Statin drugs are usually effective in decreasing the mortality rates in people with pre-existing cardiovascular disease. They are also advocated for use in people at high risk of developing heart disease because statins lower the bad (LDL) cholesterol resulting in
Statin drugs are usually effective in decreasing the mortality rates in people with pre-existing cardiovascular disease. They are also advocated for use in people at high risk of developing heart disease because statins lower the bad (LDL) cholesterol resulting in an estimated 60 percent decrease in the number of heart attacks and about a 17 percent reduced risk of stroke after long term treatment. Most authorities claim that statin drugs do little to reduce triglycerides or to improve HDL (the good cholesterol). Statin drugs work primarily by blocking the action of the liver enzyme that produces cholesterol in the body. Statins may also stabilize arterial plaques.
However, lifestyle changes such as increasing exercise, stopping smoking, reducing alcohol consumption and reducing cholesterol-laden foods in the diet are always a primary step towards reducing risk of cardio-vascular diseases.
The controversy over statin drugs is multifaceted. Some health professionals believe that statins are overprescribed and that they are used in areas where their effectiveness is questionable. The market for statin drugs has tripled since the National Cholesterol Education Program revised its guidelines to recommend statins as a primary preventative measure.
Journalists have questioned the decision of the doctors who made this recommendation as eight of the nine doctors on the panel were discovered to have been paid by statin manufacturers. Other scientists question the effectiveness of statins and suggest that they are not as safe or as beneficial as suggested.
The most common negative side effects of statin usage include headache, sleep difficulty, flushing of the skin, muscle aches, tenderness and weakness, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, abdominal pain, abdominal cramps, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation and skin rashes.
Statin drugs can cut your levels of coQ10 by up to 49 percent after only one month of use, which leads to muscle weakness and fatigue. Low coQ10 levels in the human body — either as a consequence of aging or from statin therapy — are linked to chronic fatigue, muscle weakness and a lack of interest in exercise. Supplementation with coQ10 at 300 mg/d was found effective in enhancing antioxidant status including vitamin E status in those people who are on statin therapy. However, not all supplements are equally effective in raising coQ10 levels in the blood. In the most commonly used powder supplements, only about 1 percent of the coQ10 is absorbed.
Exercise and a low-fat, balanced diet with optimal supplementation is fundamental for supporting heart and cardiovascular health. For those who do take a statin drug, or those who want best absorption of their nutritional supplement, a lipid solubilized coQ10 supplement is shown to be eight times more effective than powdered supplements due to greater absorption and bioavailability.
As with most health conditions, prevention is better than treatment. Your body is not too often sick because of drug deficiencies. Yes, you can be nutrient deficient, sleep deprived, inactive and socially isolated, and all these natural needs must be optimally filled for you to be optimally healthy, but it is rare that drugs fill the gap between being sick and being optimally healthy. Work towards natural health!
• Jane Riley, M.S., B.A., C.P.T., Certified Nutritional Adviser, can be reached at janerileyfitness@gmail.com, 212-1451 or www.janerileyfitness.com.
