Cellular Medicine in Heart Disease

Why Cholesterol Is Not the Cause of Heart Disease

As a result of Dr. Raths discovery of the vitamin C-scurvy-heart disease connection, we now
understand the role of cholesterol in heart disease. High blood cholesterol can lead to
cardiovascular deposits only when combined with the loss of the integrity and functional
weakness of the blood vessel wall, which triggers the need for its biological repair. This is why
some animals, such as bears, do not massively die of heart attacks despite the fact that every
100 ml of their blood contains about 600 mg/dl of cholesterol. They produce vitamin C in their
bodies, which ensures optimum collagen production and the stability of their arteries, so they do
not worry about cholesterol. Dr. Raths groundbreaking discovery is detailed in his book Why
Animals Dont Get Heart Attacks, But People Do!

Cardiovascular Research at the Dr. Rath Research Institute

Our research in the area of cardiovascular disease focuses on health-beneficial effects of
vitamins and essential nutrients in various aspects of cardiovascular disease, its initiation, and
stepwise progression.

Among various projects, we have been investigating the role of nutrients in controlling abnormal
migration and the growth of smooth muscle cells in the arterial wall, a hallmark of atheroma
development and growth. We are also studying how nutrient synergy can be applied to curb
inflammation leading to arterial wall cell damage and blood leukocyte recruitment. We have
shown that nutrient synergy is more effective than individual antioxidants in decreasing
oxidative stress associated with endothelial and smooth muscle cell damage, lipid and
lipoprotein oxidation and their intra-arterial wall accumulation.

A significant part of our efforts has been concentrated on applying nutrient synergy in controlling
pathological aspects of the remodeling of the extracellular matrix in the arterial wall. Such
pathology leads to lost integrity and weakening of arterial wall structure, impaired arterial
contractility, lipoprotein retention and oxidation, pathological behavior of arterial wall resident
cells, increased plaque instability and the risk of its rupture.

Our other research areas include the aspects of sex hormone imbalance in the development of
cardiovascular disease, as well as the cardiovascular aspects of impaired glucose metabolism
(diabetes mellitus). Our research findings have contributed to a better understanding of nutrient
synergy in controlling uterine smooth muscle tissue contractility (important in preventing
miscarriage) and in autoimmune mechanism-mediated impairment of bronchial smooth muscle

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Cellular Medicine in Heart Disease

tissue contractility (asthma).

Studies in Heart Disease

Publications in Heart disease

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