I have a high LPA of over 85. This was diagnosed about 2 years ago. My doctor put me on niacin. The LPA came down to 45 over a one year period. However, I’m very discouraged as in the past year, the LPA has failed to come down further even after increasing the niacin. My doctor does not have any further suggestions.

Niacin reduces the production of lipoprotein A (Lp(a)) in the liver. By doing this, the lipoprotein level will go down. However, until you repair the endothelium of the vascular wall, the liver will always receive a signal to produce Lp(a). As a result, the niacin is a symptomatic approach and not addressing the root cause. The best way to bring down the Lp(a) to optimum level (under 14 mg/dl) is by the use of a cocktail of lysine, proline, vitamin C, ascorbyl palmitate, bioflavonoids, and some pine bark extract. This particular cocktail will reduce the endotheilial damage. When the edothelium’s health is improved, the liver will not need to make lipoprotein A as a repair mechanism serrogate. Therefore, the Lp(a) will normalize nicely.

I read an excerpt from your web page on adrenal insufficiency. I am a senior year biochem student and I would like to do research in the area of endocrinology. I wanted to know your thoughts on how to best restore proper adrenal function - especially when excess androgens are produced due to alternate pathway. Do you think that it is best to utilize pregnenolone solely or would you use this in conjunction with progesterone and natural hydrocortisone. DHEA would be less preferable since symptoms of hyperandrogenism are often present ( hirsutism, scalp hair loss, acne, etc..). I have noticed in women that this is often the symptom presentation associated with adrenal insufficiency. I appreciate any thoughts that you might have.

The best way to restore proper adrenal function is to give it the raw materials for it to decide on its own how much to assimilate into the various hormones ( each of which have a negative feedback system). What are these items ? They include glandulars, lysine, proline, vitamin C, vitamin B5, all in quite a high dose. If you expect to get well with nutrients, you have to understand that nutrients are nontoxic and not very strong, so more is needed for health challenges. External introduction of DHEA, pregnenolone, progesterone, and natural cortisol will help short term, and can be used effectively to adjunct the adrenal recovery program ( which normally will take 6-12 months). It takes a long time to deplete the adrenal glands, and it will take some time to recoup, so to say. Women do react differently to the hormonals compare to man, esp the DHEA as you have noticed. Adrenal recovery therefore requires 3 major factors to be done concurrently:

a. basic nutrients as mentioned above properly dosed
b. relieve of stressor(s)
c. time ( together with diet and lifestyle changes)

Most people focus on one of these, and don't give it enough time. As a result, most people fail. I work with many who are "end stage" adrenal fatigue and repeatly I have found that if they follow my protocol closely with give it about 3-6 months, they become happy campers. The problem is that they don't have a lot of patience, and during the recovery process, one is likely (though not all the time) get worse before they get better.

Just buying supplements and loading up will not help, for each person have to be titrated. One person's nutrient is another's poison. The dosage depends on each's specific metabolic type.

The solution is not as simple as most people thing, otherwise, there is no need for people like us to study all our lives and gain the thorough insight into this most troublesome syndrome.

Furthermore, you should note that adrenal fatigue in women is seldom stand alone. In 90% of the cases there is accompanying clinical or subclincal thyroid and estrogen imbalance. Keep an eye out as you are doing your research. I call this the OAT syndrome (ovarian/adrenal/thyroid imbalance)

With ref to gum disease which can be related to bad breath. A dentist recommended Ii use a mouth wash which contained 'Thymol' as the first active ingredient. Listerine and some of the drug co. knock offs seem to have it under their house label. i have concluded it does make a significant difference over the alcohol and flavor types. Also, Ii have always read that COe,q10 at a high mg dosage (i use 100 mg) is effective in preventing gum disease and personally I have always found those 'little round between the teeth brushes' to be helpful in the on going battle. yes, it's an issue for me that I continually work on as I am now 71. And have been told that it seems to go with the terrain. Of course the pay off is no dentures. I'm healthy and happy. But I do spend most of my waking hours on body and mind maintance. And no one seems to mention that aspect of getting old.

There is no question dental health is the number cause of infection in our body. If you keep your mouth clean, the chances of your getting heart attack (yes, studies are showing that now) is much decreased. Especially critical is the removal of root canals and mercury almagams which serves as pockets of infection and reduce immunity respectively. These are all scientifically proven .

The best mouth wash is actually diluted hydrogen peroxide, and yes, coQ is excellent for gum health. I also recommend you take some activated carbon and swish it around your mouth with some water and that will absorb all the toxin in the mouth. When you then swallow it, it will help to chelate the metals from the gi track.

All 3 things above cost pennies a day and works fantastic. Give it a try. Keeping healthy need not be expansive if you know how.

How safe is melotonin to use?

Melatonin is perhaps one of the safest nutrient. Your body makes it too so it is not foreign to your internal system. You cannot kill someone with high dose melatonin. Its been tried. The normal over the counter dose is 1-3 mg. I routinely use upwards of 50mg for many of my cancer patients. Melatonin is much more than a sleeping pill. There are different forms, and depending on what you use it for, you should choose the right form, and also make sure that that it is pure. Impurities can cause problems in high dose.

As I am sure you are aware , there are a lot of very popular diets around at the moment that promote burning fat as a fuel source as apposed to glucose . I understand that of of the aims in your web pages advice control of blood sugar. Especially if glucose tolerance or sugar addictions are an issue. I would very much appreciate your opinion, concerning this type of diet as a "alternative cure" for blood sugar problems and whether or not you recommend it.

Burning fat as a fuel source is always better than burning glucose. Most of us through the years have trained our body to burn glucose, and thus the body breakdown with resulting diabetes, lipid abnormalities, just to name a few. Sugar addiction takes 2-3 years to overcome for most, and I encourage sugar balancing to help in this respect. Aside from controlling sugar balance, changing the body's fuel source from sugar to fat should be the ultimate aim (good fat, mind you) provided that the body of the person is metabolically typed to accept fat as the source. Many people do well on complex carbo as primary source of fuel and will do poorly on fat as well, especially those of Type B blood and relaxed personality (type B personality). This is in contrast to Type O blood type and Type A personality who do well on high good fat (monounsaturated fat such as olive oil for non-high heat use, and coconut oil (saturated fat) for high heat use.