What causes plaque buildup in the arteries?

I know you say that cholesterol isn’t responsible for hardening of the arteries, but if that’s not the cause, then what is?

A: This is a pretty hefty topic for a little Q&A-I could write a book on this subject. But I’ll try to hit on the main points here.

Questions like this one reflect just how deeply rooted the cholesterol theory of heart disease is. I can tell by the nasty looks I get (that’s right – I can feel them burrowing into my picture through the computer) that it’s going to take a while to break everyone – including today’s doctors – of this mindset.

But I’m doing my best to make inroads – one Douglass Report article, one Daily Dose article, one Q&A at a time.

So then, to your question, if cholesterol doesn’t cause heart disease, what does? The answer is homocysteine.

A Harvard researcher named Dr. Kilmer McCully discovered the relationship between homocysteine and arteriosclerosis way back in 1968. He was suspicious (rightly so) of the cholesterol theory of heart disease, and he wondered if it was possible that the fat and cholesterol deposits seen in arteriosclerotic arterial plaques were merely secondary accretions after homocysteine had already done the damage.

He did a study to see if homocysteine could be found in the blood of adults, and if the level of the chemical in the blood correlated with hardening of the arteries. Turns out he hit the nail on the head.

What more, not only did Dr. McCully discover the etiology of atherosclerotic disease-heart attacks and strokes-but he also defined the prevention of these killers. Taking just three low-cost, zero-risk nutrients would effectively wipe out atherosclerotic disease and enable the average citizen to live to 90 or 100 in good health.

Those three nutrients are folic acid, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), and vitamin B12. Folate is the most critical, but the others play an important role, too. Forget cholesterol and animal fat, McCully said-the whole thing was a hoax and a delusion.

In the U.S., the strongest over-the-counter folate tablet “allowed” by the FDA is 800 micrograms. Take at least 800 micrograms a day (and keep in mind that doses up to 5,000 micrograms-and more-are safe and will do you even more good.)

I take 5,000 to 15,000 micrograms a day.