Tomato pill, Ateronon, does wonders for the heart

It has been an established fact that Lycopene, the chemical that makes tomatoes red, puts a stop to the ‘furring up’ of arteries. Its health benefits have long been recognized, however, its use as a supplement has been hindered by complexities in getting the human body to absorb it.

The ingenious pill
Biotech firm Cambridge Theranostics solved the conundrum when its team was able to mix lycopene with milk and soya bean proteins in ideal proportions and develop the wonder pill named Ateronon.

Heart and stroke experts aver that the pill, to be unveiled at a British Cardiovascular Society Conference in London today, is “much more effective” than the statins taken by Britons.

TV doctor Rob Hicks said: “Ateronon can reduce the damage to the arteries, which is the damage that ends up causing heart attacks and stroke. It can potentially extend life and also possibly save lives on a global basis. The potential is enormous.”

The 7mg pill uses the fat-busting power of tomatoes and claims to have the ability to cut cholesterol levels in eight weeks. Since Ateronon is made of natural food ingredients, it does not draw a sanction from drugs watchdogs and can be sold over the counter by the chemists with immediate effect.

Peter Kirkpatrick, a British consultant neurovascular, who led the study of the pill, noted that the benefits of lycopene are evident in the Mediterranean diet. These people live longer on a tomato-rich diet, a clear evidence of the effectiveness of lycopene in stopping the cholesterol build-up.

Heart diseases in UK
Heart related diseases are the biggest killers in the UK. Close to 200,000 people die every year due to a heart attack, while another 275,000 suffer from it. Additionally, 150,000 people suffer from strokes. These strokes prove fatal for 67,000 people in the United Kingdom.