Health is determined by the function of millions of cells composing the human body. The most frequent cause of cellular malfunction is a chronic deficiency of essential nutrients in the form of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and trace elements.

The majority of the body’s proteins are composed of collagen, elastin, and other connective tissue components. Their production is regulated by vitamin C and the amino acids lysine and proline, which the body does not produce. Cellular Medicine identifies the optimum daily intake of these and other essential nutrients needed for health, and the application of this knowledge will reduce the incidence of heart disease, cancer, degenerative diseases and other serious health conditions.

Relevant Publications

Bone Health

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Other Research

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Rheumatoid arthritis 

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the synovium, or lining of the joints. Arthritis patients suffer from over production of synovial fluid which causes a painful swelling of the jointd and other symptoms such as stiffness, warmth, redness and swelling at the joints. In rheumatoid arthritis, the extracellular matrix or synovial membrane lining in the joint becomes inflamed. Over time, the inflammation process leads to the destruction of collagen and other components of the joint tissues, causing disability. In patients with this disease, connective tissue digesting enzymes, including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), are expressed in synovial membranes and their excessive secretion has been implicated in synovial tissue destruction.

Our studies indicated that selected micronutrients working in synergy are effective in inhibiting the secretion of MMPs by the synovial fibroblasts and in halting cellular invasion to surrounding tissues, thereby modulating tissue destruction. This suggests the beneficial potential of these nutrients in various aspects of rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis 

Osteoarthritis, on the other hand, is a disease of the cartilage in the joint, characterized by continuous breakdown of cartilage, causing damage to the tissue and underlying bone. Breakdown of the cartilage increases mechanical stress on the bones, causing pain. The underlying bone can thicken and in time the joint can even become malformed, restricting movement. 

Current thinking is that these changes are due to up-regulation of cartilage (chondrocytes) mediated secretion of MMPs, which in turn leads to progressive breakdown of cartilage.

Studies carried out our institute have shown that micronutrients are very effective in inhibiting the secretion of MMPs in human chondrocytes and in preventing their ability to invade surrounding collagen matrix.  These nutrients can be beneficial in osteoarthritis and other conditions related to excessive cartilage degradation.

Infectious diseases pose a severe health threat for all nations, especially in economically challenged countries. Emerging infectious diseases such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, and the earlier bird flu or swine flu are posing an impending global threat.

Conventional treatments of infectious diseases based on expensive pharmaceutical drugs have limited efficacy and are often associated with serious side effects.

People are constantly exposed to infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, and other foreign invaders, however only some get sick. It has been established that susceptibility to infections is affected by nutrition status and a healthy lifestyle. It is well known that the function of immune system, such as production of white blood cells and antibodies, requires a variety of micronutrients including vitamin C, the B vitamins, selenium, zinc, and many others. These and other natural compounds can also affect infectious agents directly impairing their metabolism and spread in the body. However, micronutrient requirements are largely ignored in preventive and therapeutic aspects of infections despite their representing a safe and cost-effective approach especially, where nutrient abnormalities or malnutrition are underlying causes.

Cellular medicine research has demonstrated the power and potency of natural compounds in blocking the multiplication and spread of infectious agents linked to the most recent SARS -CoV-2 infections the cause of COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other viral infections including human influenza, bird flu, and AIDS. Our studies, including clinical research, also document the efficacy of micronutrients against bacterial infections such as Lyme disease (Borreliosis), tuberculosis, and Streptococcus infections associated with gum and dental problems.

Here, we summarize the important findings from our research on novel micronutrient-based approaches effective in the natural control of infectious diseases and supporting immune system function.

Why Cholesterol Is Not the Cause of Heart Disease

Dr. Rath’s discovery of the vitamin C-scurvy-heart disease connection and our latest research shed new light on the role of cholesterol in heart disease.

LpaLDLHigh blood cholesterol can lead to cardiovascular deposits only when combined with the loss of the integrity and functional weakness of the blood vessel walls. Weakened arterial wall structure triggers the need for its biological repair. The most common cause of vascular wall dysfunction and an increase in vascular endothelial gaps allowing for infiltration of large biological molecules (Lp(a) and LDL) is a long-term deficiency of vitamin C and other micronutrients (vitamin B6, Copper, Lysine, etc.). These micronutrient deficiencies can lead to insufficient production or impaired structure of collagen, the protein which forms the basic structure of blood vessels. Such structural weakness is first manifested in the blood vessel wall areas exposed to highest mechanical stress, such as the coronary arteries. In this situation, vascular deposition of blood lipoproteins, in particular Lipoprotein(a), works like a biological “plaster” reinforcing factor.

According to this new understanding, high blood cholesterol is a “consequence” of, not the “cause” of, heart disease.

This concept also answers why heart attacks are the leading cause of death in humans, but are an exception in the animal world. All animals, with only a few exceptions, produce large quantities of vitamin C in their bodies (2-20 grams/day) to support optimum collagen production necessary for maintaining healthy and elastic blood vessels. A high level of endogenous vitamin C production protects animal arteries from damage and development of atherosclerotic deposits. This is why animals do not die of heart attacks, even if some, such as bears, have very high blood cholesterol levels (600 mg/dl). In contrast, humans lost the ability of vitamin C production, and its daily dietary intake is often insufficient to assure optimum vascular health. For humans, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin C is 60-80 mg/day.

A summary of Dr. Rath’s groundbreaking discovery is outlined in a PDF Cholesteral discovery, and it is also presented in his popular book Why Animals Don’t Get Heart Attacks, But People Do!

Cardiovascular Research at the Dr. Rath Research Institute

Our research in the area of cardiovascular disease focuses on the health-beneficial effects of vitamins and essential nutrients in various aspects of cardiovascular disease, its initiation, and stepwise progression.

Our researchers developed a new mouse model (GULO-/-;Lp(a)+) which has two characteristics of human metabolism: the expression of Lipoprotein(a) and the lack of endogenous vitamin C (ascorbate) production. We showed that dietary deficiency of vitamin C resulted in increased serum levels of Lp(a). Moreover, chronic suboptimal intake of vitamin C and its complete depletion (scurvy) leads to Lp(a) accumulation in the vascular wall and parallels atherosclerotic lesion development. Our results confirm that dietary vitamin C deficiency is a risk factor for atherosclerosis independent of dietary lipids. Our scientific work supports the concept that Lp(a) functions as a mobile repair molecule compensating for the structural impairment of the vascular wall, a morphological hallmark of hypoascorbemia and scurvy.

Among other projects, we have been investigating the role of nutrients in controlling abnormal migration and the growth of smooth muscle cells in the arterial wall, a hallmark of atheroma development and growth. We are also studying how nutrient synergy can be applied to curb inflammation leading to arterial wall cell damage and blood leukocyte recruitment. We have shown that nutrient synergy is more effective than individual antioxidants in decreasing oxidative stress associated with endothelial and smooth muscle cell damage, and lipid and lipoprotein oxidation and their intra-arterial wall accumulation.

A significant part of our efforts have been concentrated on applying nutrient synergy in controlling pathological aspects of the remodeling of the extracellular matrix in the arterial wall. Such pathology leads to lost integrity and weakening of arterial wall structure, impaired arterial contractility, lipoprotein retention and oxidation, pathological behavior of arterial wall resident cells, increased plaque instability and the risk of its rupture.

Our other research areas include the aspects of sex hormone imbalance in the development of cardiovascular disease, as well as the cardiovascular aspects of impaired glucose metabolism (diabetes mellitus). Our research findings have contributed to a better understanding of nutrient synergy in controlling uterine smooth muscle tissue contractility (important in preventing miscarriage) and in autoimmune mechanism-mediated impairment of bronchial smooth muscle tissue contractility (asthma).

Studies in Heart Disease

Publications in Heart disease