Can supplements make plaques smaller or even disappear?

During the neurology consultation, a patient came with many bags. The patient was a 67-year-old woman. Last year, she was found to have carotid plaques during a physical examination. Through a friend's introduction, she met a micro-businessman who sells health products. Over the past year, she has taken a lot of health products intermittently. This year, the patient often feels dizzy and has numbness on one side of her limbs. Under the persuasion of her family, the patient came to the hospital for treatment. The imaging showed that the patient's carotid stenosis was deeper than last year, and the stenosis rate reached more than 70%. The patient had a high carotid stenosis rate and obvious clinical symptoms, so surgical treatment was recommended for the patient.

Drugs refer to natural or synthetic chemical substances that can prevent or treat diseases, and are targeted at people with diseases. Health products are just a kind of food, not a drug. They do not have therapeutic effects and are not intended to treat diseases. They only play a health and auxiliary role. The approval number of a drug is the 8-digit National Medicine Standard [letter]; the approval number of health food is the 4-digit National Food and Health Standard G year number for applications submitted for approval after July 2003. There is a sky blue, round "blue hat" logo on the packaging and/or label of health products, and the words "health food" will be clearly stated below this logo. In addition, the State Food and Drug Administration has not approved health products to be sold as drugs.

Nowadays, there are a lot of advertisements for health care products everywhere. Everyone should be vigilant and not believe those advertisements that claim to "cure all diseases". Health care products cannot cure diseases. Relying on them to do so will only delay the disease and even cause serious consequences.

The causes of arterial plaques mainly include two aspects: 1. Cholesterol. Cholesterol is the "raw material" of plaques. The more cholesterol there is, the larger the plaques will be, and the longer they will grow. 2. Damage to the vascular endothelium. Under normal circumstances, our blood vessels are smooth, complete and elastic. However, due to age, high blood pressure, high blood lipids, smoking and drinking, the vascular endothelium is damaged and incomplete. Cholesterol will take the opportunity to accumulate under the vascular endothelium, accumulating more and more, leading to the formation of plaques and continuous growth.

Therefore, if you find plaques during a physical examination, don't waste money on health supplements to eliminate them. The correct way to eliminate plaques:

1. Patients with underlying diseases such as the three highs should follow the doctor's advice, take medicine on time and control their condition.

2. Adhere to the Mediterranean diet, which is low in salt, oil and fat, eat more vegetables and fruits, eat more whole grains, and pay attention to sugar control.

3. Go outdoors more often and do some aerobic exercises, such as running, brisk walking, etc., to exercise your body, regulate your body and mind, and control your weight.

4. Quit smoking and drinking.