Atherosclerosis

Home » Diseases » Atherosclerosis

Table of Contents

Aged Garlic Extract and CoQ10

In 2012 the Journal of Cardiovascular Research Disease published a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which 65 firefighters at intermediate risk for atherosclerosis were given 1200 mg of aged-garlic extract and 120 mg of CoQ10 or a placebo daily for one year. At the end of the trial the firefighters in the garlic and CoQ10 group had significantly lower coronary artery calcium as well a C-reactive protein levels – measurements used to determine cardiovascular risk and inflammation levels in the body, respectively.

In 2016 The Journal of Nutrition published a 24-week animal study which tested the effects of aged-garlic extract on mice bred to have a very high rates of atherosclerosis. Compared to a control group, mice in the aged-garlic extract group showed a significant reduction in atherosclerotic lesions as well as significantly lower total cholesterol and total triglycerides.
In 2016 Phytomedicine published an animal study which found that garlic was effective in preventing the development of cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis in rabbits fed a cholesterol-rich diet through “direct anti-atherogenic activity.”
In 2006 The Journal of Nutrition published an animal trial which found that rats fed high doses of raw garlic (500 mg/kg/bw) showed profound reductions in glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. According to the researchers, these reductions in cholesterol may play an important role in preventing the onset of atherosclerosis.

In 2013 ARYA Atherosclerosis published an animal study which found that white rabbits on a high cholesterol diet saw significant reductions in fatty streaks in coronary arteries when fed a diet supplemented with lime juice or powdered lime peel. The authors note that lime peel is more effective than lime juice.

In 2012 Atherosclerosis published an animal study which tested 3 different high-fat diets (polyunsaturated, saturated, trans fat) on mice bred to have a high incidence of atherosclerosis. The researchers found that polyunsaturated fat intake prevented atherosclerosis even in a pro-inflammatory condition.

In 2010 the Journal of Science and Vitaminology published an animal study in which rabbits fed a high-cholesterol diet for 4 weeks and then a 5 percent spirulina diet for an additional 8 weeks saw a significant 41 percent decrease in LDL (bad) cholesterol and an increase in HDL (good) cholesterol as well as decreases in total cholesterol and total triglycerides, leading researchers to conclude that spirulina may be beneficial in preventing atherosclerosis.
In 2015 the Journal of Medicinal Food published an animal study which set out to determine the effect of two types of blue-green algae, including Spirulina platensis, on mice bred to have a high rate of atherosclerosis. The result showed that when mice were fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet for 12 weeks both types of blue-green algae reduced total triglycerides, total cholesterol and decreased the development of atherosclerotic lesion when compared with a control group.
In 2014 The International Journal of Health and Food Science published an animal study which found that chronic supplementation of Spirulina platensis reduced both cholesterol and triglycerides levels in mice – which according to the authors of the study may be beneficial in preventing atherosclerosis.

In 2010 Biological Trace Element Research published an animal study which found that artichoke leaf extract reduced total cholesterol levels and pro-oxidant status – two key factors in the onset of atherosclerosis – in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet.

In 2015 Medical Science Monitor published an animal study which found that niacin was able to inhibit inflammation and cell death in the lining of blood vessel walls, in mice, which may protect against atherosclerosis.

In 2015 Atherosclerosis published a meta-analysis of 20 studies which looked at the effect of red rice yeast on LDL cholesterol. The combined data showed that red rice yeast was able to produce a clinically significant reduction in LDL cholesterol with mild adverse reactions.

In 2014 the Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis published an animal study which found that hawthorn extract decreased triglycerides and bad cholesterol and improved antioxidant activities in mice bred to have a very high rate of atherosclerosis.
In 2009 The American Journal of Chinese Medicine published an animal study which demonstrated that hawthorn fruit was effective in treating high cholesterol and preventing atherosclerosis in mice.

In 2005 Archive of Medical Research published an animal study which found that policosanol was able to reduce apolipoprotein B (apoB) – the main protein in harmful low-density and very-low-density cholesterol which cause atherosclerosis – in adult primates.