Novel Approach to Heart Disease Treatment
Researchers at Osaka University have discovered that a dietary supplement known as tricaprin may be instrumental in combating heart disease.
According to their study, this supplement has shown significant results in reversing signs of heart disease in certain patients.
Coronary artery disease (CAD), a leading cause of death worldwide, is characterized by the narrowing or blockage of the heart’s arteries, often leading to heart attacks.
Despite the availability of treatments such as cholesterol-lowering drugs and drug-eluting stents, deaths from CAD are still prevalent. Moreover, some patients seem resistant to these conventional treatments.
Triglyceride Deposit Cardiomyovasculopathy (TGCV)
Around 15 years ago, the team identified a unique form of heart disease known as triglyceride deposit cardiomyovasculopathy (TGCV).
Unlike the traditional cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis, in TGCV, coronary arteries are blocked by triglyceride deposits produced by the defective intracellular breakdown of triglycerides in vascular smooth muscle cells.
This condition is especially prevalent in patients with diabetes and those who have undergone dialysis.
Tricaprin to the Rescue
In their study, the researchers observed a substantial regression of diffuse coronary atherosclerosis in two patients with TGCV.
These patients, who had been suffering from refractory chest pain and diabetes, experienced symptom relief following the dietary intake of tricaprin.
Tricaprin is a food supplement available commercially, which stimulates lipid breakdown by heart muscle cells.
The intake of tricaprin not only alleviated the patients’ symptoms but also resulted in a notable regression of the triglyceride buildup in the heart’s blood vessels.
According to the researchers, this is the first report of regression due to enhanced intracellular triglyceride lipolysis, introducing a conceptually new treatment for coronary atherosclerosis.
Considering that not all patients respond to the current treatments for CAD, these findings could open avenues for a multi-pronged approach to CAD treatment.
The research, conducted by Ken-ichi Hirano and his team, was published in the European Heart Journal.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease, and tongues of people with heart failure look totally different.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about how espresso coffee affects your cholesterol level, and results showing common snack may lead to high blood pressure, heart rhythm disorder.
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