A desire to stop taking statins lead on a man to a discovery that has changed his life, and now he plans to change the lives of people across the UK

When local entrepreneur Stephen Mack came across a natural heart health product that reduces cholesterol in line with prescription medication, he had no idea he had hit upon a business that could improve the lives of millions of people around the globe.

Now, some 18 months on, Stephen is seeing this potential becoming a reality with his product, Perfect Vascular Natural now being hailed by cardiologists internationally as a breakthrough alternative to cholesterol-lowering drugs.

High cholesterol – a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) - is the main cause of death in the UK. Statins are currently the medical answer to reducing cholesterol. Yet, recent guidelines around heart health mean that 1 in 3 people over 40 are now being prescribed statin medication to reduce their cholesterol to safe limits. And the reality for many is that this comes with debilitating side-effects.

Local retired salesman, 70-year-old Malcolm Thomson, who lives just outside Newcastle, was prescribed statins three years ago due to high LDL. “I was facing the prospect of heart disease or early death and so when I was prescribed statins by my doctor, I took them without question," he says. When he started to experience aching limbs, nausea and fatigue, he had no idea it may have been linked to his medication.

“About a year ago, I read an article about statins and how they can affect you and there were my symptoms written in black and white. I came off them immediately and all of the problems I had had were gone in a matter of weeks. It was astonishing," he says.

However, Malcolm was faced with the reality that his cholesterol was likely going to go back up. “I was naturally concerned about my heart health once I wasn’t taking any medication and I knew I was entering back into the high risk zone for heart disease and stroke.”

A friend from the US mentioned Perfect Vascular Natural and said it was now available in the UK. Malcolm’s research discovered the product was being sold by a local company and he got in touch.

“The product sounded interesting and I felt I had nothing to lose so I decided to try it," he says. "In just a few weeks my cholesterol came down to the same level as when I had been on statins. I have been on the product now for a year and have experienced no side effects whatsoever. This is a great alternative to mainstream treatment. I feel well and have peace of mind for the first time in years.”

Endorsed by leading heart specialists, Perfect Vascular Natural is made up of three natural ingredients including red yeast rice, plant sterols and Co Q10. Multiple clinical trials of red yeast rice and plant sterols have shown to significantly reduce total cholesterol, LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides. And research has shown a link between cases of heart problems and associated deficiency of CoQ10.

US heart specialist Doctor Cuozzo, who has been using it in his clinic, said: “I have seen LDL reductions of approximately 30 per cent and triglyceride reductions ranging from small percentages to as much as 60 per cent reductions. The Vascular Natural All in One product helps lower cholesterol and triglycerides in patients who can't tolerate statins but are exposed to an increased risk of vascular disease in a safe and tolerable way.”

“This product can help millions of people worldwide who cannot or will not take statins," says Stephen. "We are in discussions with some international corporations in the pharmaceutical, drink and drug industries who have a global infrastructure and therefore the resource to make this available to the growing numbers of people who can’t or don’t want to take a drug for the rest of their lives. It is already changing lives, which is a great feeling.”

The product is set to undergo a full medical trial this year, which is being conducted by a leading UK Professor of Cardiology.

FACTS

• High cholesterol remains one of the biggest risk factors for Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD), which kills around 300,000 people each year or is responsible for 1 in 2 of all deaths. About half of all deaths from CVD are from Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) and about a quarter are from stroke.

• Around 2.3 million people are currently living with CHD in the UK.