The Mineral That Can Stop Angina

The Mineral That Can Stop Angina Dear John, February is American Heart Month, and not surprisingly there’s been a glut of recent articles about the number-one killer in this country, cardiovascular disease. But what’s gotten far less attention is a subset of heart disease, called angina (ann-JY-nuh). The trouble is that most people misunderstand this condition. What is angina? Medical articles often call it “angina pectoris,” which more precisely refers to chest pains behind the breastbone or sternum. The pain occurs when there is inadequate flow of blood—and thus oxygen—to the heart muscle itself. More often than not, this condition is due to atherosclerosis, or clogging in the small coronary arteries that supply the heart muscle. Anyone who’s experienced angina will probably never forget the sensation. The symptoms include: An immediate increase in heart rate and blood pressure Chest pain that has been described as squeezing, burning, tightness, pressure and/or heaviness Pain that’s generally slightly to the left side of the breastbone and can radiate to the lower jaw, neck, shoulder, back, arm, and hand Most people may not want to admit it, but they know when they are experiencing angina. After several episodes a pattern begins to develop, and a certain level of activity or stress will trigger an episode. But, it’s important to keep in mind that not all episodes of chest pain stem from poor circulation to the heart. As a general rule, if the pain lasts for less than 30 seconds, or if it goes away when you change positions, drink a glass of water, or take a deep breath, it isn’t angina. It could be acid reflux, a strained intercostal muscle, a misaligned or broken rib, lung infection, or inflammation of the connective tissue attaching the ribs to the sternum. But if you have any question at all about whether it’s a heart attack, you want to seek medical attention immediately. This is one case where every second counts, and risking a “false alarm” could absolutely save your life! If it turns out to be angina you want to heed the warning! It’s important to understand that an episode of angina itself isn’t a heart attack. The pain doesn’t mean there’s permanent, irreversible damage to the heart muscle. In fact, angina doesn’t normally damage the heart. But what’s important to understand is that angina is a very strong warning signal indicating that you must take steps to improve your cardiovascular system before the problem progresses to heart attack. If you experience angina before a heart attack or heart failure, consider it a blessing. Then, by all means, immediately start taking action to reverse the problem. Weight loss, a gradual increase in physical activity, a better diet, less stress, the elimination of sugar and refined carbohydrates in the diet, and a cessation of smoking will all help.  If you need more support, D-ribose (6 grams daily) has been shown to help stop exercise-induced angina, and creatine (5 grams daily) can help rebuild damaged heart muscle. Plus, for many people this single mineral can stop angina problems George Eby isn’t that well-known, but his work with zinc lozenges in treating the common cold has received a bit of publicity during the last 20-plus years. It’s truly unfortunate that more people don’t know about his work, because it could help millions. One incidental finding to Eby’s work revealed that short periods of high-dose zinc could completely stop severe angina problems in many individuals. While there’s a body of research going back as far as the 1960s showing the positive effects of zinc on angina, unfortunately there hasn’t been a lot of follow-up work to show exactly how zinc works. To be perfectly honest, I don’t know exactly how it works either. But what I have learned is that short periods of high-dosage zinc appear to have somewhat of a cleansing effect on arteries rather than simply increasing blood flow through dilation. This is definitely another case where more research would be helpful, but there never seems to be much interest in low-cost, do-it-yourself, therapies. How much zinc should you take? In a nutshell, the research suggests that 180 mg of zinc should be taken daily in divided doses (60 mg with each meal). The best forms of zinc are the ones that are more biologically available. These would include zinc gluconate, chloride, acetate, glycinate, histidinate, or sulfate. Zinc gluconate tablets are widely available online, and a complete course of action can cost less than $5. The high dose can be stopped as soon as the angina stops, which is generally within the first seven days. The maximum period for taking the high-dose zinc would be 14 days. And finally, to prevent any possible problems with copper depletion I recommend that you take 4 to 6 mg of copper chloride daily for 14 days prior to the high-dose zinc program. Hopefully, zinc therapy will be more widespread and accepted in the not-too-distant future. But maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part. Fortunately, you don’t need to wait. As George Eby was quick to point out, the benefits of using zinc therapy for treating angina and atherosclerosis have been discussed in the medical literature since the 1960s. The evidence is there. Until next time, Dr. David Williams Please let us know if you found this article helpful. 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