A heart transplant is a risky and expensive operation, often the last hope for patients with heart failure. However, a new study suggests that a simple supplement could help certain people recover without needing surgery.
Patients with heart failure need shutterstock photo transplant
Researchers at the University of Osaka have found that the tricaprin, a natural supplement, can improve the survival and recovery of patients suffering from cardiomyovasculopathy with triglyceride deposits (TGCV), a rare cardiac disease. The results of the study were published in the journal Nature Cardiovascular Research.
The tricaprin, the supplement with spectacular results
TGCV is a newly identified condition, caused by the body’s inability to break down triglycerides – a type of fat – in the cells of the heart and blood vessels. The accumulation of these fats affects the structure and function of the heart, which can lead to severe heart failure, sometimes requiring transplant, writes Medicalxpress.
Fortunately, the researchers have managed to identify methods of diagnosing the disease and a possible effective treatment. “Previous research on the effect of tricaprin on patients with TGCV was very promising, but this time we focused on the long-term effects of the supplement”Explains Professor Ken -chi Hirano, the main author of the study.
In order to test the effectiveness of the tricaprin, the research team analyzed the data of 22 patients from 12 hospitals in Japan who received the supplement and compared them with those of a control group of 190 patients. Of these, 81 were selected in such a way as to have characteristics similar to the treated group, for a correct comparison of survival rates.
The results were spectacular: “Not only that the symptoms of patients have improved, but the function of the heart has improved, and the existing structural changes have been reversed“Adds Professor Hirano.
An important chance of survival
The data show that, three and five years after the start of treatment, the survival rate among those who took the tricapr was 100%, compared to 78.6% and 68.1% in the control group. In addition, the supplement also had positive effects on patients on hemodialysis, a category that usually has a reserved prognosis.
Researchers discoveries offer new hope for patients with TGCV and underline the importance of early diagnosis of the disease. “Awareness of this condition and quick access to treatment gives patients the best chance of recovery“, Says Hirano.
The next step is to test the tricaprin by patients outside Japan, to confirm its efficiency among other populations. This study opens the way to a more accessible and less invasive treatment for a condition that so far often requires major surgery.
