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Naturopath
Statins are drugs that have a reputation for being the best at lowering cholesterol levels and thus preventing heart attacks. They are recommended to patients with high cholesterol or heart disease and sometimes even to healthy people as a form of prevention.
Statins are among the most prescribed medications in the USA and Europe. More than one in four Americans over the age of 45 takes them. This already very high number is set to increase in the future, as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued a broad recommendation this year.
This government advisory panel recommended treatment with statins for patients between the ages of 40 and 75 with at least a 10 percent increased risk of developing heart problems in the next 10 years (based on the 2013 AHA-ACC online calculator) - even if they have not yet suffered a heart attack or stroke.
Every American over 40 therefore has a good chance that their doctor will bring up the subject of statins at one of their next visits. For this reason, everyone should inform themselves thoroughly in advance whether these drugs are really the right ones - and they probably aren't not.
Statins actually lower cholesterol levels. The lower it falls, the more you might think that your health will also improve and your risk of developing heart disease or suffering a heart attack will decrease. But this is far from the case.
The risk of heart disease is not only influenced by your cholesterol level. There is also evidence that statins have a negative effect on your heart health and that their positive effect is based on statistical deception.
A report published in the Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology concludes that statin proponents used a statistical tool called relative risk reduction (RRR) to amplify positive but trivial effects of the drug.
However, if you look at the absolute risk, statins only benefit around one percent of the population. This means that for every 100 people treated with statin drugs, only one less person will suffer a heart attack. As this sounds unimpressive, advocates use a different statistic and look at the relative risk.
This statistical trick is the only reason why 30 to 50 percent of the population suddenly benefit from statins. The statistics service at George Mason University explains: "An important feature of the relative risk approach is that it provides no information about the actual risk."
Statins deprive the body of the co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10). This is responsible for the devastating risks. For this reason, consideration was even given to labeling the drugs with a corresponding warning. However, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided against this in 2014.
CoQ10 is responsible for energy production in the body's cells and plays a crucial role in good health, high energy levels, longevity and generally a high quality of life. Ubiquinol, a converted form of Q10, is a vital component in cellular respiration and the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
ATP is a co-enzyme that is used as an energy carrier in the body's cells. The heart is undoubtedly the body organ that requires the most energy. It is therefore not difficult to imagine the devastating consequences if the body is deprived of its most important source of cellular energy.
So while proponents claim that statins reduce your risk of heart disease, they actually increase the risk because the body is deprived of CoQ10. The deprivation of CoQ10 by the drugs is the reason why statins increase your risk of acute heart failure.
So if you are taking statin drugs, you should supply your body with co-enzyme Q10 as a dietary supplement. If you are over 40 years old, be sure to take ubiquinol instead of CoQ10, as it can be absorbed much better by your body.
Every study conducted to date has shown that the bioavailability of ubiquinol is many times higher than the unconverted form CoQ10. Dr. Steven Sinatra, cardiologist and founder of the New England Heart Center, recommends a daily dose of 100 mg or better 200 mg of high-quality CoQ10 or ubiquinol.
A study published in the European Journal of Pharmacology showed that ubiquinol effectively protects cells from damage caused by the statin drug simvastatin and thus protects muscle cells from myopathy.
Many people also fail to realize that CoQ10 and ubiquinol are fat-soluble substances that are biosynthesized in the blood. The carrier is the blood lipid cholesterol.
Ubiquinol keeps your LDL levels (often referred to as 'bad cholesterol') low as it is an extremely effective antioxidant.
Low LDL cholesterol is not bad cholesterol at all. Only the oxidized form causes problems. So when you reduce CoQ10 production in your body, you also interfere with the mechanisms that keep your LDL cholesterol at a level that does not cause harm to your body.
In March 2015, new findings were published that are still not generally known.
Research published in the Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology showed that contrary to the common belief that lowering cholesterol with statins reduces the risk of atherosclerosis, the drugs actually stimulate atherosclerosis and heart failure.
The study looked at several physiological mechanisms that show how statins worsen your heart health, in part because they inhibit the synthesis of vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 protects your arteries from calcification; without it, more and more plaque builds up.
Vitamin K2 ensures that calcium is transported to the areas of the body where it is needed, such as bones or teeth. It also removes calcium from areas where it is not needed, such as your arteries or soft tissue.
According to a Dutch study from 2009, vitamin K2 is associated with reduced vascular calcification, even if it is only consumed in small doses.
Statins inhibit the function of vitamin K2 in the body. By taking these drugs, you expose yourself to the risk of an undersupply of vitamin K2, which can result in a number of chronic diseases.
This includes:
Statins lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting enzymes in the liver that produce cholesterol (HMG-CoA reductase). However, this enzyme also produces CoQ10 and ketones, which are important nutrients for mitochondria.
Ketones are vital biosignaling molecules. The three ketone bodies are called acetoacetate, betahydroxybutyrate and acetone.
They are formed in the liver (as by-products of the breakdown of fatty acids); production is increased during fasting. The journal Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism writes:
"Ketone bodies act as central regulators of metabolic health and longevity, as they regulate HDAC (histone deacetylase) activity and thus epigenetic gene regulation."
Ketone bodies appear to inhibit HDAC function, which is involved in the ageing process. The researchers also noted "that ketone bodies link environmental influences such as diet to the regulation of ageing."
Since statins deprive your body of CoQ10, inhibit the synthesis of vitamin K2 and the production of ketone bodies, they increase the risk of serious illnesses.
These include:
Research confirms that long-term use of statins (10 years or more) more than doubles the risk of women developing the two most common types of breast cancer (invasive ductal carcinoma and invasive lobular carcinoma). According to Dr. Sinatra, statins block the passage of squalene (a precursor of cholesterol) and thus, in his opinion, an important site for the prevention of breast cancer.
In addition, any intake of statin-containing drugs at any dose can be associated with a significantly increased risk of prostate cancer, as another study shows. The risk increased with increasing cumulative doses.
The Journal of Clinical Oncology published a letter to the editor:
"Several cholesterol-lowering drugs, including statins, have been shown to be carcinogenic in rodents at doses that produce blood concentrations similar to those in human patients treated with them.
For example, twelve of 286 women in the CARE group (Care = cholesterol and recurrent events) developed breast cancer, but only one of 290 women who received a placebo... In the PROSPER study (PROSPER = Future Study of Pravastatin in Seniors at Risk), 245 of 2891 patients developed cancer, but only 199 of 2913 in the control group...
In the SEAS trial series (SEAS = simvastatin and ezetimibe for aortic stenosis), cancer occurred in 39 out of 944 patients in the trial group. In the control group, there were only 23 cases in 929 subjects...
The first two trials of simvastatin also found a higher incidence of nonmelanoma cancer, with statistical significance when the results of both trials are added together.... This finding may explain the current so-called epidemic of non-melanoma skin cancer."
Statins have been shown to increase the risk of developing diabetes through a number of different mechanisms. Firstly, statins increase insulin resistance, which is extremely harmful to your health. Secondly, your risk is increased because statins raise blood sugar levels. The effect of statins is based on their ability to prevent the liver from producing cholesterol.
As a result, the liver releases sugar back into the bloodstream, causing blood sugar levels to rise. The medication also robs the body of some valuable nutrients, which also has a negative effect on blood sugar levels. Two nutrients in particular, vitamin D and CoQ10, are needed by the body to maintain ideal blood sugar levels. A meta-analysis from 2011 showed that the risk of developing diabetes increases with the dose of statin drugs administered.
The number of patients who had to be treated with high-dose statins in order for a patient to develop diabetes was 498. Or to put it simply: one in 498 people who take high-dose statins will develop diabetes.
The following scientific study also came to the conclusion that the use of statins is associated with an increased incidence of new diabetic cases:
The study included data from more than 345,400 patients over a period of two years. On average, statins increased fasting plasma glucose by 7 mg/dL in patients without diabetes and by 39 mg/dL in patients with diabetes.
Cholesterol is also vital for your brain, which contains about 25 percent of the body's total cholesterol. It plays a crucial role in the formation of synapses, the connections between neurons that allow you to think, learn new things and remember the past. It is therefore not surprising that memory loss often occurs as a side effect of statins.
In addition, as already mentioned, statins reduce the production of ketone bodies. Ketone bodies are used as fuel for the brain, so to speak. They have also been shown to help prevent neuronal diseases, seizures and age-related brain diseases such as Alzheimer's, Hungtington's and Parkinson's. Researchers at Penn State College of Medicine found that statins are even associated with an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
High cholesterol and elevated LDL are associated with a lower risk of Parkinson's disease. The study concluded that statins increase the risk of Parkinson's, while high cholesterol lowers the risk.
Patients taking statins have an increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders, injuries and pain compared to patients not taking statins. Myalgias, muscle weakness, muscle cramps, rhabdomyolysis, autoimmune muscle diseases and degenerative diseases are all associated with statin use.
The cause could be that statins inhibit selenium-containing proteins. Selenoproteins such as glutathione peroxidase are essential for preventing oxidative damage in muscle tissue. Wellness Resources reports:
"Blocking the selenoprotein enzyme glutathione peroxidase is like someone pouring gasoline on the focus of inflammation and free radicals, which damages muscle tissue. In fact, scientists describe that blocking the selenoprotein is reminiscent of a selenium deficiency-induced heart failure known as Keshan disease, which was first diagnosed in the 1930s.
Another study was published in JAMA Internal Medicine:
"...The use of [s]tatins is associated with an increased likelihood of musculoskeletal disease, joint disease and injury.... Various factors of statin therapy provide explanations for these adverse musculoskeletal events, including the inhibitory effect on the synthesis of the co-enzyme Q10, the synthesis of selenoprotein and the mitochondrial respiratory chain.
In addition, in vitro studies suggest that statins have effects on genes responsible for apoptosis; dysregulation of apoptosis is associated with myopathy. Pathological studies have also shown that statin use is associated with the occurrence of myopathies with normal levels of cretin kinase, even in the absence of symptoms.
Statin-induced necrotizing autoimmune myopathy persisted or even progressed, even after statin therapy was discontinued."
An objective review of PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases found that for every 10,000 patients using statins, 307 additional patients experience cataracts. These findings are supported by a separate JAMA study, which further confirmed that the risk of cataracts is increased among patients taking statins compared to other patients. A cataract is the clouding of the lens of the eye. This is the main cause of reduced vision in the elderly.
If you decide to take statins, you should definitely also take vitamin K2. When choosing a supplement, look for MK-7, which is extracted from natto, a fermented Japanese soy product. Professor Cees Vermeer, one of the leading researchers in the field of vitamin K2, recommends between 45 mcg and 185 mcg daily for adults.
Be careful when taking higher doses, especially if you are taking anticoagulant medication. If you are in good health and not taking any other medication, a daily dose of 150 mcg is recommended. You should also take CoQ10 or ubiquinol (the converted form). One study looked at the benefits of CoQ10 and selenium supplements for patients with statin-induced myopathy.
Compared with the control group, which received a placebo, the test group suffered significantly less pain and reduced muscle weakness, fewer cramps and fatigue.
Are you looking for a drug-free way to improve your heart health? These tips will help you:
Sources (in English):
Okuyama, H., Langsjoen, P. H., Hamazaki, T., Ogushi, Y., Hama, R., Kobayashi, T. et al. (2015, March). Statins stimulate atherosclerosis and heart failure: pharmacological mechanisms. Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology, 8(2):189-99, doi: 10.1586/17512433.2015.1011125
Littlefield, N., Beckstrand, R. L. & Luthy, K. E. (2014, February). Statins' effect on plasma levels of Coenzyme Q10 and improvement in myopathy with supplementation. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 26(2):85-90, doi: 10.1002/2327-6924.12046
Auer, J., Sinzinger, H., Franklin, B. & Berent, R. (2016, January). Muscle- and skeletal-related side-effects of statins: tip of the iceberg? European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 23(1):88-110, doi: 10.1177/2047487314550804
Choi, H. K., Won, E. K. & Choung, S. Y. (2016, March). Effect of Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation in Statin-Treated Obese Rats. Biomolecules & Therapeutics, 24(2):171-7, doi: 10.4062/biomolther.2015.089
Sirtori, C. R. (2014, October). The pharmacology of statins. Pharmacological Research, 88:3-11, doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2014.03.002
Allen, S. C. & Mamotte, C. D. (2017, August). Pleiotropic and Adverse Effects of STatins-Do Epigenetics Play a Role? The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 362(2):319-326, doi: 10.1124/jpet.117.242081
Wilkinson, M. J., Laffin, L. J. & Davidson, M. H. (2014, June). Overcoming toxicity and side-effects of lipid-lowering therapies. Best practice & research. Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 28(3):439-52, doi: 10.1016/j.beem.2014.01.006