Recognizing a Good Supplement

by Mila McManus, MD

Supplements are not all created equal! On Amazon, 1 out of every 2 sold is counterfeit. Identifying quality supplements is quite complex.

Supplements are not all created equal! Natural products and supplement choices have exploded as Americans search for the next magic bullet for good health and longevity. On Amazon, 1 out of every 2 supplements sold is counterfeit. More recently, the FDA threatened legal action against Amazon for selling male energy supplements that contained undeclared quantities of Cialis and Viagra in them.[1] Frankly, identifying quality supplements is quite complex. In this article, I will attempt to point out many of the variables I’ve discovered over the years in my efforts to ensure the best quality, potency, purity, and production standards.

First, generally speaking, you DO get what you pay for with regard to supplements, and there are also expensive well-known brands that should be avoided. Still, if you are faced with making a decision when purchasing a supplement with no one to offer guidance, choose the more expensive and avoid the cheapest, generic supplements.

Second, carefully scrutinize the ‘other’ and ‘inactive’ ingredients on the labels and choose those with the fewest number of them. Binders, colors, coatings, sweeteners, and fillers are often potential allergens (e.g., yeast, gluten, corn, soy) or known carcinogens (e.g., food colors, talc, dyes, artificial sweeteners). Some harmless ones include silicon dioxide, cellulose, and citric acid.

Third, look for third-party tested supplements to ensure quality control and purity. One study of 55 different brands of vitamin D showed that the actual amount of vitamin D per dose varied from 9 to 146% of what the labels listed. Several years ago, Consumer Labs studied numerous brands of multivitamins and nearly half of them didn’t have in the bottles what the bottles listed were in the bottles.[3] Higher-end, reputable supplement manufacturers use the best raw materials, create formulations based on solid scientific data, and use third-party testing to ensure quality and purity of their products. These factors command a higher price.

Fourth, be aware that common contaminants found in vitamins and supplements include mold, pesticides, and heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, and mercury. You won’t see that listed on the label! While USP, GMP, and NPA are common quality seals on supplements that suggest it has met at least some minimum quality standards, it does not necessarily ensure top quality. There are many top quality supplements without these seals. Remember, supplements are not very regulated. So who are you going to trust?

Fifth, the amount of active ingredients varies widely across supplements. A supplement may appear great because of numerous healthy ingredients listed, such as CoQ10, turmeric, spirulina, chlorella, ginger, fruits, and vegetables, but they may be insignificant amounts that aren’t doing much good, if at all. It’s also noteworthy that the RDA (recommended daily allowance) is often very suboptimal. For instance, the RDA for vitamin C may be enough to prevent scurvy, but it’s hardly an optimal amount to support immune function, alleviate seasonal allergies, and neutralize the onslaught of free radicals and chemicals to which we are exposed on a daily basis.

Sixth, when looking at nutrient labels on vitamin and mineral supplements, it’s important to know the difference between their forms. You’ll notice, for example, that there are several forms of magnesium. Magnesium glycinate, magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate, and magnesium malate are all different chelated forms of magnesium. If your magnesium supplement is magnesium oxide, it’s nothing more than a good laxative. You aren’t absorbing that magnesium for its internal benefits. Calcium is another good example. Calcium carbonate is very inexpensive and also not well absorbed. If this is the form in your multivitamin, it’s time to find a better one.

Seventh, it seems intuitive that taking a ‘natural whole food’ supplement would be better than a synthetic form; however, that’s often not the case. A supplement claiming to have nothing but fruits and vegetables in it may be contaminated with pesticides, and it’s also difficult to get optimal doses of nutrients from fruits and vegetables. Sure, it’s obviously important to eat your fruits and vegetables, but these days our bodies require much more than those can provide. This is mainly due to depletion of nutrients available in soil, and increased toxins in the environment. Another reason that whole food based supplements may not be ideal for some is the yeast content. Yeast is a common allergen that could be affecting you without you realizing it.

Eighth, popularity does not mean quality. For instance, Centrum® is one of the most popular brands of multivitamin, however, it contains corn and soy (highly allergenic and genetically modified), 3 food dyes including red dye #40, Talc (yes, baby powder, and has been linked to cancer), and contains the cheapest and least absorbable minerals, namely calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide.

Ninth, there are synthetic and natural forms of many vitamins. Remember that synthetic means it has been man made through chemical synthesis. While some water soluble vitamins can be acceptable in their synthetic form, the fat-soluble dl-alpha vitamin E should be avoided! The best form of vitamin E is “mixed tocopherols”.

Overwhelmed? Well, we’ve done our homework and offer several product lines at our facility to make your life easier. And we’re happy to ship them to you.

Be Well. Choose Health.

[1] https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-receives-fda-warning-over-male-energy-supplements-containing-viagra-2023

[2] https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/health-issues/dietary-supplements-what-the-industry-does-not-want-you-to-know/#gsc.tab=0

[3] O magazine, June 2004 (Article on Consumer Labs study)

Other Resources:

Blog, Herbs and Supplements, Holistic & Functional Nutrition: Trending Topics/ July 26, 2023. The Hidden Dangers of Buying Supplements on Amazon and eBay.

http://www.drwhitaker.com/choosing-the-best-supplements-to-take/

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/health/policy/26herbal.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12867165

http://www.forbes.com/sites/melaniehaiken/2013/02/11/that-vitamin-d-youre-taking-it-may-not-be-vitamin-d/#7dc9ca6e6b6a

http://www.drwhitaker.com/how-safe-are-your-supplements/

http://www.consumerlab.com/

By Admin|2024-02-20T08:21:30-05:00February 28th, 2024|Articles, General|

by Mila McManus MD

Synbio milk is not recognized by spell check, and you might best not recognize it either. Synbio milk is synthetic.

Everyday a new-fangled food shows up in the grocery store. Consumer BEWARE! Synbio milk is not recognized by spell check, and you might not recognize it either. Synbio milk is synthetic. The Oxford Dictionary defines “synthetic” as made by chemical synthesis, especially to imitate a natural product. This is another example coming from the food engineering world that believes we can replace whole foods with lab-grown, chemically concocted alternatives that are wholly equivalent to the original ancestral real food diet. Reality check…. that’s simply impossible.

Dr. John Fagan is a molecular biologist who worked with the U.S. National Institutes for Health for almost a decade. The co-founder and chief scientist at the Health Research Institute (HRI) now, Fagan says this “synbio milk-like product” contains compounds that have never before existed in the human diet. In fact, through cutting-edge mass spectrometric technology, he identified 92 unknown compounds![1]

Fagan says you can’t say this is nutritionally like milk in any way. The same concerns exist with animal free meat. In both cases, mysterious compounds are detected that don’t exist in real milk or meat. These compounds are so uncommon, they have yet to be named. They have never been found in the human food chain. None of these compounds have been tested for safety by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration[2], and they have been put on the market by the FDA that we are paying taxes to watch and make sure our food is safe.

This is an excellent example of the ultra-processed food [UPI’s] criteria we discussed in a recent article about the NOVA food classification system used in the Food Engineering industry. It is a globalist and profit driven system, vastly opposite from agricultural ranching and farming. Be tuned in for industry buzzwords such as “precision fermentation”, a term in biotech industry being used to piggyback off the popularity of the truly health-promoting natural fermentation we encourage you to consume.[3] The processes are wildly different! The long-term outcomes are entirely unknown, but the marketing techniques are stealthy.

Be wise. Eat real. Cherish Health.

References:

[1] The Checkout, Episode 157, Dr. John Faga’s Concerning New Findings About “Animal Free” Dairy.

[2] Food Business News October 27, 2023

[3] Mercola.com, article Synbio Milk, Dairy-free. December 2023.

By Admin|2024-02-14T10:53:10-05:00February 15th, 2024|Articles, General|

by Mila McManus, MD

Many chefs will attribute a high smoke point as culinary benefits but is it possible that we should consider if it is healthy?

The most popular culinary chefs on your cooking channel are likely proponents of cooking in plant oil {vegetable or seed oil], such as olive, avocado, peanut, grapeseed, sesame, or canola oil. Most hot preparation recipes call for one of these. Many chefs will attribute a high smoke point and light flavor as culinary benefits to using them. But is it healthy?

Industrially Manufactured -What is a high smoke point oil? High smoke point oils are produced by manufacturers using industrial refinement processes such as bleaching, filtering, and high-temperature heating. The refinement process serves to extract and eliminate the extraneous compounds that burn, or smoke, at a certain point. This also makes the oil shelf-life longer[1]. This industrial refinement applies to most of the oils labeled “high smoke point” including avocado, canola, cottonseed, grapeseed, olive, peanut, safflower, soybean, and sunflower oils. Refinement increases manufacturers’ profitability while making them more pro-oxidative, pro-inflammatory, toxic, and nutrient deficient[2].

Damaged and Adulterated – Cooks are focused on taste – not necessarily on what is in the best interest of your body. Light, heat, water, and air are enemies of cooking oils. For this reason, it doesn’t make health-sense to cook with them. Whether cooking with high temperatures for short duration [think searing a roast in a pan at 375-400°], or lower temperatures for a longer duration [think roasting vegetables for 30 minutes at 350° or higher], heat will breakdown and destroy these cooking oils. They are not structurally secure chemical formulas. There is considerable speculation that, much like olive oil and grapeseed oils, avocado oil is also being refined, tainted, and blended with cheaper seed oils. At this point, it’s difficult to discern a clean, unadulterated oil from a damaged one on the grocery store shelf. Carefully selected unrefined olive and avocado oils are healthy choices for cold preparations which allow you to reap the natural, unadulterated benefits of these mostly mono-unsaturated fats.

Toxic to Cells – Research is revealing how toxic these oils are to your mitochondria, the organelles found in every cell in your body necessary to produce energy and keep the cell alive and functioning[3]. Research suggests refined vegetable/seed oils [i.e. avocado, canola, cottonseed, grapeseed, olive, peanut, safflower, soybean, and sunflower] are implicated in the rise of lifestyle diseases of today, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. These oils are found in all processed foods, fast food, and most restaurant food[4]. They are on the oil aisle touted as high smoke point options.

Omega 3:6 Ratios – Vegetable/seed oils are also extremely high in omega-6 fats, even when fresh from the source. While we need omega-6 fats, they are very easy to get from our diet. Most people eating the standard American diet, which is highly processed, consume five times more omega-6 fats than omega-3 fats, creating excess oxidation, inflammation, and toxicity. One good example of a common health outcome of eating too many Omega-6 fats is excess LDL cholesterol and a high total cholesterol. Lowering omega -6 fats in the diet and increasing Omega-3 fats contribute important antioxidant, anti-inflammatory benefits for the whole body and can lower LDL cholesterol and improve total cholesterol. But omega-3 fats are much more difficult to get through the diet. Getting the proper balance of Omega-3 to omega-6 oils requires action from both aspects: reduction of vegetable/seed oils high in omega-6 fats and increases in quality sources of omega-3 fats such as wild anchovies, mackerel, herring, and cod liver oil, as well as grass-fed beef, pasture raised eggs, walnuts, and appropriate supplementation[5].

Carcinogenic Potential – The smoke point of an oil, also known as the burn point, is where the oil breaks down and releases free radicals and a substance called acrolein, the chemical taste and smell of burnt oil. Acrylamide is the common substance released from burnt plant foods such as potatoes, found to be cancer causing in mice[6]. Extremely high heat cooking will most likely result in oxidation and release of toxic acrylamides from the food being cooked. So whether it’s from the oil, or the food being cooked, the natural structure of both the oil and the food [meat, veggie, egg, etc.] are also being de-natured, reducing its nutrient value and increasing its toxicity. It’s best to minimize high heat cooking.

Solutions – Use saturated fats for medium high, medium, and low heat stovetop, roasting, and baking. Saturated fats, which are solid, not liquid, at room temperature, are structurally double bonded chemical formulas. That is what gives them their solid nature. They tolerate light, heat, and air much better than the oils already mentioned above. Our earlier ancestors left butter on the counter all the time. They are also generally lower in Omega 6 content, and higher in Omega 3, less easily oxidized, and less inflammatory or pro-oxidative. They are good for brain and heart health and promote absorption of important fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K which promote healthy bones, skin, and vision, just to name a few. They tolerate heat better for longer periods of time, offer better nutrition, and are not industrially refined in the first place. Start with an undamaged oil the way it is found in nature such as ghee, butter, beef tallow, pork or chicken fat, and coconut oil. Ideally, animal fats should come from animals that ate their natural diet grazing and foraging, and should be organic whenever possible. All animal fats have a smoke point equal to or higher than avocado or olive oil. The French are well known for cooking in duck fat. The flavor is delightful.

Cook wisely. Be Well.

[1] https://www.seriouseats.com/cooking-fats-101-whats-a-smoke-point-and-why-does-it-matter#toc-chart-smoke-point-index

[2] Knobbe, Chris A. (May 14, 2023). The Ancestral Diet Revolution. Ancestral Health Foundation.

[3] Rogers, Kara. (January 9, 2024) Science & Tech: Mitochondrion. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com.

[4] Knobbe, Chris A. (May 14, 2023). The Ancestral Diet Revolution. Ancestral Health Foundation.

[5] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-omega-3-rich-foods. Updated October 6, 2023. Accessed 1/18/2024.

[6] https://www.cancer.net/blog/2023-01/can-eating-grilled-or-charred-foods-cause-cancer

By Admin|2024-02-07T10:45:10-05:00February 7th, 2024|Articles, General|

15 minutes a day of whole-body vibration three times a week may aid weight loss, burn fat, enhance blood flow, build strength and more.

Sessions can be as little as a few minutes, with benefits really taking effect with at least a 10 minute session. Vibratherapy may aid weight loss, burn fat, improve flexibility, enhance blood flow, reduce muscle soreness after exercise, build strength and decrease the stress hormone cortisol.¹

Other Benefits

Improves Circulation
Improves Bone Density
Enhances Lymphatic Flow and Drainage
Improves General Fitness
Combats Cellulite

While you’re enjoying it, check in on social media to show everyone how cool it is!

Vibration therapy is offered in our Longevity Room, along with red light therapy and infrared sauna.

Learn more here!

Ref: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/whole-body-vibration/faq-20057958

By Admin|2024-01-31T13:44:42-05:00January 31st, 2024|Articles, General|

by Mila McManus MD

Allulose is a new type of sweetener additive...(that) causes a host of digestive issues including bloating, distension, nausea, and diarrhea.

Allulose is a newer type of sweetener additive growing in popularity and showing up in products on grocery store shelves. It is very sweet and does not have an aftertaste, making it very appealing to the food industry. The weight loss and health industries are also interested because allulose is not metabolized as a food substance and bypasses normal digestive processes, suggesting that it may benefit blood sugar levels.

Allulose is sourced from raisins, figs, molasses, and jackfruit where it exists in very small amounts. Those very small amounts are extracted and replicated in the laboratory, and then used in very large amounts in one serving of food. What is safe and small in natural sources is unsafe in lab produced sources and quantities. The very sweet taste of allulose is the result of man engineering it in the lab.

So far, studies are showing allulose causes a host of digestive issues including bloating, distension, nausea, and diarrhea. Alterations in the microbiome of the gut have also been observed as well as alterations in mRNA expression. These results are very concerning if we hope to have healthy gut-brain pathways, digestion, and proper genetic expression, all essential to good health.

The FDA requires that allulose be named in the ingredient list, but not reflected on the Nutrition Label as a form of “sugar”. It is appearing in convenience and processed foods, such as electrolyte powders [Liquid IV recently added it to their sugar free option], protein bars, fat bombs, cookies, and shakes, touted as a healthy alternative to sugar.

Historically, stevia remains the safest non-sugar herbal sweetener. Erythritol and monk fruit have continued to be considered safe and without harmful effects. In very small amounts, cane sugar, maple syrup, and honey are safe, natural choices. Fresh fruit is designed to be a delightful, sweet finish to a meal. Ideally, we want to keep our sweet tastebuds tamed and quiet, rather than overstimulated. We find processed foods, such as allulose, and the foods in which it’s being put, will overstimulate the sweet tastebuds. This makes it difficult to manage sugar cravings and overconsumption. Additionally, maintaining optimal gut function is critical for good health, and allulose may work against that effort.

Taken together, there are many reasons to be concerned about consuming allulose. Until more is known, and based on what we know so far, we do not recommend allulose as a safe choice.

References:

www.functionalnutritionalliance.com

Personal interview with Mira Dessey, The Ingredient Guru, and author of The Pantry Principle (2013).

By Admin|2023-12-07T08:18:47-05:00December 7th, 2023|Articles, General|

by Mila McManus, MD

The best time of day for exercise is the time of day you will do it. The best exercise is the one you will do.

It seems to be the norm now to argue over many topics as though there are only two solutions, a right way and a wrong way. But in reality, the answer is not dichotomous. Rather, there are gray areas in between, a number of good options available, and most often the need for individuals to choose what works best for them. Much like we say there is not one diet that is right for all people, the same is true with exercise. The best time of day for exercise is the time of day you will do it. The best exercise is the one you will do.

AM Prose: Some research suggests that exercising in the morning in a fasted state may be most helpful in weight control and training adaptations. It can also be logistically suitable for early risers. Those who train in the morning tend to have better training adherence and expend more energy overall throughout the day. Morning exercise is associated with better weight control, and better skeletal muscle adaptations over time compared to exercise performed later in the day, according to Dr. Normand Boulé from the University of Alberta[1].

PM Prose: Alternatively, Dr. Jenna Gillen from the University of Toronto[2], who has debated Boulé, points out that mild to moderate intensity exercising done soon after meals typically results in lower glucose spikes after meals in people with diabetes. Her argument is supported by at least one recent meta-analysis where post-meal walking was best for improving blood sugar in those with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. The Look AHEAD Trial of over 2400 adults with type 2 diabetes found that some of the participants, after a year of making afternoon exercise part of their lifestyle, experienced a complete remission of diabetes. And for night owls, afternoon or evening exercise may just be more practical.

AM/PM Prose: It may be beneficial for some people to split exercise into two timeframes. Exercising some in the morning and some later in the day or early evening can offer several benefits. Exercise following the largest meals of the day aids in balancing blood sugar throughout the day. For those who sit for long periods, exercising twice a day helps to reduce stiffness and increase flexibility, increase focus and alertness, and reduces overall anxiety and stress levels.

Exercise is essential for physical and mental health. It is highly protective against disease and aging. It even helps prevent cancer and recurrence of cancer! Pick your form of exercise, pick your time, and get it done. Studies show that even as little as 5 minutes is helpful!

[1] Boulé, Normand G.; Rees, Jordan L.. Interaction of exercise and meal timing on blood glucose concentrations. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 26(4):p 353-357, July 2023. | DOI: 10.1097/MCO.0000000000000936

[1]Jenna B. Gillen, Stephanie Estafanos, and Alexa Govette. 2021. Exercise-nutrient interactions for improved postprandial glycemic control and insulin sensitivity. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 46(8): 856-865. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2021-0168

By Admin|2023-10-28T09:52:27-05:00November 7th, 2023|Articles, General|

Jackpot Wellness: Longevity Reset to Eternal Vitality

I’m excited to introduce you to Dr. Krystal Carey. She is a dedicated nurse practitioner on a mission to uncover the remarkable potential of our bodies to heal themselves.

Many experts are successfully reversing seemingly untreatable illnesses. Meet these experts directly to you through an online summit.

She is a nurse practitioner who is passionate about bringing the truth to the public about how our bodies can heal themselves.

For decades, conventional medicine has been the go-to solution for health, but a wealth of evidence suggests otherwise. Many experts are successfully reversing seemingly untreatable illnesses. Jackpot Wellness: Longevity Reset to Eternal Vitality Summit’s purpose is to spread the message that most chronic diseases can be reversed, giving people hope that their bodies have the power to heal when provided with the proper support.

Previous Summit interview:

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By Admin|2024-03-02T19:41:54-05:00October 27th, 2023|Articles, General|

by Mila McManus, MD

if you have unexplained illness, or have chronic illness and aren’t improving with treatment, consider having your implants removed.

Breast augmentation is a popular plastic surgery in the United States. Interestingly, in 2021, amidst the COVID lockdowns, there was a 44% increase in breast implants from the year before! Simultaneously, there was also a 32% increase in women having their implants replaced, and a 47% increase in women having their implants removed. [i]

While silicone and saline breast implantation is generally regarded as low complication risk, more women are expressing concerns in social media and with their doctors about a broad range of symptoms that are very real. More than 100 symptoms have been associated with breast implants, the most common in the constellation being chronic fatigue, brain fog, anxiety or depression, chest and breast pain, hair loss, headaches, chills, photosensitivity, rash, chronic joint and muscle pain, gastrointestinal issues, dry mouth and eyes, and weight changes.[ii] Because these symptoms are associated with other conditions, it’s important to carefully rule out causes unrelated to the breast implants.

Breast implant illness [BII], can best be described as an inflammatory response to a foreign substance in the body. There are some rare cancers associated with the implants and they can and do rupture or leak, which also adds to illness. Many women testify to the significant decline in health after receiving breast implants, and restored health following breast implant removal. The scientific community continues to conduct studies to gain further insight into these observations and complaints, but as of yet, breast implant illness is not yet a formal diagnosis. Nevertheless, if you have unexplained illness, or have chronic illness and aren’t improving with treatment, consider having your implants removed.

[i] Https://utswmed.org/medblog/breast-implant-illness/#

[ii] Gland Surgery 2021;10(1):430-443.

By Admin|2023-10-18T05:21:25-05:00October 18th, 2023|Articles, General|

by Mila McManus, MD

It appears that not only does semaglutide help many people to lose weight, but it is also having a favorable impact on cardiovascular health.

It appears that not only does semaglutide help millions of people lose weight, but it is also having a favorable impact on cardiovascular health. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, the reduced risk for heart failure appears to be a result of upstream metabolic drivers.

In one trial, people with heart failure who received weekly injections of semaglutide for 52 weeks experienced substantial improvements in symptoms and physical function than those who received a placebo. This trial involved 529 participants with obesity. In a larger trial by Novo Nordisk, involving 17,604 adults with cardiovascular disease who were also overweight or obese, semaglutide reduced major adverse cardiovascular events by 20%.

To learn more about semaglutide and our Weight Loss Program, contact us at 281-298-6742.

References:

Semaglutide Improves Heart Failure and Cardiovascular Disease. Medical News in Brief: Journal of the American Medical Association. September 6, 2023.

By Admin|2023-10-11T06:25:32-05:00October 11th, 2023|Articles, General|

State of the Art Cleerly Coronary Analysis To Detect Artery Plaque

by Mila McManus MD

There have been several papers confirming that accumulation of plaque within the arteries is the strongest predictor of a heart attack.

Our medical providers often refer patients for coronary artery calcium [CAC] scans which are used to detect and quantify atherosclerosis [hardened and calcified plaque]. There have been several peer reviewed papers, including ICONIC,[1] PROMISE,[2] and SCOT-HEART,[3] confirming that accumulation of plaque within the arteries is the strongest predictor of a heart attack.

The healthcare system misses more than half of patients who appear to be the picture of health but suffer a heart attack. In other words, more than half of the people who suffer from a heart attack do so without any symptoms! [4] Though a CAC scan is affordable and significantly more informative than a stress test, even the CAC scan misses the buildup of non- calcified plaque. More alarming is that 70% of heart attack victims are considered low risk by traditional methods of assessing heart disease. [5] Conventional methods are only identifying a small portion [30%] of people who could have a heart attack at any moment. Stress testing, one of the most conventional methods, misses 75% of the lesions responsible for heart attacks. [6]

Researchers have found that there is more than one kind of plaque, some creating a higher risk for heart disease than others. The more immediate risk lies in softer, non-calcified plaque which is not detected through the CAC scan. The good news, however, is that through a newer, state of the art non-invasive coronary computed tomography angiography, or CCTA analysis with Cleerly artificial intelligence technology, these higher risk plaques can be identified. The CCTA+Cleerly analysis is the first approach that may truly prevent heart attacks by detecting the largest predictor of heart attacks: the high risk soft plaque. This analysis has proven superior to the CAC scan over 2, 5, and 10 year periods in one study. [7]

While our practitioners will continue to encourage our patients to get the CAC scan for its affordability and increased insight to potential disease that cannot be determined by a stress test, we are very excited about the CCTA analysis through Cleerly Health. While more costly, the analysis can provide more precise and comprehensive information needed to prevent a heart attack. The CAC scan cannot detect and quantify low-density, non-calcified plaque, which is more likely than hardened and calcified plaque to rupture and cause a potentially fatal blood clot.[8] Furthermore, several studies have concluded that the CCTA+Cleerly analysis shows coronary atherosclerosis in 41-53% of patients with a CAC score of zero. CCTA+Cleerly analysis also provides physicians with calcium scoring, making the CAC scan unnecessary when the CCTA analysis is used.

Whether or not you have high cholesterol or a family history of heart disease, talk to your healthcare provider about the Cleerly Health CCTA analysis. It could save your life!

Be proactive. Be Well.

References:

[1] Coronary Atherosclerotic Precursors of Acute Coronary Syndromes. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. June 5, 2018.

[2] Prognostic Value of Coronary CTA in Stable Chest Pain: CAD-RADS, CAC, and Cardiovascular Events in PROMISE. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. July 13, 2020.

[3] SCOT-HEART Trial: Reshuffling Our Approach to Stable Ischemic Heart Disease. British Journal of Radiology. September 1, 2020.

[4] Benjamin E.J. et al. Circulation 2019.

[5] Chang, H.J. et al. Journal of American College of Cardiologists. 2018.

[6] Akosah K.O. et al. Journal of American College of Cardiology. 2003.

[7] Nurmohamed, N.S. et al. AI-Guided Plaque Staging Predicts Long-Term CVD. JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging. 2023.

[8] The Fallacy of the Power of Zero. Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Imaging. June 2022.

By Admin|2023-09-27T05:50:43-05:00September 28th, 2023|Articles, General|

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