The problem
18 million deaths annually worldwide are due to cardiovascular diseases (CVD); this renders CVD the most severe pandemic that we must face. This book aims to fill a gap in the literature on how flawed our approach is to prevent and treat CVD.
Our current practice which focuses on attacking only the cholesterol using statins is both shortsighted and ineffective. A different approach is suggested with this book, regarding personalised lifestyle and diet choices. Such an approach focuses on the chronic inflammation which causes the formation of thrombus in our arteries which is the first step to the onset of CVD.
The market gap
Today, we know that statins and omega-3 supplements do not lower the cardiovascular risk. Therefore, the is a clear market gap for a novel nutraceutical against CVD.
Our expertise
I am a food biochemist with an academic career since 1998 in the University of Leeds (UK), University of Athens (Greece) and University of Limerick (UL, Ireland).
I am an Associate Professor in UL ( Ioannis Zabetakis – University of Limerick )
Platelet aggregation in our arteries is the first biochemical step leading to the formation of thrombus causing eventually heart attack or stroke. Therefore, his research focuses on how food lipids can inhibit the aggregation of platelets.
Ioannis has been either the co-author or editor of ten scientific books so far (seven in Greek and three in English) and has published >115 scientific papers (Scopus index h=38) and he is also holding two patents on these topics.
Latest book
This book is his first monograph written in a lay-reader-friendly language.
I believe that the statin approach against cardiovascular diseases does not work. He is, therefore, an advocate of healthy and personalised lifestyle and diet choices that can reduce the cardiovascular risk. His philosophy is presented in this book.
Our approach
We have developed a novel extract, rick in polar lipids, from salmon fillets.
In Vitro Antithrombotic Properties of Salmon (Salmo salar) Phospholipids in a Novel Food-Grade Extract
We have performed two small-scale human trials (a postprandial and a dietary intervention, data are in house).
At the postprandial study, we have found that there is a positive impact against platelet activation, in relation to the strongest mediators of platelet aggregation.
Data on thrombin-induced platelet aggregation are shown above.
Contact details
Dr Ioannis (Yannis) Zabetakis
+353 85 80 42 783
Ioannis Zabetakis – University of Limerick