Every day, more than five million Americans take statin drugs to manage high levels of LDL, the “bad” cholesterol. But at what cost?
News of the side effects of statins abound: liver damage, sexual dysfunction, and decreased insulin sensitivity to name just a few. Now new research confirms yet another long-suspected side effect from statin drugs that could affect your quality of life even more gravely.
Following the paper trail
Doctors have long suspected that statin use contributes to peripheral neuropathy, which is damage to the peripheral nervous system, causing weakness or pain in the hands and feet. So researchers from the Odense University Hospital in Denmark set out to determine exactly what the risks where – and who they affected. Using a comprehensive database of outpatient visits and discharges from general hospitals across the country, they identified all first-time cases of nerve malfunctions from unknown causes registered from 1994 to 1998 – a total of 166 cases. For each case selected, 25 control subjects were randomly selected, matched for age, sex and calendar time against the study cases. The scientists also used a prescription register to assess exposure to drugs.
Amazingly, the report concluded that users of statins were as least four times more likely to develop first-time polyneuropathy compared to the background population they sampled. And if that isn’t shocking enough, the risk increased up to 14-fold! The adverse effect was shown to substantially increase with long-term statin treatment, a significant factor, given that statins are so frequently prescribed for consistent use.
Hard decisions
If you’re currently using statin drugs, and effectively lowering your LDL cholesterol, you may feel this creates a dilemma. Here you have something that technically works, and yet all the evidence shows that you may be doing damage to other areas of your body while presumably helping your heart.
But there are alternatives. Typically, you won’t hear about these alternatives from any mainstream medical reports because the mainstream has signed on. Statins, it seems, are their story and they’re sticking with it. The reason for this is clear: Among the markers for heart disease, a high LDL level is the only one that’s treatable with drugs developed by large drug companies.
At HSI, we’ve often written about the many other theories and causes of heart disease, as well as various other markers that can signal an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Some of the topics include high homocysteine levels, depleted coenzyme Q10 stores, elevated levels of platelet-activating-factor and thromboxane AZ, and high levels of free radicals in the bloodstream that attack artery walls. Each of these markers can be a red flag for heart disease risk – and when all are taken into consideration, in conjunction with total cholesterol and HDL/LDL ratio, they can provide much clearer warning signs before it’s too late.
What you can do – 4 steps to take right now
ONE
If you haven’t already, ask your doctor to test your homocysteine level. If it is above 12, take steps to reduce it immediately, focusing on high intake of B6, B12 and folic acid through your diet or high-quality supplements.
TWO
You should also ask your doctor to test your level of coenzyme Q10. Many of the most-widely prescribed cardiovascular drugs actually DEPLETE the body’s stores of coenzyme Q10. Research has shown that this super-antioxidant fuels cellular energy production and repairs free-radical damage to the heart muscle. And when CoQ10 is deficient, the heart is one of the first areas to suffer. If you take prescription heart medication (and even if you don’t) have your CoQ10 level tested. If you find you are deficient, CoQ10 supplements are widely available.
THREE
In the November 1999 issue of the HSI Members Alert newsletter, we told you how two blood-clotting factors – platelet-activating factor (PAF) and thromboxane A2 -can be controlled by perilla oil, a natural source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. Animal research has shown that perilla oil can slash the production of PAF and thromboxane A2 in as little as seven days, and was safer and more effective than fish oil. Perilla oil is available at health food stores. We recommend the softgel which are available from Health-n-Energy (800-571-2999).
FOUR
And just because we don’t recognize cholesterol as the most critical marker of heart disease doesn’t mean we don’t understand your desire to manage your levels. We’ve written about many natural products that can help you lower your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. One of the most promising is arjuna, the ancient Ayurvedic herb that has been proven to lower cholesterol as much as 12 percent in just 30 days. (Arjuna has also been shown to reduce angina and blood pressure, improve symptoms of congestive heart failure, and protect against ischemic heart disease, so it’s a good all-around therapy for heart health.) You can get arjuna (at a much lower cost than statin drugs) by contacting Himalaya USA at 800-869-4640.
For more information on any of these individual products or conditions, members may search the full archive of articles on-line at our website: www.hsionline.com
The whole picture
If you’re one of the millions who are experiencing cardiovascular problems combined with high levels of LDL cholesterol, you should know that you have options beyond the mainstream medical mantra to use statin medication. When you look at just LDL, there may seem to be only one way to go. But a look at the larger picture will offer you alternative treatments that can result in a healthy heart — without the risk of unhealthy side effects for the rest of your body.
To Your Good Health,
Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute
Sources:
Copyright 1997-2002 by Institute of Health Sciences, L.L.C.
