Chuck wrote:
> You should know well
> that the original recommendation for the use of large quantities of
> L-arginine originated with the research of Dr. John P. Cooke of Stanford
> and publicized in his book "The Cardiovascular Cure". Dr Cooke replied
> "Yes, the book needs to be updated to take into account the new data, one
> of which papers is mine(the one from Stanford published in Circulation in
> 2007, showing no benefit and potential vascular harm from chronic use of
> Arginine in patients with Peripheral arterial disease. Accordingly I no
> longer recommend l-Arginine supplementation for heart and vessel health."
Peripheral Arterial Disease seems to be a special case. And that is just ONE
paper.
I also have the book written by Dr Joe Prendergast (Endocrinologist based
near Stanford where Dr Cooke was based) (ISBN 1-59975-022-8)
http://www.theuncommondoctor.com
Prendergast went to Cooke when, at the age of 37, he was shown by CAT
scan to have severe clogging of his abdominal arteries. The technician
dealing with him told him he had the disorder to the degree normally seen in
80-year+ olds. He knew his family had a history of premature death and
disability through heart attack. He went for advice to Cooke who
recommended L-arginine, at an initial rate of 1 gm per day, later increased
to up to 6 gm per day.
Remember, L-arginine is a normal component of our daily food, not
something foreign to the body.
Ten years later, Prendergast needed another CAT scan of his abdomen (
same technician ) who was amazed to find the athersclerosis had ALL
vanished. He then went to get other scans done, including of his coronary
arteries, and they were ALL clear. See pp 113 et sequ of his book.
Prendergast started putting his diabetic patients on a course of L-arginine.
Over a period of about 18 years this amounted to five thousand (5,000)
people. Normally, diabetics have a heart disease rate of about 30%+
Prendergast writes in 2006 (quote) "Since 1991,my practice has not had
(even (ed)) one patient suffer from a heart attack or stroke. It gives me great
satisfaction to report that we have virtually reversed all heart disease, even
in the patients who have other diabetes-related problems" (end quote)
I asked Dr Prendergast if he took any special dietary precautions as well.
HE REPLIED THAT HE DID NOT. ( Emphasis, not shouting).
The recipes in Cooke's book do permit some meat etc, although I find the
detail of his recipes too abstruse and complicated for me.
Also, the Med diet(s) follow a general line of thought within which there is
scope for a lot of variation. A recent spanish study involving ?? 7500
patients showed that the normal Western premature death rate from heart
disease could be reduced by 25% of its 30 - 34% usual rate. That is an
improvement, but not an excellent result.
Certainly not in the same league achieved by Dr Prendergast.
I consider that Dr Prendergast's evidence of 5,000 actual patients over an
18 year period being totally saved from a 30%+ rate of premature
death/disability, to carry considerably more weight of evidence than just
ONE paper, dealing with ONE special situation (Peripheral Arterial Disease -
ie of the legs)
The medical journal reference people ignore the kind of evidence given by
Dr Prendergast, because it doesn't suit their evidence model.
I have also seen at least one paper which shows that people who have had
an infarction ( ruptured plaque pustule) can be killed through subsequent
augmented supply of L-arginine.
But as far as I can see, Maggie did not have that - "only" severe clogging :-(
Yes, I'd like to see Cooke come out with a revision of his book too.
It's interesting that a major literature review used by the NZ Ministry of
Health regarding heart disease, was published the same year that Cooke
wrote his book. 2002. They are both 13 years old.
All related heart health care providers in NZ follow this outdated database :-(
By the way, it is on record that Nathan Pritikin, who promoted a meat-free
diet much the same as Dr Esselstyn, was found after his premature death (
suicide - he had a cancer that ( as far as I remember predated him starting
his diet)) to have NO atherosclerosis. His arteries were clear of clogging, as
shown through autopsy.
L-arginine is used not only by people who want to ward off and/or reverse
heart / arterial disease, but by body-builders as well. And they use bigger
doses.
If it is as bad as that one paper of Dr Cooke's would have it, I do expect
there must be a storm of papers saying so. I haven't seen anything pointing
to that.
Brian Swale
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