"coronary heart disease occurs exactly for the same reason that clinical (early) scurvy does, a deficiency of vitamin C in the cells composing the artery wall."

"Humans, unlike animals, develop heart disease because their bodies cannot produce vitamin C.

"The average diet provides enough vitamin C to prevent scurvy, but not enough to guarantee stable artery walls."

"As a consequence of vitamin C deficiency, millions of tiny cracks and lesions develop in the artery walls."

"Subsequently, cholesterol, lipoproteins and other blood risk factors enter the damaged artery walls to repair these lesions."

Quotations by Dr. Matthias Rath

In the case of chronic vitamin deficiency, this repair process becomes continuous. Over the course of many years, atherosclerotic deposits develop. Deposits in the arteries of the heart eventually lead to heart attack; deposits in the arteries of the brain lead to stroke.

atherosclerosis is nature’s plaster cast for weak and cracked arterial walls that are chronically deficient in vitamin C and other essential nutrients. One of these nutrients is the amino acid lysine. Lysine is called an essential amino acid because, similar to vitamin C, it cannot be produced in the human body. Lysine, together with another amino acid, proline, is the main component of collagen. These two amino acids comprise about 25% of all amino acids in the collagen molecule. A deficiency of lysine and proline can also trigger blood vessel wall weakness and instability.

the most important function of vitamin C in preventing heart attacks and strokes is its ability to increase the production of collagen, elastin, and other reinforcement molecules in the body. This groundbreaking discovery in heart disease should be taught in every medical textbook and school and explains why other cardiovascular conditions, including heart failure, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure and circulatory problems in diabetes, occur in the case of long-term vitamin deficiencies.