John Parsons ·
from Dr jack Kruse (paraphrased by me):
How does low cholesterol make your brain soft?
The most important role of cholesterol in humans is its unique ability to allow freedom of movement to ions in cell membranes because of its chemical composition. It has both a lipid and polar component that allow it to have diversity of chemical benefits in animal cells.
This allows the molecule of cholesterol to have both fat and water soluble abilities in our bodies. This allows for the formation of” lipid rafts” in tissue that allow for ion transfers. In fact, insulin is taken up into muscle cells because of the presence of these cholesterol lipid rafts in the membranes!
Plants contain no cholesterol at all. Moreover, all of our hormones in the human body are also made form cholesterol. Hormones are the manner in which the brain is able to control the 20 trillion cells in our body. Its importance cannot be more apparent.
Our liver is designed to make the LDL our brains need to thrive....
It has never made any sense to me why cardiologists do not exam the brain data closely about longevity because it is clear higher LDL levels are protective of life and don’t confer a shortened lifespan even from heart disease. It also follows, with this evidence why higher cancer rates are associated with LOWER cholesterol levels.
Cancer is a disease of cellular stress hence it is associated with lower cholesterol levels. This result has been found in numerous studies in the literature as well...
Here I have laid out two biochemical reasons why a ketogenic diet ( high in protein and fats, low in carbs) works in our brains to increase cognition. It also makes sense why in neurodegeneration we see brains starved of cholesterol and DHA levels.
The ketogenic diet is the best and most ideal way to restore both of these key fats to the brain in this time of stress to increase cognition.
The bottom line is as you age, the evidence is accumulating, that you should be eating a more ketogenic diet with a liberal amount of saturated fat in MCT (coconut oil and pastured butter) and one that supports a substantial production of LDL from your liver via your diet…that is also devoid of glycosylation from carbohydrates.
This describes the ancestral paleolithic diet well. It is a version of the ketogenic diet. If one has a formal neurologic condition a more stringent version of the paleo diet should be entertained. But if you are interesting in optimizing for longevity as you age a ketogenic diet confers huge advantages. If you are overweight and wish to shred weight this option is an excellent choice. As always, discuss this with your doctor before deciding what to do.
I recommend the book “The Paleo Solution” to my patients as a resource to get them started on what the paleolithic diet means.
So how should we consider eating as we age when neolithic diseases (eg Alzeimers) increase in incidence and prevalence?
1. First, eat fats (MCT and saturated fats, PUFA’s last to decrease inflammation) then consider moderate protein (controls mTOR pathway) and then low carbs (to decrease inflammation and glycation)
2……and those macro’s should increase as one ages for health and longevity to keep your hormones in the best balance they can be. Remember every single hormone we have are made from cholesterol!!!! If you go into aging with hormonal imbalance due to a bad diet, you will age much faster. If you eat a SAD you will age and die much faster of neolithic diseases....
4. I completely reject the lipid hypothesis as it currently stands. I think this blog makes you understand why. You may want to consider throwing your statin Rx away at some point. The data on statins for people over the age of 60 without any risk factors says no one should be on a statin based upon the data. Only those people who listen to the opinions of cholesterol panelists that have ties to big pharma will tell you its a good thing to do.
The older you get the more LDL your brain needs and the less carbohydrate it needs
.
CITES:
1. http://jcs.biologists.org/content/123/4/595.full.pdf (Tong et al. 2009)
2. http://bms.ucsf.edu/sites/ucsf-bms.ixm.ca/files/varoninjillian_04072011.pdf
3. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-4159.2010.06768.x/pdf (cholesterol deficiency decrease synapse vesicle recycling)
4. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550413110003980
5. http://www.pnas.org/content/107/17/7927.full.pdf
Showing posts with label statins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label statins. Show all posts
Friday, 21 September 2012
Friday, 6 April 2012
“Cholesterol lowering statin drugs increase your risk for heart attacks.”
This from famous exercise trainer Brian Copeland:
“Cholesterol lowering statin drugs increase your risk for heart attacks.”
Says the American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs. They released a report with over 900 clinical studies proving that statins not only increase your risk for heart attacks but cause neurological damage, muscle and bone loss, loss of equilibrium and balance and cognitive and memory loss.
Statin drugs do indeed eliminate cholesterol from the body... but guess what your brain and nerves are made of? ... that's right, cholesterol. In fact your brain is a huge hunk of cholesterol. Nerves are wrapped in a sheeth called myelin which acts as insulation for nerve fibers. Myelin is cholesterol. The more myelin, the faster nerve impulses travel, the less myelin the slower they travel.
Now think about the impact on your brain power! You want more myelin.
When Einstein died they disected his brain hoping to find the answers to his genius... guess what they found... lots and lots of myelin a.k.a. cholesterol.
The last thing you want to do is decrease cholesterol.
As cholesterol levels drop your body's ability to repair and rebuild nerves decreases as well. This is why peripheral neropathy is a common symptom of people on statins. Peripheral neuropathy is a condition where your nerves die, usually starting in the feet and hands and working their way closer to the core. This is what happens in extreme cases of diabetes.
Bottom line, protect your cholesterol don't destroy it!
“Cholesterol lowering statin drugs increase your risk for heart attacks.”
Says the American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs. They released a report with over 900 clinical studies proving that statins not only increase your risk for heart attacks but cause neurological damage, muscle and bone loss, loss of equilibrium and balance and cognitive and memory loss.
Statin drugs do indeed eliminate cholesterol from the body... but guess what your brain and nerves are made of? ... that's right, cholesterol. In fact your brain is a huge hunk of cholesterol. Nerves are wrapped in a sheeth called myelin which acts as insulation for nerve fibers. Myelin is cholesterol. The more myelin, the faster nerve impulses travel, the less myelin the slower they travel.
Now think about the impact on your brain power! You want more myelin.
When Einstein died they disected his brain hoping to find the answers to his genius... guess what they found... lots and lots of myelin a.k.a. cholesterol.
The last thing you want to do is decrease cholesterol.
As cholesterol levels drop your body's ability to repair and rebuild nerves decreases as well. This is why peripheral neropathy is a common symptom of people on statins. Peripheral neuropathy is a condition where your nerves die, usually starting in the feet and hands and working their way closer to the core. This is what happens in extreme cases of diabetes.
Bottom line, protect your cholesterol don't destroy it!
Saturday, 14 August 2010
statins for children!
just got this from Dr Sears MD :
Dear john,
As a doctor, I'm outraged. As a father
I'm even more outraged
For years, doctors have been handing out statin drugs to any
patient with high cholesterol. But they're the most dangerous drugs a doctor can prescribe. They've been linked to fatigue, heart problems,
and even death.
They rob every single person who takes even one pill of energy.
And if you take one for long enough, you're going to feel very tired
and very old.
Now the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is pushing this
poison to a new group.
I'm talking about children. Some as young as 8 years old!
AAP guidelines have just recommended cholesterol screenings for
high-risk children ages two and up. And statin therapy for kids as young as
eight with LDLs over 190mg/dl.1
Now, some are calling for even more aggressive screening measures
to find kids in need of these drugs. All to ensure that
pharmaceutical companies will keep making billions for years to
come.
Consider this: Pediatrics published a new
study a couple weeks ago. Researchers screened all fifth graders in West
Virginia public schools, including 5,798 who wouldn't have met cholesterol
screening guidelines. They found 268 children with cholesterol high enough
to be treated with drugs.2
It frightens me to even think about the
implications
Entire generations getting hooked on drugs with dangerous side
effects. Ones that include:
Muscle pain
Liver damage
Nausea
Lowered mental performance
Chronic fatigue
Cardiomyopathy (deterioration of your heart's function)
Depletion of CoQ10 in the heart (which can cause congestive heart
failure)
Whats more, this could open up the floodgates for
pharmaceutical companies to promote their use in kids. Come to think of it,
thats already happening. I just read that Pfizer introduced a sweet
and tasty gummy-likeversion of Lipitor. I'm sure
it'll boost sales before their patent runs out next year.
The lesson here is, Just say NO to statins.
You cant trust them - or the folks telling you to take
them.
If a child came to my office with high cholesterol, I would tell
him to exercise in short bursts of high intensity for at least 12 minutes a
day, cut carbs, and eat foods that are rich in omega-3s, like salmon, flax
seeds, and walnuts.
For most children, this would solve the problem within six weeks.
Why? Because childrens bodies heal themselves quickly.
And yours will, too IF you treat it right.
Heres what I recommend for driving down LDLs:
Eat fish: They're loaded with omega-3s. And
theyre just as good at reducing the risk of heart-attack deaths as
statins. In fact for some, they can be even better. In a recent
study, omega-3s - not statins - cut hospitalizations and death
rates of heart patients.3,4
Wild-caught salmon is best. It doesn't have all the
pollutants found in farm-raised fish. Or you can supplement. I recommend
anywhere from 700 to 2,000 mg per day.
Take sustained release niacin (vitamin B3):
It&'s been found to increase HDL cholesterol by 20% to 35%.5 But don’t
exceed 500 mg a day.
PACE yourself: Quick, simple, high-intensity exercise
– like my 10- to 20-minute PACE workouts – is the most
effective way to increase your HDL levels.
Avoid grains and sugars: 99% of the time, this alone can
help regulate cholesterol.
To Your
Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
Dear john,
As a doctor, I'm outraged. As a father
I'm even more outraged
For years, doctors have been handing out statin drugs to any
patient with high cholesterol. But they're the most dangerous drugs a doctor can prescribe. They've been linked to fatigue, heart problems,
and even death.
They rob every single person who takes even one pill of energy.
And if you take one for long enough, you're going to feel very tired
and very old.
Now the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is pushing this
poison to a new group.
I'm talking about children. Some as young as 8 years old!
AAP guidelines have just recommended cholesterol screenings for
high-risk children ages two and up. And statin therapy for kids as young as
eight with LDLs over 190mg/dl.1
Now, some are calling for even more aggressive screening measures
to find kids in need of these drugs. All to ensure that
pharmaceutical companies will keep making billions for years to
come.
Consider this: Pediatrics published a new
study a couple weeks ago. Researchers screened all fifth graders in West
Virginia public schools, including 5,798 who wouldn't have met cholesterol
screening guidelines. They found 268 children with cholesterol high enough
to be treated with drugs.2
It frightens me to even think about the
implications
Entire generations getting hooked on drugs with dangerous side
effects. Ones that include:
Muscle pain
Liver damage
Nausea
Lowered mental performance
Chronic fatigue
Cardiomyopathy (deterioration of your heart's function)
Depletion of CoQ10 in the heart (which can cause congestive heart
failure)
Whats more, this could open up the floodgates for
pharmaceutical companies to promote their use in kids. Come to think of it,
thats already happening. I just read that Pfizer introduced a sweet
and tasty gummy-likeversion of Lipitor. I'm sure
it'll boost sales before their patent runs out next year.
The lesson here is, Just say NO to statins.
You cant trust them - or the folks telling you to take
them.
If a child came to my office with high cholesterol, I would tell
him to exercise in short bursts of high intensity for at least 12 minutes a
day, cut carbs, and eat foods that are rich in omega-3s, like salmon, flax
seeds, and walnuts.
For most children, this would solve the problem within six weeks.
Why? Because childrens bodies heal themselves quickly.
And yours will, too IF you treat it right.
Heres what I recommend for driving down LDLs:
Eat fish: They're loaded with omega-3s. And
theyre just as good at reducing the risk of heart-attack deaths as
statins. In fact for some, they can be even better. In a recent
study, omega-3s - not statins - cut hospitalizations and death
rates of heart patients.3,4
Wild-caught salmon is best. It doesn't have all the
pollutants found in farm-raised fish. Or you can supplement. I recommend
anywhere from 700 to 2,000 mg per day.
Take sustained release niacin (vitamin B3):
It&'s been found to increase HDL cholesterol by 20% to 35%.5 But don’t
exceed 500 mg a day.
PACE yourself: Quick, simple, high-intensity exercise
– like my 10- to 20-minute PACE workouts – is the most
effective way to increase your HDL levels.
Avoid grains and sugars: 99% of the time, this alone can
help regulate cholesterol.
To Your
Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
Sunday, 2 May 2010
are cholesterol drugs dangerous?
Cholesterol Drugs (Statins) Under Fire as Ineffective and Possibly Dangerous
Several articles call into question the safety and effectiveness of the group of drugs designed to lower cholesterol known as Statins. Statin drugs are a class of drugs that that are supposed to lower cholesterol levels by blocking enzymes that are essential to cholesterol production. Among the statin drugs are: Lipitor (atorvastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin), Zocor (simvastatin), Mevacor (lovastatin), Lescol (fluvastatin), Baycol (Cerivastatin) (This drug has been recalled).
vv
From the Canadian publication First Word, the September 9, 2003 issue starts off by saying, "A group of Canadian researchers from the University of British Columbia warns that statins may do as much harm as good." Dr. Jim Wright, said that there appears to be almost no preventive benefit. The data showed that there was a 1.4 percent reduction in the risk of heart attack and stroke over a three- to five-year period, a news source reports. This would translate, Wright said, into a doctor having to treat 71 patients until one benefits. Side effects of the statins were the main concern among the Canadian researchers. These side effects can include, Fever, Muscle Cramps, Stomach Pain, Fatigue, Constipation, Diarrhea, Dizziness, Gas, Skin rash, Nausea.
On the heals of the Canadian study a British study reported on October 5, 2003 in the British Reuters, that states, "Half of British heart disease patients failed to get their cholesterol down to recommended levels after taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs." Dr. Adrian Brady, consultant cardiologist at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, told a meeting of the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society in Dublin that only 48 percent of 14,000 patients evaluated in a UK study reached national cholesterol goals. One of these drugs, Lipitor, produced by Pfizer Inc's, is now the world's top-selling medicine with annual sales of $8 billion.
Several articles call into question the safety and effectiveness of the group of drugs designed to lower cholesterol known as Statins. Statin drugs are a class of drugs that that are supposed to lower cholesterol levels by blocking enzymes that are essential to cholesterol production. Among the statin drugs are: Lipitor (atorvastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin), Zocor (simvastatin), Mevacor (lovastatin), Lescol (fluvastatin), Baycol (Cerivastatin) (This drug has been recalled).
vv
From the Canadian publication First Word, the September 9, 2003 issue starts off by saying, "A group of Canadian researchers from the University of British Columbia warns that statins may do as much harm as good." Dr. Jim Wright, said that there appears to be almost no preventive benefit. The data showed that there was a 1.4 percent reduction in the risk of heart attack and stroke over a three- to five-year period, a news source reports. This would translate, Wright said, into a doctor having to treat 71 patients until one benefits. Side effects of the statins were the main concern among the Canadian researchers. These side effects can include, Fever, Muscle Cramps, Stomach Pain, Fatigue, Constipation, Diarrhea, Dizziness, Gas, Skin rash, Nausea.
On the heals of the Canadian study a British study reported on October 5, 2003 in the British Reuters, that states, "Half of British heart disease patients failed to get their cholesterol down to recommended levels after taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs." Dr. Adrian Brady, consultant cardiologist at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, told a meeting of the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society in Dublin that only 48 percent of 14,000 patients evaluated in a UK study reached national cholesterol goals. One of these drugs, Lipitor, produced by Pfizer Inc's, is now the world's top-selling medicine with annual sales of $8 billion.
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
does taking statins cause alzheimers? - i cant remember
from Tom Naughton at the 'fat head' blog:
"Researchers are only recently discovering that both fat and cholesterol are severely deficient in the Alzheimer’s brain. It turns out that fat and cholesterol are both vital nutrients in the brain. The brain contains only 2% of the body’s mass, but 25% of the total cholesterol. Cholesterol is essential both in transmitting nerve signals and in fighting off infections.
High cholesterol is positively correlated with longevity in people over 85 years old, and has been shown to be associated with better memory function and reduced dementia. The converse is also true: a correlation between falling cholesterol levels and Alzheimer’s.
Put yourself on Lipitor, and we can pretty much guarantee that your cholesterol will fall. That’s the supposed benefit. But …
Yeon-Kyun Shin is an expert on the physical mechanism of cholesterol in the synapse to promote transmission of neural messages. In an interview by a Science Daily reporter, Shin said: “If you deprive cholesterol from the brain, then you directly affect the machinery that triggers the release of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters affect the data-processing and memory functions. In other words — how smart you are and how well you remember things.”
A second way (besides their direct impact on cholesterol) in which statins likely impact Alzheimer’s is in their indirect negative effect on the supply of fatty acids and antioxidants to the brain. It is a given that statins drastically reduce the level of LDL in the blood serum. This is their claim to fame. It is interesting, however, that they succeed in reducing not just the amount of cholesterol contained in the LDL particles, but rather the actual number of LDL particles altogether. This means that, in addition to depleting cholesterol, they reduce the available supply to the brain of both fatty acids and antixodiants, which are also carried in the LDL particles. As we’ve seen, all three of these substances are essential to proper brain functioning.
The bottom line: your body makes cholesterol for a reason. Beat down your cholesterol with a drug, and you’re messing with your biochemistry at the cellular level. Not a good idea."
"Researchers are only recently discovering that both fat and cholesterol are severely deficient in the Alzheimer’s brain. It turns out that fat and cholesterol are both vital nutrients in the brain. The brain contains only 2% of the body’s mass, but 25% of the total cholesterol. Cholesterol is essential both in transmitting nerve signals and in fighting off infections.
High cholesterol is positively correlated with longevity in people over 85 years old, and has been shown to be associated with better memory function and reduced dementia. The converse is also true: a correlation between falling cholesterol levels and Alzheimer’s.
Put yourself on Lipitor, and we can pretty much guarantee that your cholesterol will fall. That’s the supposed benefit. But …
Yeon-Kyun Shin is an expert on the physical mechanism of cholesterol in the synapse to promote transmission of neural messages. In an interview by a Science Daily reporter, Shin said: “If you deprive cholesterol from the brain, then you directly affect the machinery that triggers the release of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters affect the data-processing and memory functions. In other words — how smart you are and how well you remember things.”
A second way (besides their direct impact on cholesterol) in which statins likely impact Alzheimer’s is in their indirect negative effect on the supply of fatty acids and antioxidants to the brain. It is a given that statins drastically reduce the level of LDL in the blood serum. This is their claim to fame. It is interesting, however, that they succeed in reducing not just the amount of cholesterol contained in the LDL particles, but rather the actual number of LDL particles altogether. This means that, in addition to depleting cholesterol, they reduce the available supply to the brain of both fatty acids and antixodiants, which are also carried in the LDL particles. As we’ve seen, all three of these substances are essential to proper brain functioning.
The bottom line: your body makes cholesterol for a reason. Beat down your cholesterol with a drug, and you’re messing with your biochemistry at the cellular level. Not a good idea."
Thursday, 26 March 2009
experience on statins
"I was a competitive runner with a number of sub 3 hour marathons under my belt before I was prescribed statins for elevated cholesterol 2 years ago. The first go round was 40mg zocor but muscle soreness and loss of strength started within 2 months. Switched to NIASPAN but couldn't tolerate it. The last 7 months have been on 10mg of Lipitor and now have intense pain in my legs, soreness in my wrist and thumb and swollen feet. I can still run but much less than before and much slower. I regularly go to the gym but have seen a steady decrease in the amount of weight I am able to lift. I have a blood test in a couple of days and will be looking for myalgia again. I have discontinued the statin and don't plan to start again. I was healthier before the DR decided to "help" me with my cholesterol problem."
-- By runinva
-- By runinva
Sunday, 23 November 2008
statins
An interesting comment from Dr Paul Sherwood (author of The Back and Beyond - a very good book):
"A number of people feel positively miserable on Statins...If your cholesterol is a bit up and it is decided it is essential for you to have a Statin it is worth asking your doctor “are my arteries healthy?” This can be determined by a non-invasive scan of your arteries. If they are in good order, then why protect them? "
"A number of people feel positively miserable on Statins...If your cholesterol is a bit up and it is decided it is essential for you to have a Statin it is worth asking your doctor “are my arteries healthy?” This can be determined by a non-invasive scan of your arteries. If they are in good order, then why protect them? "
Sunday, 10 August 2008
Muscle Weakness From Statins
Muscle weakness from statins can be a sign of a serious side effect, and should be brought to the attention of your doctor right away. In fact, due to severe muscle breakdown and even deaths, a popular statin called Baycol was recalled several years ago.
Muscle weakness is one of the most documented side effects from long term use of statin medications, and this could lead to total muscle cell breakdown, called rhabdomyolysis, which could cause kidney failure and in some cases, death.
What are some of the other statin side effects?
In addition to muscle weakness from using statins, side effects from long term use of statin drugs may include severe liver problems due to the medication's effect on liver enzymes. Therefore, anyone with liver disease or prior liver issues probably should not take Lipitor, Zetia, Zocor and other cholesterol drugs... all of the manufacturers actually warn against it.
Research has shown that statins can also cause sexual dysfunction and performance problems, as well as memory loss, personality changes and irritability, and statins decrease your body's supply of CoEnzyme Q10 (CoQ10), an essential nutrient for cardivascular strength and function.
There are natural cholesterol lowering ingredients, some of which have been shown to outperform statins in lowering cholesterol, without the possible muscle damage. (see posting on high vegetable diet reducing cholesterol).
Muscle weakness is one of the most documented side effects from long term use of statin medications, and this could lead to total muscle cell breakdown, called rhabdomyolysis, which could cause kidney failure and in some cases, death.
What are some of the other statin side effects?
In addition to muscle weakness from using statins, side effects from long term use of statin drugs may include severe liver problems due to the medication's effect on liver enzymes. Therefore, anyone with liver disease or prior liver issues probably should not take Lipitor, Zetia, Zocor and other cholesterol drugs... all of the manufacturers actually warn against it.
Research has shown that statins can also cause sexual dysfunction and performance problems, as well as memory loss, personality changes and irritability, and statins decrease your body's supply of CoEnzyme Q10 (CoQ10), an essential nutrient for cardivascular strength and function.
There are natural cholesterol lowering ingredients, some of which have been shown to outperform statins in lowering cholesterol, without the possible muscle damage. (see posting on high vegetable diet reducing cholesterol).
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
forget statins eat up your veg !
A new study confirms that eating plenty of fiber and vegetables lowers cholesterol just as much as statin drugs -- and without the side effects!
From Reuters:
A diet rich in fibre and vegetables lowered cholesterol just as much as taking a statin drug, Canadian researchers reported Monday.
They says people who cannot tolerate the statin drugs because of side-effects can turn to the diet, which their volunteers could easily follow.
David Jenkins of St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto and colleagues created what they called a diet "portfolio" high in soy protein, almonds, and cereal fibre as well as plant sterols — tree-based compounds used in cholesterol-lowering margarines, salad dressing and other products.
They tested their diet on 34 overweight men and women, comparing it with a low-fat diet and with a normal diet plus a generic statin drug, lovastatin.
Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Jenkins and colleagues said the low-fat diet lowered LDL — the low-density lipoprotein or "bad" cholesterol — by 8.5 per cent after a month. Statins lowered LDL by 33 per cent and the "portfolio" diet lowered LDL by nearly 30 per cent.
The portfolio was rich in soy milk, soy burgers, almonds, oats, barley, psyllium seeds, okra and eggplant. The Almond Board of California helped fund the study, as did several food makers and the Canadian Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
From Reuters:
A diet rich in fibre and vegetables lowered cholesterol just as much as taking a statin drug, Canadian researchers reported Monday.
They says people who cannot tolerate the statin drugs because of side-effects can turn to the diet, which their volunteers could easily follow.
David Jenkins of St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto and colleagues created what they called a diet "portfolio" high in soy protein, almonds, and cereal fibre as well as plant sterols — tree-based compounds used in cholesterol-lowering margarines, salad dressing and other products.
They tested their diet on 34 overweight men and women, comparing it with a low-fat diet and with a normal diet plus a generic statin drug, lovastatin.
Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Jenkins and colleagues said the low-fat diet lowered LDL — the low-density lipoprotein or "bad" cholesterol — by 8.5 per cent after a month. Statins lowered LDL by 33 per cent and the "portfolio" diet lowered LDL by nearly 30 per cent.
The portfolio was rich in soy milk, soy burgers, almonds, oats, barley, psyllium seeds, okra and eggplant. The Almond Board of California helped fund the study, as did several food makers and the Canadian Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
statins, cholesterol, etc, etc.
More from Dr Al Sears MD : "Bombshell #1:
Statin Drugs Weaken Your Heart: Cholesterol-lowering
drugs rob your heart of the very nutrient that could save it. CoQ10
supplies your heart with the energy it needs. Without it, your heart
literally starves. And guess what? Statin drugs destroy your
supply of this life-giving enzyme.
Bombshell #2:
Low Cholesterol Kills Your Sex Drive: Your doctor ; and
all those TV commercials ; tell you to get your cholesterol
lower. But cholesterol is essential for life and health. When your
cholesterol is too low, your body can't make sex hormones. Aside
from causing other health problems, it has disastrous effects in
the bedroom."
Statin Drugs Weaken Your Heart: Cholesterol-lowering
drugs rob your heart of the very nutrient that could save it. CoQ10
supplies your heart with the energy it needs. Without it, your heart
literally starves. And guess what? Statin drugs destroy your
supply of this life-giving enzyme.
Bombshell #2:
Low Cholesterol Kills Your Sex Drive: Your doctor ; and
all those TV commercials ; tell you to get your cholesterol
lower. But cholesterol is essential for life and health. When your
cholesterol is too low, your body can't make sex hormones. Aside
from causing other health problems, it has disastrous effects in
the bedroom."
tim russert - heart attack
just got this interesting email from Dr Al Sears MD :
"Why do you think Tim
Russert died of a massive heart attack last month? Maybe it could have
been avoided...today I'll lay out what I know and let you
decide.
Russert was only 58.
He wasn't doing anything strenuous at the time;in fact,
hed just gotten back from a family vacation and passed away at
NBCs studios. He was under the care of a good doctor. He was
taking all his medications and doing everything his doctor told him to
do.
None of it saved
him. This sad news made me;and many of my patients and
readers;wonder what went wrong.
I have a few
ideas:
Heres one:
heart drugs don't work. I don't know all the medications
he was taking, but I do know one of them was a statin drug, probably
Lipitor or Zocor. (Russert's doctor reported this without naming
the specific drug.)
Statins drive down
CoQ10 to dangerously low levels. You know that CoQ10 is the vital
engine that fuels almost every cell in your body and powers all your
major organs;especially your heart.
Starve it of CoQ10,
and youre on the fast track to a heart attack. And it’s
not like the potentially fatal effect of statins on CoQ10 levels is a
secret. Those of us who've followed the research have known
about this for almost twenty years.
Still, the word hasnt gotten out.
A sad twist about
Russerts statin prescription: he didnt even have high
cholesterol. He was taking it as a preventive measure.
Another possible
cause: Russert was diabetic. That means his doctor may have put him on
one of the latest medications to treat it;either Actos or
Avandia. The problem here is that clinical studies have shown that one
of the major risks of taking these drugs is...heart failure. Drug regulators knew
this...and buried it. In
fact, the FDA employee who tried to get the warning put on the label
was fired."
"Why do you think Tim
Russert died of a massive heart attack last month? Maybe it could have
been avoided...today I'll lay out what I know and let you
decide.
Russert was only 58.
He wasn't doing anything strenuous at the time;in fact,
hed just gotten back from a family vacation and passed away at
NBCs studios. He was under the care of a good doctor. He was
taking all his medications and doing everything his doctor told him to
do.
None of it saved
him. This sad news made me;and many of my patients and
readers;wonder what went wrong.
I have a few
ideas:
Heres one:
heart drugs don't work. I don't know all the medications
he was taking, but I do know one of them was a statin drug, probably
Lipitor or Zocor. (Russert's doctor reported this without naming
the specific drug.)
Statins drive down
CoQ10 to dangerously low levels. You know that CoQ10 is the vital
engine that fuels almost every cell in your body and powers all your
major organs;especially your heart.
Starve it of CoQ10,
and youre on the fast track to a heart attack. And it’s
not like the potentially fatal effect of statins on CoQ10 levels is a
secret. Those of us who've followed the research have known
about this for almost twenty years.
Still, the word hasnt gotten out.
A sad twist about
Russerts statin prescription: he didnt even have high
cholesterol. He was taking it as a preventive measure.
Another possible
cause: Russert was diabetic. That means his doctor may have put him on
one of the latest medications to treat it;either Actos or
Avandia. The problem here is that clinical studies have shown that one
of the major risks of taking these drugs is...heart failure. Drug regulators knew
this...and buried it. In
fact, the FDA employee who tried to get the warning put on the label
was fired."
Saturday, 10 May 2008
statins - atrogen-1
A team from Harvard Medical School says it has cracked the mystery behind statins' tendency to cause muscle damage in some patients
Statins basically are an unnatural way of lowering cholesterol level, and in the new study researchers found that statins activate a gene signal in muscles called atrogen-1. When this gene activates, it targets key muscle proteins for destruction. The activation of this gene drives the process of muscle atrophy and muscle wasting. It is induced in cardiac muscle in failing hearts. Why on earth would any person want this gene activated by a drug?
Statins basically are an unnatural way of lowering cholesterol level, and in the new study researchers found that statins activate a gene signal in muscles called atrogen-1. When this gene activates, it targets key muscle proteins for destruction. The activation of this gene drives the process of muscle atrophy and muscle wasting. It is induced in cardiac muscle in failing hearts. Why on earth would any person want this gene activated by a drug?
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
more good news on statins
In the Journal of Pathology 210: 94-102, 2006, Draeger A and others of the University of Bern, Switzerland reported that statin therapy induces ultrastructural damage in skeletal muscle in almost every patient and often without myalgia.
Draeger’s group did skeletal muscle biopsies from statin treated and non-statin treated patients and examined them using electron microscopy and biochemical approaches. They reported clear evidence of skeletal muscle damage in statin treated patients despite their being asymptomatic.
Although the degree of overall damage was minimal, it was the characteristic pattern of damage, including rupture of critical structures that caught the attention of the investigators. These findings support the hypothesis that statin induced cholesterol lowering per se contributes to myocyte damage and suggests further that it is the specific lipid / protein organs of the skeletal muscle itself that renders it particularly vulnerable.
Draeger’s group did skeletal muscle biopsies from statin treated and non-statin treated patients and examined them using electron microscopy and biochemical approaches. They reported clear evidence of skeletal muscle damage in statin treated patients despite their being asymptomatic.
Although the degree of overall damage was minimal, it was the characteristic pattern of damage, including rupture of critical structures that caught the attention of the investigators. These findings support the hypothesis that statin induced cholesterol lowering per se contributes to myocyte damage and suggests further that it is the specific lipid / protein organs of the skeletal muscle itself that renders it particularly vulnerable.
Saturday, 8 December 2007
aother statin experience
Fran said...
My husband's cognitive ability has also been adversely affected by 8 years of statins. First was Zocor, then Lipitor for about 5 years. Lipitor 10mg was increased to 20mg and that seems to be the impetus of cognitive decline, including several bouts of TGA. Statins were stopped over 3 years ago, memory improved for a time, but both short term and long term memory are affected now. The closest definition for his current condition is a class of dementia called: confabulation. When he recalls an event his brain fills in anything missing. Those experiencing confabulation aren't really aware they are 'filling in the gaps', but those around notice that details don't match-up. Very frustrating for both parties.
We are retired and in our early 60's, a time when we should be enjoying our retirement. I feel our lives as we knew them before statins, have been stolen from us.
Dr Duane Graveline's book, "Lipitor - Thief of Memory" is how we linked statins to memory loss, but unfortunately, we found out after too much damage was done.
Fran
26 November 2007 21:11
My husband's cognitive ability has also been adversely affected by 8 years of statins. First was Zocor, then Lipitor for about 5 years. Lipitor 10mg was increased to 20mg and that seems to be the impetus of cognitive decline, including several bouts of TGA. Statins were stopped over 3 years ago, memory improved for a time, but both short term and long term memory are affected now. The closest definition for his current condition is a class of dementia called: confabulation. When he recalls an event his brain fills in anything missing. Those experiencing confabulation aren't really aware they are 'filling in the gaps', but those around notice that details don't match-up. Very frustrating for both parties.
We are retired and in our early 60's, a time when we should be enjoying our retirement. I feel our lives as we knew them before statins, have been stolen from us.
Dr Duane Graveline's book, "Lipitor - Thief of Memory" is how we linked statins to memory loss, but unfortunately, we found out after too much damage was done.
Fran
26 November 2007 21:11
Saturday, 24 November 2007
another experience with statin drugs
This was a comment to my previous posting 'an alarming experience with statins':
"Thank you for posting Dr. Graveline's experience of Transient Global Amnesia caused by Lipitor.
My own husband had multiple witnessed episodes of Transient Global Amnesia while taking Lipitor at only 10 mg/day.
Further, the Lipitor left him with profound short-term-memory loss. He started on Lipitor at 50 working as a corporate CEO. By the end of 4 years on Lipitor, at the lowest dose, his short term memory was measured at below the 1 percentile. He literally could not remember to the end of a sentence over 5 words. Keep in mind that "What do you want for dinner?" is a six word sentence - an beyond his ability to process, thanks to the Lipitor damage. He also developed aphasia, the inability to recall words, which prevented effective communication.
In addition he was left with Lipitor-caused mitochondrial damage, muscle pain, muscle wasting, chronic fatigue, peripheral neuropathy, and chronic insomnia.
A full DECADE after starting the Lipitor, he remains disabled, unable to function in his former capacity, or any other.
Extensive testing has eliminated all other possible causes - it was the Lipitor that destroyed his quality of life".
22 November 2007 17:50
"Thank you for posting Dr. Graveline's experience of Transient Global Amnesia caused by Lipitor.
My own husband had multiple witnessed episodes of Transient Global Amnesia while taking Lipitor at only 10 mg/day.
Further, the Lipitor left him with profound short-term-memory loss. He started on Lipitor at 50 working as a corporate CEO. By the end of 4 years on Lipitor, at the lowest dose, his short term memory was measured at below the 1 percentile. He literally could not remember to the end of a sentence over 5 words. Keep in mind that "What do you want for dinner?" is a six word sentence - an beyond his ability to process, thanks to the Lipitor damage. He also developed aphasia, the inability to recall words, which prevented effective communication.
In addition he was left with Lipitor-caused mitochondrial damage, muscle pain, muscle wasting, chronic fatigue, peripheral neuropathy, and chronic insomnia.
A full DECADE after starting the Lipitor, he remains disabled, unable to function in his former capacity, or any other.
Extensive testing has eliminated all other possible causes - it was the Lipitor that destroyed his quality of life".
22 November 2007 17:50
Wednesday, 21 November 2007
an alarming experience with statins
Transient Global Amnesia – A Side Effect Of Statin Treatment
Duane Graveline, MD, former NASA Astronaut, USAF Flight Surgeon, Space Medicine Research Scientist, Family Doctor. 4414 Cormorant Ln., Merritt Island, FL 32953.
Try to imagine the complete inability to formulate new memory. This condition is known as transient global amnesia, now known to be associated with statin drug use. My first encounter occurred six weeks after my annual astronaut physical at Johnson Space Center. Despite regular exercise, weight maintenance and proper diet my total serum cholesterol had risen to 250 mg and the recommendation of the flight surgeons there was to start Lipitor, 10 mg daily. My wife noticed me walking aimlessly about the yard after my return from my usual walk. I did not know who she was and would not enter our house. Our family doctor referred me immediately to a neurologist and finally, in the office of the neurologist, my senses returned to normal. Following a negative MRI the following day, the diagnosis of transient global amnesia was made. I discontinued Lipitor because I suspected it was the cause.
At my next NASA physical I was assured that statin drugs do not do this. Reluctantly I started again with 5 mg, daily, one-half my previous dose. Six weeks later I descended again into the black pit of amnesia, this time for an extraordinary 12 hours. In addition to the mainly antegrade amnesia which characterized my first attack, this time I had a retrograde element all the way back to my high school days. Gone was my medical school training, USAF flight surgeon career, my marriage and four children and even my selection as scientist astronaut. Again the same doctors made the same diagnosis, transient global amnesia. Again I stopped Lipitor on my own knowing it was the cause but I was the only one convinced.
Several months later I got in contact with the statin drug study at UCSD's College of Medicine. There, Dr. Beatrice Golomb reported she had several cases just like mine. A few days later, thanks to the Graedons of the radio program Peoples Pharmacy, thousands of case reports of memory dysfunction started flooding in from patients across the country, all with the same common thread - association with statin drug use. And the amnesia is just the tip of the iceberg of the true incidence of memory impairment associated with Lipitor, Mevacor and Zocor. For every case of amnesia, thousands of cases of extreme forgetfullness, incapacitating confusion and profound disorientation have been and are being reported. Neither patients nor doctors are aware of this side effect.ng lipids. The role of inflammation and stress
..and more about statins from:
Paul Rosch; MD, FACP, Clinical Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry, New York Medical College, President, The American Institute of Stress, Honorary Vice President, International Stress Management Association, 124 Park Ave.Yonkers, NY 10703, USA.
1. Increased dietary fat intake does not significantly elevate cholesterol or lipid levels.
2. Elevated serum cholesterol and/or other lipids are not the cause of coronary heart disease.
3. Statins can have significant side effects that have been overlooked or deliberately suppressed. In addition to rhabdomyolysis and liver dysfunction, these include: muscle pain, weakness and fatigue and biopsy evidence of myopathy and tendinopathy in the absence of elevated CK, memory loss, global amnesia, difficulty in sleeping and concentration, erectile dysfunction, problems with temperature regulation, difficulty in managing diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy.
4. All statins have been shown to be carcinogenic in experimental animals in dosages that approximate those given to patients. Although the lag time between exposure to a carcinogen and clinical detection is often a decade or more, a disturbing increase in breast cancer has already been reported in the CARE trial as well as certain skin malignancies in the simvastatin trials. Statins could initiate and/or accelerate malignant growth by a) blocking the production of Coenzyme Q10, which has been shown to have anti-cancer effects; b) stimulating the growth of new blood vessels that malignancies require to promote their propagation; c) decreasing the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells; d) blocking the production of squalene, an intermediate cholesterol metabolite with anti-cancer activities in animal studies and currently used as adjunctive therapy in treating cancer; e) reducing the production of DHEA, which has been shown to have anticancer and immune stimulating effects in experimental studies.
5. Cardioprotective effects are seen regardless of baseline cholesterol or LDL levels or the degree to which they are reduced and are achieved far too rapidly to be due to lowering LDL. If statins worked by lowering LDL one would expect to see dose-response relationship, which has not been demonstrated in any statin trials. Cardioprotective effects are seen in the elderly where LDL or other lipids are not a risk factor for coronary heart disease and in the HPS study statin treatment also prevented ischemic stroke although high LDL is not a risk factor for stroke.
6. There is abundant evidence that reducing inflammation, thrombotic factors and endothelial
damage may explain the statin effects. For example, in the CARE, the outcome was related to the degree of inflammation but independent of any lipid response.
7. Most coronary events are not due to progressive blockage of a vessel by gradual accumulation of lipid material but to thrombosis and disruption of an asymptomatic fibrous plaque with minimal protrusion. Human atherosclerotic plaque bears little resemblance to experimental atherosclerosis in animals force-fed high-fat and high cholesterol diets, but has all the hallmarks of an inflammatory response to infection and there is considerable evidence to support such an etiology, particularly for chlamydia pneumoniae. Homocysteine, angiotensin II and a host of inflammatory agents have also been implicated.
8. Therefore, the current therapy goals of lowering LDL to arbitrary levels are not only inappropriate but also dangerous, since this will only lead to larger doses and more side effects.
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/chris/2003/12/05/statin_drugs_memory_loss.htm
Duane Graveline, MD, former NASA Astronaut, USAF Flight Surgeon, Space Medicine Research Scientist, Family Doctor. 4414 Cormorant Ln., Merritt Island, FL 32953.
Try to imagine the complete inability to formulate new memory. This condition is known as transient global amnesia, now known to be associated with statin drug use. My first encounter occurred six weeks after my annual astronaut physical at Johnson Space Center. Despite regular exercise, weight maintenance and proper diet my total serum cholesterol had risen to 250 mg and the recommendation of the flight surgeons there was to start Lipitor, 10 mg daily. My wife noticed me walking aimlessly about the yard after my return from my usual walk. I did not know who she was and would not enter our house. Our family doctor referred me immediately to a neurologist and finally, in the office of the neurologist, my senses returned to normal. Following a negative MRI the following day, the diagnosis of transient global amnesia was made. I discontinued Lipitor because I suspected it was the cause.
At my next NASA physical I was assured that statin drugs do not do this. Reluctantly I started again with 5 mg, daily, one-half my previous dose. Six weeks later I descended again into the black pit of amnesia, this time for an extraordinary 12 hours. In addition to the mainly antegrade amnesia which characterized my first attack, this time I had a retrograde element all the way back to my high school days. Gone was my medical school training, USAF flight surgeon career, my marriage and four children and even my selection as scientist astronaut. Again the same doctors made the same diagnosis, transient global amnesia. Again I stopped Lipitor on my own knowing it was the cause but I was the only one convinced.
Several months later I got in contact with the statin drug study at UCSD's College of Medicine. There, Dr. Beatrice Golomb reported she had several cases just like mine. A few days later, thanks to the Graedons of the radio program Peoples Pharmacy, thousands of case reports of memory dysfunction started flooding in from patients across the country, all with the same common thread - association with statin drug use. And the amnesia is just the tip of the iceberg of the true incidence of memory impairment associated with Lipitor, Mevacor and Zocor. For every case of amnesia, thousands of cases of extreme forgetfullness, incapacitating confusion and profound disorientation have been and are being reported. Neither patients nor doctors are aware of this side effect.ng lipids. The role of inflammation and stress
..and more about statins from:
Paul Rosch; MD, FACP, Clinical Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry, New York Medical College, President, The American Institute of Stress, Honorary Vice President, International Stress Management Association, 124 Park Ave.Yonkers, NY 10703, USA.
1. Increased dietary fat intake does not significantly elevate cholesterol or lipid levels.
2. Elevated serum cholesterol and/or other lipids are not the cause of coronary heart disease.
3. Statins can have significant side effects that have been overlooked or deliberately suppressed. In addition to rhabdomyolysis and liver dysfunction, these include: muscle pain, weakness and fatigue and biopsy evidence of myopathy and tendinopathy in the absence of elevated CK, memory loss, global amnesia, difficulty in sleeping and concentration, erectile dysfunction, problems with temperature regulation, difficulty in managing diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy.
4. All statins have been shown to be carcinogenic in experimental animals in dosages that approximate those given to patients. Although the lag time between exposure to a carcinogen and clinical detection is often a decade or more, a disturbing increase in breast cancer has already been reported in the CARE trial as well as certain skin malignancies in the simvastatin trials. Statins could initiate and/or accelerate malignant growth by a) blocking the production of Coenzyme Q10, which has been shown to have anti-cancer effects; b) stimulating the growth of new blood vessels that malignancies require to promote their propagation; c) decreasing the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells; d) blocking the production of squalene, an intermediate cholesterol metabolite with anti-cancer activities in animal studies and currently used as adjunctive therapy in treating cancer; e) reducing the production of DHEA, which has been shown to have anticancer and immune stimulating effects in experimental studies.
5. Cardioprotective effects are seen regardless of baseline cholesterol or LDL levels or the degree to which they are reduced and are achieved far too rapidly to be due to lowering LDL. If statins worked by lowering LDL one would expect to see dose-response relationship, which has not been demonstrated in any statin trials. Cardioprotective effects are seen in the elderly where LDL or other lipids are not a risk factor for coronary heart disease and in the HPS study statin treatment also prevented ischemic stroke although high LDL is not a risk factor for stroke.
6. There is abundant evidence that reducing inflammation, thrombotic factors and endothelial
damage may explain the statin effects. For example, in the CARE, the outcome was related to the degree of inflammation but independent of any lipid response.
7. Most coronary events are not due to progressive blockage of a vessel by gradual accumulation of lipid material but to thrombosis and disruption of an asymptomatic fibrous plaque with minimal protrusion. Human atherosclerotic plaque bears little resemblance to experimental atherosclerosis in animals force-fed high-fat and high cholesterol diets, but has all the hallmarks of an inflammatory response to infection and there is considerable evidence to support such an etiology, particularly for chlamydia pneumoniae. Homocysteine, angiotensin II and a host of inflammatory agents have also been implicated.
8. Therefore, the current therapy goals of lowering LDL to arbitrary levels are not only inappropriate but also dangerous, since this will only lead to larger doses and more side effects.
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/chris/2003/12/05/statin_drugs_memory_loss.htm
Monday, 19 November 2007
cholestoral -lowering drugs bad for health
More from Al Sears MD:
'cholesterol-lowering drugs are bad for your health. Yet according to
another new study, doctors still just arent getting it.
Even worse, many
doctors continue to dismiss the warning signs when their patients
complain of dangerous side effects. Theyre just not
listening.
Researchers at the
University of San Diego recently surveyed 650 patients taking
cholesterol-lowering drugs like Lipitor, Zocor, and Mevacor. The point
of the study was to find out how their doctors responded when they
reported having bad reactions.1
The results were
disturbing, to say the least. Forty-seven percent of
participants suffering from muscle or brain-related problems reported
that their doctors brushed their complaints aside.
Fifty-one
percent of patients with nerve pain said the same thing. Overall,
thirty-two percent of patients with a variety of complaints reported
that their doctors immediately ruled out the possibility that they
could be related to statin drugs.
And, the San Diego
researchers concluded that the pharmaceutical companies who make these
drugs were getting the word out about their dangers
(probably because of fear of legal repercussions). The doctors simply
weren't listening. And in the majority of cases, it was
the patient, not the doctor, who initiated
the discussion about possible side effects.
For my part,
I'm going to continue doing what I've been doing for many
years - warning anyone who will listen to avoid statin drugs. Not only
do they fail to address the real cause of heart disease
(which isn't high cholesterol, by the way) they hurt
instead of helping and can actually be fatal.
The list of statin
drugs side effects is long and frightening. Here are just a
few:
Inability to concentrate
Confusion
Amnesia
Disorientation
Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Nerve pain
Muscle weakness
Depression and other mood
disorders
Impotence
Lowered sex drive
Weakened immune system
Liver damage
Rhabdomyolysis (painful
bursting of muscle cells)
And death
With risks like
these, you have to wonder why so many doctors remain in the dark.
Statins remain blockbuster drugs - 12 million Americans are
currently taking them.
One reason may be
that the mainstream medical community continues to focus on
cholesterol as the chief culprit behind heart disease. There's
no doubt statins lower LDL cholesterol,
The problem is,
cholesterol isn't the problem. It may surprise you to learn that
75 percent of heart attack victims have perfectly normal cholesterol
levels.
The fact is
lowering your LDL cholesterol doesn't protect you from heart
disease. You want to raise your HDL, the good kind. As
long as your HDL is high - around 85 -; there's
no reason to worry about your LDL levels.
You can boost HDL
levels naturally and safely. One clinically proven way is to get more
lean meat in your diet
But if you're
on statin drugs and decide you want to stay on them, make sure your
doctor is responsive to your questions and listens to your reporting
of potential side effects. Take the lead in conversations about
possible side effects and dangers.
And if he or she is
like the doctors in the study and just doesn't listening to you,
find a new doctor.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
'cholesterol-lowering drugs are bad for your health. Yet according to
another new study, doctors still just arent getting it.
Even worse, many
doctors continue to dismiss the warning signs when their patients
complain of dangerous side effects. Theyre just not
listening.
Researchers at the
University of San Diego recently surveyed 650 patients taking
cholesterol-lowering drugs like Lipitor, Zocor, and Mevacor. The point
of the study was to find out how their doctors responded when they
reported having bad reactions.1
The results were
disturbing, to say the least. Forty-seven percent of
participants suffering from muscle or brain-related problems reported
that their doctors brushed their complaints aside.
Fifty-one
percent of patients with nerve pain said the same thing. Overall,
thirty-two percent of patients with a variety of complaints reported
that their doctors immediately ruled out the possibility that they
could be related to statin drugs.
And, the San Diego
researchers concluded that the pharmaceutical companies who make these
drugs were getting the word out about their dangers
(probably because of fear of legal repercussions). The doctors simply
weren't listening. And in the majority of cases, it was
the patient, not the doctor, who initiated
the discussion about possible side effects.
For my part,
I'm going to continue doing what I've been doing for many
years - warning anyone who will listen to avoid statin drugs. Not only
do they fail to address the real cause of heart disease
(which isn't high cholesterol, by the way) they hurt
instead of helping and can actually be fatal.
The list of statin
drugs side effects is long and frightening. Here are just a
few:
Inability to concentrate
Confusion
Amnesia
Disorientation
Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Nerve pain
Muscle weakness
Depression and other mood
disorders
Impotence
Lowered sex drive
Weakened immune system
Liver damage
Rhabdomyolysis (painful
bursting of muscle cells)
And death
With risks like
these, you have to wonder why so many doctors remain in the dark.
Statins remain blockbuster drugs - 12 million Americans are
currently taking them.
One reason may be
that the mainstream medical community continues to focus on
cholesterol as the chief culprit behind heart disease. There's
no doubt statins lower LDL cholesterol,
The problem is,
cholesterol isn't the problem. It may surprise you to learn that
75 percent of heart attack victims have perfectly normal cholesterol
levels.
The fact is
lowering your LDL cholesterol doesn't protect you from heart
disease. You want to raise your HDL, the good kind. As
long as your HDL is high - around 85 -; there's
no reason to worry about your LDL levels.
You can boost HDL
levels naturally and safely. One clinically proven way is to get more
lean meat in your diet
But if you're
on statin drugs and decide you want to stay on them, make sure your
doctor is responsive to your questions and listens to your reporting
of potential side effects. Take the lead in conversations about
possible side effects and dangers.
And if he or she is
like the doctors in the study and just doesn't listening to you,
find a new doctor.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
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