Blood Viscosity and Metabolic Disease

BLOOD VISCOSITY AS A FACTOR IN ALL METABOLIC DISEASES

 

 

Blood is a wonderful and complex substance containing many chemical compounds to perform many functions.  It constantly changes and adapts to meet the body’s requirements.  Healthy blood varies in viscosity as it flows normally and becomes much “thinner” by the time it reaches the capillaries.  It can even change viscosity locally at a given point in order to pass through a constriction.

 

The viscosity of the blood is quickly increased by stress, and continuous stress will maintain the condition.  Severely affecting blood viscosity too is a diet containing fat, cholesterol, refined carbohydrates and excessive amounts of animal protein.  Removal of these foods from the diet enables the blood to clear in several days, but because most people consume these foods constantly, their blood is always polluted and viscous.

 

Since 1852 when Dr. A Coccius published data on microscope observations of agglutinated blood in living human patients, many other studies have been made but unfortunately their significance has not been appreciated.  Dr. Leopold Dintenfas of Sydney Hospital has studied blood viscosity for over 20 years and is just beginning to convince the medical profession that high blood viscosity is a disease factor.  Dr. Dintenfas is the Director of Hemorhology and Biorheology Department, University of Sydney.  He is the author of Blood Micro-rheology Viscosity Factors in Blood Flow, Ischemia and Thrombosis (1971 Butterworth Press), Rheology of Blood in Diagnostic and Preventive Medicine (1976 Butterworth Press), Hyperactivity and Hypertension and Blood Viscosity in Heart Disease and Cancer (1981 Pergamon Press) plus numerous medical papers published throughout the world.

 

There are many factors which individually affect the viscosity but it is sufficient to say that high blood viscosity invariably accompanies degenerative diseases.

 

Quoting Dr. Dintenfas:

 

“The high viscosity syndrome can contain one, two or more of these elements.  Capillary occlusion, stasis hypoxia, acidosis, necrosis and infarction are inevitable, although not necessarily irreversible steps in this process”.

 

“It would be worthwhile to note that osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are associated with an elevation of plasma viscosity (Houston et al 1949 – Gasen et al 1970) and an elevation of the degree of aggregation of red cells (Laine and Zilliacus 1950, Redioch et al 1970).  High blood viscosity always leads to a slow down of circulation and reduces oxygenation of tissues”.

 

“Wardle in 1967 suggested that it is the increased blood viscosity in the small digital arteries which is responsible for the common symptom of malignancy.  Red cell aggregation, platelet aggregation and hyper-coagulability can contribute to this syndrome.  Crenated red cells, raised fibrinogen, increased platelet stickiness, are all common features of malignancy”.

 

Dr. Melvin Knisely of the University of Chicago made an exhaustive study of the colour changes in the circulatory systems of dying frogs, monkeys and humans, and was able to predict the progression of diseases.  As death approached, the toxin-laden corpuscles were unable to pass through the capillaries.  Their progress was stopped and their oxygen content discharged.  As a sticky substance in the blood covered the dying cells, they formed into clusters which the doctor called ‘blood sludge’ – a condition common in fifty diseases.  Gradually, the blood flowed more slowly, and the tissues die of asphyxia.  ‘Understanding sludge’, Dr. Knisely says, ‘will make possible a new attack on a whole panorama of human diseases’.  Photomicrographs of the circulatory systems of frogs, monkeys and humans substantiated the theory.  An account of this remarkable discovery appeared in Life magazine 31^st May 1948.