The Dangers of Cholesterol Lowering Drugs

It is not surprising that many Americans are given a prescription for a statin drug since 1 in 3 Americans have high cholesterol. And many start taking these cholesterol lowering drugs without really knowing the adverse side effects.

One of the well -known side effects of statin drugs are muscle problems. But other side affects issues with memory, peripheral neuropathy (pain or numbness in areas such as fingers and toes. Even problems with glucose elevations to tendon problems have been reported with statin drugs.

It is clear that statin drugs do more than just lower cholesterol and weighing the risks is certainly something that each person needs to do.

One reason that muscle weakness occurs for statin users is that it injures the function of the body’s energy-producing cells, called mitochndria.

When mitochondrial function is impaired, the body produces less energy and more “free radicals” are produced.  Coenzyme Q10 (“Q10”) is a compound central to the process of making energy within mitochondria and quenching free radicals.  However, statins lower Q10 levels because they work by blocking the pathway involved in cholesterol production – the same pathway by which Q10 is produced.  Statins also reduce the blood cholesterol that transports Q10 and other fat-soluble antioxidants.

“The loss of Q10 leads to loss of cell energy and increased free radicals which, in turn, can further damage mitochondrial DNA,” said Golomb, who explained that loss of Q10 may lead to a greater likelihood of symptoms arising from statins in patients with existing mitochondrial damage – since these people especially rely on ample Q10 to help bypass this damage.

Because statins may cause more mitochondrial problems over time – and as these energy powerhouses tend to weaken with age—new adverse effects can also develop the longer a patient takes statin drugs.

Adverse effects of statin drugs goes up as age goes up, This also helps explain why statins’ benefits do not outweigh the risk for those over 70 or 75 years old, even those with heart disease.

If a person has high blood pressure and diabetes they have higher rates of mitochondrial problems says Dr. Golomb from UC San Diego and UC Irvine Schools of Medicine.

A way to lower cholesterol without taking Statan drugs is

1.      Use  a product that has Sterols and Stanols, which are found naturally in plnts, fruits, vegetables and grains. They have been found to lower the bad cholesterol LDL. They have a similar structure to cholesterol adn compete for absorption in the intestines so the more plant stanols and sterols you have the less cholesterol can get absorbed in the bloodstream.

Shaklee Corporation makes a product call Cholesterol Reduction Complex that provides 2,000 mg of plant sterols and stanols daily.

If you would like to see how these natural stanols and sterols work- watch this video

Other ways to help lower your cholesterol is:

1.      Decrease your intake of saturated fat to less than 7% of total calories

2.      Decrease your dietary cholesterol to less than 200 mg

3.      Loose 10 lbs if overweight

4.      Add 5-10 grams of soluble fiber to your diet daily

5.      Add 200 mg of plant sterols and stanols daily to diet.