As an Lp(a)-er, I'm very interested in Dr. Davis's guidance on this topic.

Here's a question to which there may be no answer right now:

The makers of Krill Oil have published a paper in a c-level journal claiming spectacular improvements in LDL and HDL.
http://www.neptunebiotech.com/clinicalstudies.html
If this is true, I wonder if Lp(a) might be improved by this stuff?

Hi, Rich--

Yes, you are right: there's simply insufficient information.

I do hope that krill oil provides benefits above and beyond fish oil, but we need to develop an experience with it first.

Thanks for this blog.

High LP(a) levels run in my family although I don't have a problem with it.  I have a brother who has had a chronically high LP(a) number (between 70 and 90) for a number of years and had a mild heart attack 10 years ago at age 42 and a triple by-pass (no heart attack) 5 years ago.

He is now doing 80mg Lipitor and 10mg Zetia and tabs of pomegranate extracts and his LDL is now at 85.  (I guess one partial treatment is to get LDL as low as possible.)

I do a google search for LP(a) treatments every few months and, of course, there isn't anything appearing to be proven to get the LP(a) number into the normal range.

For a while now, I've read online about massive doses of C, Lysine, etc. discussed at sites like that shown at the following link.

http://www.saveyourheart.com/ingredients_heartsupplementingredients.html

This is essentially what I understand to be the Pauling/Rath treament recommendation for LP(a) treatment.  A good deal of the discussion at the site and at Rath's site is informative and convincing.

However, it's difficult to understand why this treatment hasn't been studied in a scientific study (or maybe I'm mistaken and it has).

What do you think about it?

Thanks.

The Rath-Pauling approach has not worked in our limited experience. We've not witnessed any substantial drop in lipoprotein(a).

However, I would stress that, despite the difficulties presented by lipoprotein(a), it can be a very controllable genetic pattern. In fact, our current record holder for plaque regression (63% drop in heart scan score) has this pattern.

I invite you to read the full conversation about the methods we use on the Track Your Plaque website.

Thanks for your comments.

Regarding the Heart Scan Test...  I have read that a person who has had stents implanted or a bypass cannot take the test.

Is there some other means for establishing a baseline score for existing plaque?

Thanks again.

Carotid ultrasound is a crude second choice as an index of bodywide atherosclerosis. It is a relatively non-quantitative test that correlates only about 60-70% with coronary disease, but that is the only other truly practical gauge. If you've had only one artery stented, however, a CT heart scan can still be performed and yield useful information.

Dr. Davis,

Every year or so for the last 10 years, I have spent a couple of days googling and browsing the 'net to try to figure out the latest and greatest heart related therapies for myself and my family.  (High LP(a) being a significant issue.)

Since the last time I did this, you came online with this blog and through it I discovered TrackYourPlague.

I would just like to say Thank You for sharing your insight online.  Given my history, it has struck me that my understanding of effective therapies were different and sometimes even on a par with the medical professionals I was seeing.  In fact, the head of the patient cholesterol support center at the large HMO--you'd recognize the name if I mentioned the name--I belong to once even told me that I knew more about these therapies than she did.

A few years ago, in speaking with my cardiologist, I mentioned some of the scientific abstracts I had read for myself about possible new high LP(a) treatments and he told me that I appeared to know more than he did about them.

Scary !

You likely are clear about this, but I'd like to tell you again how much the kind of information you provide is incredibly helpful.

Your work can be literally life saving for people in need who take the time to address their heart related issues in a serious way!

Thank you.

Thanks, kindly, Midlife Male!

I would like to say the way you keep expressing your system is excellent.This is something that is really very great.Keep sharing articles like these.Very informative post.Thanks for sharing the information.

Now, statin drugs may still pose a benefit through LDL reduction. But they do virtually nothing for the Lp(a) itself. Unfortunately, most practicing physicians rarely go any farther than Lipitor, Zocor, Vytorin, and the like.

Just wanted to stop by and say that I think you are very talented and I am so happy for you that things are falling into place. Your blog are soooo fun. Thanks for sharing.

I had a quadruple bypass 2 years ago. I've followed the Pauling/Rath protocol for 6 months with 12 grams ascorbic, 6 grams lysine and 3 grams proline daily. However, I just had blood lab work done and was concerened that my Lp(a) score was 275. I thought that the ascorbic/lysine combination targeted Lp(a). This issue is critical to me because vein graft patency from bypass is a function of Lp(a) levels. Any suggestions on how I can lower Lp(a) and any opinion as to why my Lp(a) score would be so high even after 6 months on ascorbic & lysine?

Hi, Alex--

Sadly, I have yet to see any effect from this Pauling/Rath protocol.

In the Track Your Plaque program, our preferred starting regimen is high-dose fish oil, i.e., 6000 mg EPA + DHA per day, but it requires up to 2-3 years to work. There are several other strategies worth considering, all discussed on the site.

Dr. Davis,

I've looked all over the trackyourplaque website, but I can't find what specific advice you are referring to to reduce Lp(a). Can you please be more specific, or furnish the link? I appreciate any advice you might have. Thanks!

I tried the Pauling/Rath protacol for six months and my LP{a} was much worse.  I take niacin and fish oil.

Dee

Hi, Dee--

I, too, have yet to see any affect from this protocol.

Perhaps it's telling that Mathias Rath is currently trying to persuade South Africans that the AIDS epidemic there is the invention of the western world.

Hi, Alex--

It's all in the Library. There are several detailed Special Reports devoted to Lp(a).

Thanks for your work in achieving these goals.

I am one of the naieve do not know my Lp(a)score.
As I have mentioned in the past, I am fortunate to have no detectable plaque by recent CTA.
What tests do you advocate for your patients in this circumstance?
(I have long followed preventive nutrition similar to your advice.)
Is age a factor? I am 72.
Thanks again.
mikeV

Well, I didn't answer the poll because my Lp(a) was 16mg/dL in November and is now 12mg/dL.  So it was borderline and is heading down.

So, do I "have" Lp(a)?  Yes.  There is Lp(a) in my blood.  But not so much that I'm worried about it.  And I do know what my Lp(a) is, so the "don't know" response isn't right.

None of the responses seemed to fit me.  So I didn't respond.

Similar for me too.  My lp(a) was 6 mg/dl in the first test, 7 mg/dl in the second and 11 mg/dl in the third.  Not quite sure what to make of this so I answered the poll "don't know."

Ross,

Dr. D has said that Lp(a) is not one of the markers where a normal value is 0.  In the TYP book and online library, he says that a desirable score is <30 mg/dL (again, with the caveat about mass vs. particle size).  Superko's book puts the threshold at 20, and the VAP score sheet puts it at 10.  Mine was 7 by VAP, and I took this to mean that I don't "have" Lp(a).  Sounds like you're in the same boat.  See Dr. D's response to me under "Red flags for lipoprotein(a)."

I didn't respond to the poll simply because I didn't notice it until it was closed.

Dr. D, out of curiosity (if you have time to respond), what percent of the population scores zero for Lp(a)?

bad_crc--

Curiously, a Lp(a) of zero is rare.

Perhaps this provides some insight, though I'm not sure precisely what.