A New Approach To Hypertension Treatment by Raif Tawakol, M.D. (NAPSA)—According to thelatest findings from the Centers for so much that it would be impractical and possibly detrimental. However, there is one solution Disease Control (CDC), cardiovas- cular disease—an umbrella term that includes heart attacks, stroke, arrhythmia and several other conditions—is the leading cause of death in the United States. Of course, many things can contribute to the formation of cardiovascular disease, including genetics and countlesslifestyle choices. Whenall these factors are considered, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute reports that high blood pressure (or hypertension) stands out as the leading cause of cardiovascular disease. By association, it becomes clear that maintaining healthy blood pressure levels is key to living a healthy life and avoiding an untimely death. But the effects of high blood pressure can extend far beyond the obvious impacts on cardiovascular health—as anyone who has struggled with this condition can attest. Hypertension can cause a host of other complications, and has even been linked with kidney disease andfailure. This is not breaking news, of course. However, the fact remains that rates of high blood pressure— andits resultant conditions—continue to steadily increase despite efforts from the medical community to combat this problem. The startling truth, though, is that high blood pressure is not just increasing the risk of the aforementioned conditions: The nation is also facing an increased risk of death from these complications. In large part, there is strong evidence that the prevalence of fructose and “added sugars” in just about all processed foods has played a major role in this public health concern. Whatever the reason for these sobering trends, something needs to be done. And although there are many medications available that are absolutely effective, these interventions tend to be expensive—in addition to bringing with them many dangerous and unforeseen side effects. Doctors have a new wayto help people with high blood pressure. In light of this seemingly dismal situation, the concept of a natural, inexpensive solution to prevent and treat hypertension is something worth pursuing. According to over 20 high-quality, published studies, that solution might exist in a fairly unexpected source: milk. Morespecifically, two tripeptides, Valyl-Prolyl-Proline (VPP) and Isoleucyl-Prolyl-Proline (IPP), found in casein (the solid portion of milk that is separated to make cheese) have shown incredible promise when it comes to reducing and preventing hypertension. Theclinical evidence suggests that VPP and IPP, in proper doses, can block the effects of Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)—the enzymethat converts Angiotensin I to Angiotensin II, which causes the blood vessels to constrict. It is also important to note that VPP and IPP mayhelp prevent other cardiovascular events by mechanisms other than the inhibition ofACE, such as stimulating the production of nitric oxide (NO), as well as another vasodi- lation factor known as the Endothelium-Dependent Hyperpolarizing Factor (EDHF). Both NO and EDHF are producedbythecells of the inner wall in blood vessels—also known as the endothelium—thatact on relaxing the blood vessels. This mechanism could counteract the detrimental effect of fructose on theelasticity of blood vessels. Unfortunately, these compounds are not bioavailable in their natural state—meaning that your body hasdifficulty putting them to use. Additionally, an individual would have to consume incredible quantities of milk and dairy products in order to see any benefits— to this problem: a natural dietary supplement ingredient called AmealPeptide’, which utilizes a patented fermentation and enzymatic process to extract bioavailable forms of both VPP and IPP from milk. AmealPeptide’ provides these two highly useful compounds in concentrations that could not be achieved through dairy products alone. AmealPeptide’ is supported by over 25 double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials, on subjects with pre-hypertension or early stage hypertension. For example, oneclin- ical study on 72 subjects saw a significant decrease of systolic blood pressure after two weeksandeight weeksof intake, for 7.4+9.6 mmHg, and 12.4+10.9mmHgrespectively. The studies have administered the IPP and VPPineither tablet form or in various beverages. The greatest drop of systolic blood pressure recorded was 10.5+11.5mmHg. Becauseit is a natural product that is relatively inexpensive compared to many pharmaceuticals, and since it was granted the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status by the FDA, many medical professionals have turned to AmealPeptide for help in treating their hypertensive patients. AmealPeptide also stands out as a uniquely beneficial strategy because of its long-term potential. In-house clinical trials conducted by the author as well as established human safety studies have found that AmealPeptide’ is safe even after extended or high-dose use. Dr. Raif Tawakol is a cardiovascular surgeon with over 30 years of experience in the field of heart and lung surgery. He has a track record spanning Egypt, England and the U.S.A. Dr. Tawakol’s multitude of achievements include the invention of the first pulsatile heart lung machine and the original introduction of the intra-aortic balloon pump in California. He is currently practicing integrated cardiovascular medicine in Houston, TX.
