Health Alert 4
Organized medicine has become a huge proponent of “statin” drugs that actually block the production of CoQ10. As bad as this is to your health and vigor, it’s not the worst consequence of statins.
They can cause a terribly painful and potentially lethal side effect called rhabdomyolysis. The pain is caused by the bursting of muscle cells. They in turn release their contents into the bloodstream. The kidneys try to remove the cellular debris but can be overwhelmed resulting in kidney failure and death.
Statin drugs have become the most commonly prescribed method for lowering cholesterol. The FDA reports that 20 million Americans are currently taking these drugs. The National Cholesterol Education Program estimates that this number could triple as a direct result of the government’s new guidelines for cholesterol management.
One of the more popular statin drugs, Baycol, was “voluntarily withdrawn” from the market last year by Bayer, its manufacturer. The 31 known deaths from rhabdomyolysis in Baycol users were reported as “significantly more common with Baycol than with other approved statin drugs.”
* Death Toll Still Rising *
The FDA’s own Adverse Event Reporting System records 81 deaths from statin drugs since 1997. The remaining 50 deaths were among uses of the other five statin drugs still on the market: Lescol, Lipitor, Mevacor, Pravachol and Zocor. These five drugs are also associated with the more common side effect of liver toxicity, especially in elders.
So why are these drugs still so widely used? Well, I would like to cling to my notion of ethics in medicine and believe that it has little to do with the fact that Lipitor and Zocor have been ranked among the 10 most profitable prescription drugs since 1999 raking in 9.2 billion in sales. Perhaps a slightly less cynical explanation is that they offer a quick fix.
Statin drugs do lower cholesterol. Sometimes they will even bring down cholesterol without a change in diet and without exercise. Talking about diet and supplements takes time and your doctor needs to get you out of his office. So he reaches for the prescription pad and in 10 seconds, he has a solution. “Here take this. I’ll see you in 6 months.”
Now I’m all for preventative medicine…but surely there must be a better way. And indeed, there is. There are safe, effective and inexpensive alternatives that can lower cholesterol and reduce heart risks naturally.
* Ask for Alternatives *
If you are currently taking one of these statin drugs, my advice is to ask your doctor for alternatives. If you must take one, insist that you have your liver function monitored with a blood test every three months. If there is any sign of liver toxicity, you must stop the drug.
If you develop muscle pain or tenderness, particularly in the calves or back, notify your doctor immediately. Also, let your doctor know if you develop unusual muscle fatigue, fever or dark urine. He can run a test on your blood for the presence of a muscle enzyme called creatine kinase. It is elevated in rhabdomyolysis.
Using Mother Nature as an alternative way to lower cholesterol will be the topic of my next letter to you.
Al Sears, MD