92 • HSI’s 13 Most Surprising Cures
- Galectin-3 is implicated in 30% of mild
to moderate heart failure - High levels of galectin-3 are a powerful indicator
of imminent death - Elevations are found in nearly 2/3 of patients hospitalized
for heart failure - High galectin-3 levels are linked with a mortality
rate as high as invasive cancers - It causes progressive loss of heart function, and
- Causes BOTH diastolic and systolic heart failure, and
- Causes changes to the structure of your heart
And this can all happen without you even knowing that something is wrong.
This essential protein can head down
a very dark and dangerous path
When everything’s in balance, healing proteins do their jobs: repair dam-
age, and move along. But sometimes, this particular protein takes a very wrong
turn, and sets your heart on a very destructive path.
Galectin-3, the protein in question here, has a very specific job. When
your body detects a problem—like injury, infection, or inflammation—it
sends the proper agents to solve that problem, in this case, galectin-3.
Galectin-3 activates fibroblasts, cells that come together to surround and
contain the problem, a process called fibrogenesis. Those fibroblasts create
fibrosis (similar to scarring). And under normal circumstances, the problem is
solved and the reaction is over.
But sometimes, galectin-3 goes haywire, and takes things much too far.Are you at risk?
What mobilizes galectin-3?
It can be something as dramatic as a heart attack, or something as silent and
unseen as high blood pressure damage. Any kind of tissue injury, large or small, that
calls for a wound-healing response can set off the cascade.
Bottom line: You could have undetected cardiac injury and runaway galectin-3
without any noticeable symptoms. So ask your doctor about getting tested... before
it’s too late.