Wondering if cholesterol lowering drugs are making you stupid?

[Guest guest]

Engineered for Health

Wondering if cholesterol lowering drugs are making you stupid?… Study shows they may be

The Wall Street Journal published the first allegations of cholesterol lowering statin drugs being associated with dementia. In the article, Dr. Orli Etingin (vice chairman of medicine at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center) stated that Lipitor “makes women stupid.”

Dr. Etingin was referring to several of her patients using statins that were unable to focus, recall words and displayed other cognitive deficiencies. According to Dr. Etingin, the impairments vanished when use of the statin drug was discontinued and returned when the statins were reintroduced.

Two British experts in Alzheimers and dementia, Louise Morse and Hitchins, explained that the most common causes of memory loss they see are depression, poor nutrition and statin drug use.

Some doctors have suspected that certain cognitive disruptions are triggered when statin drugs (like Simvastatin) cross the blood brain barrier and interfere with the central nervous system. Another possibility is that because the brain is composed largely of cholesterol, lowering cholesterol could slow thought and memory connections. Statins may also lead to abnormal proteins forming in the brain, as seen in Alzheimer’s victims.

A new study may provide even more disturbing evidence as to the impact statins have on cognitive function.

This fascinating study published July 2008 in Glia by Dr. Goldman and Dr. Fraser Sim discovered that statin drugs inhibit a specific type of brain cell.

These specialized brain cells are called glial progenitor cells. Glial progenitor cells function much like stem cells. They spring into action when the brain has experienced some type of distress and transform into any type of cell needed by the brain. These adaptive cells help restore white matter after strokes, infection, trauma, or inflammation brought on by the aging process, or diseases like multiple sclerosis.

Statins negatively impact glial progenitor cells by switching off their adaptive capabilities. After statin exposure the glial progenitor cells permanently became oligodendrocytes cells.

The study concluded that: “This might reduce the available progenitor pool and hence degrade the long-term regenerative competence of the adult white matter.” Furthermore, Dr. Sims states: “Researchers need to look very carefully at what happens if these cells have been depleted prematurely.”

These findings provide an enhanced awareness among neurologists and cardiologists of how cholesterol lowering statins drugs impact the brain. Several studies have attempted to show that statins provide some protection against dementia, but that evidence has been inconclusive at best. Meanwhile, some physicians are expressing concern that statins may actually increase the risk of dementia.

Resident of San Diego, 69 year old Jane Brunzie, was so forgetful that her daughter was looking into Alzheimer’s care and refused to let her babysit for her 9-year-old granddaughter. So Jane stopped taking her statin. “Literally, within eight days, I was back to normal — it was that dramatic,” says Mrs. Brunzie.

Jane Brunzie goes on to say “I feel very blessed — I got about 99% of my memory back, but I worry about people like me who are starting to lose their words who may think they have just normal aging and it may not be.”

http://engineeredforhealth.com:80/2009/08/16/wondering-if-cholesterol-lowering-drugs-are-making-you-stupid-study-shows-they-may-be/

Other interesting articles on statins:

Truth vs Hype in the JUPITER Study (Justification for the Use of Statins in Prevention) by Dr. R. Eades

Ending the Cholesterol Heart Disease Myth by s Moritz

CoQ10 – Did You Know Statin Drugs Block this Heart Energy Catalyst? by J Lange

[Guest guest]

Thank you Clare!!! I am not taking anymore statins!!! I too have been having alot of problems with not being able to find my words and my memory is horrid! I thought I was having a a big fibro flare. I feel really bad all the time without the statins adding to it. My legs cramp up when I sleep, and hurt so bad the next day. I take potassium, magnesium, and eat alot of bananas. Drink plenty of water. On and on to prevent these cramping in my legs.

No more statins for me, I don't care what the Dr says!Thank you again!

 Huggs

Cyn Boyd

Blue Lark Sakima

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

-- Wondering if cholesterol lowering drugs are making you stupid?

Engineered for Health

Wondering if cholesterol lowering drugs are making you stupid?… Study shows they may be

The Wall Street Journal published the first allegations of cholesterol lowering statin drugs being associated with dementia. In the article, Dr. Orli Etingin (vice chairman of medicine at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center) stated that Lipitor “makes women stupid.â€

Dr. Etingin was referring to several of her patients using statins that were unable to focus, recall words and displayed other cognitive deficiencies. According to Dr. Etingin, the impairments vanished when use of the statin drug was discontinued and returned when the statins were reintroduced.

Two British experts in Alzheimers and dementia, Louise Morse and Hitchins, explained that the most common causes of memory loss they see are depression, poor nutrition and statin drug use.

Some doctors have suspected that certain cognitive disruptions are triggered when statin drugs (like Simvastatin) cross the blood brain barrier and interfere with the central nervous system. Another possibility is that because the brain is composed largely of cholesterol, lowering cholesterol could slow thought and memory connections. Statins may also lead to abnormal proteins forming in the brain, as seen in Alzheimer’s victims.

A new study may provide even more disturbing evidence as to the impact statins have on cognitive function.

This fascinating study published July 2008 in Glia by Dr. Goldman and Dr. Fraser Sim discovered that statin drugs inhibit a specific type of brain cell.

These specialized brain cells are called glial progenitor cells. Glial progenitor cells function much like stem cells. They spring into action when the brain has experienced some type of distress and transform into any type of cell needed by the brain. These adaptive cells help restore white matter after strokes, infection, trauma, or inflammation brought on by the aging process, or diseases like multiple sclerosis.

Statins negatively impact glial progenitor cells by switching off their adaptive capabilities. After statin exposure the glial progenitor cells permanently became oligodendrocytes cells.

The study concluded that: “This might reduce the available progenitor pool and hence degrade the long-term regenerative competence of the adult white matter.†Furthermore, Dr. Sims states: “Researchers need to look very carefully at what happens if these cells have been depleted prematurely.â€

These findings provide an enhanced awareness among neurologists and cardiologists of how cholesterol lowering statins drugs impact the brain. Several studies have attempted to show that statins provide some protection against dementia, but that evidence has been inconclusive at best. Meanwhile, some physicians are expressing concern that statins may actually increase the risk of dementia.

Resident of San Diego, 69 year old Jane Brunzie, was so forgetful that her daughter was looking into Alzheimer’s care and refused to let her babysit for her 9-year-old granddaughter. So Jane stopped taking her statin. “Literally, within eight days, I was back to normal — it was that dramatic,†says Mrs. Brunzie.

Jane Brunzie goes on to say “I feel very blessed — I got about 99% of my memory back, but I worry about people like me who are starting to lose their words who may think they have just normal aging and it may not be.â€

http://engineeredforhealth.com:80/2009/08/16/wondering-if-cholesterol-lowering-drugs-are-making-you-stupid-study-shows-they-may-be/

Other interesting articles on statins:

Truth vs Hype in the JUPITER Study (Justification for the Use of Statins in Prevention) by Dr. R. Eades

Ending the Cholesterol Heart Disease Myth by s Moritz

CoQ10 – Did You Know Statin Drugs Block this Heart Energy Catalyst? by J Lange