet,
Rethinking good cholesterol - Harvard Health.

1 Like
#36

Good article. Pretty much agree with it.

#37

In my view;

You do not need to take any statin.

The fact is there are a plethora of other molecules/compounds to use. Without the problems caused by statins.

3 Likes
#38

Could you provide a list?
I’d rather not take any statin

2 Likes
#39

I’ll start.

Amla
Citrus bergamot
Lycopene over 25 mg’s
Flax at 30 grams or 4 tbls per day
Taurine possibly
Oats
Psyllium
Red yeast rice

4 Likes
#40

Add

Grape Seed Extract

Nician {nicotinic acid]

Policosanol

Garlic Extract / aged fermented black garlic

Ginger

Vitamin E - Tocotrienols

French Marine Pine Bark Extract
and Gotu Kola - combined/taken together.

*Pterostilbene
*For protection of vascular endothelial cells against oxidized low-density lipoprotein.

If you do some research you would locate more compounds.

3 Likes
#41

Review William B. Parsons Jr. MD book;

“Cholesterol Control Without Diet!”

The book on using nician.

Posted a scanned PDF copy at;

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kbdV3NuwIzToUqCn0fdUmb5BhLAzi2ai/view?usp=drivesdk

Does taking Rapamycin help reduce a high LP(a)?
#42

I’m not very familiar with policosinol. Do you take it Joseph?