How Statin Drugs Wreck Your Muscles

[Guest guest]

How Statin Drugs Wreck Your Muscles

Statins, a popular set of drugs used to lower cholesterol, can result in

muscle weakness and pain, and even debilitating and life-threatening muscle

damage. A new study offers the first evidence that a gene known as atrogin-1

plays a key role in statin-related muscle toxicity.

Statins such as Lipitor, Zocor, Pavacol and Mevacor lower cholesterol by

inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, a key enzyme in cholesterol synthesis. But they

may also activate the gene atrogin-1 gene, which plays a key role in muscle

atrophy.

Three separate tests showed that even at low concentrations, statin drugs

led to atrogin-1 induced muscle damage. As the concentration was increased, the

damage increased as well.

Sources:

a.. Newswise November 27, 2007

a.. The Journal of Clinical Investigation December 2007; 117(12):3940-51

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Statins, which are a class of drugs used to lower your cholesterol, are

among the most commonly prescribed medications in the world, and I believe, one

of the most unnecessary drugs there is.

With at least 12 million Americans taking statins, and experts'

recommendations that another 23 million " should " be taking them, it's important

to remain educated on this issue. Especially since statin drugs are linked to

many, many dangerous side effects.

Are the Benefits Worth the Risks?

There are several different statin drugs currently available on the U.S.

market. If you, or anyone you love takes any of these drugs, I highly recommend

you review their prescribing information by clicking on the drug brand below.

These " package inserts " will also tell you some (but surely not all) of the most

common side effects associated with them.

a.. Lipitor (atorvastatin) - Pfizer

b.. Zocor (simvastatin) - Merck

c.. Pravachol (pravastatin) - Bristol-Myers Squibb

d.. Mevacor (lovastatin) - Merck

e.. Crestor (rosuvastatin) - AstraZeneca

Statins have been known to cause muscle weakness and pain, but no one knew

exactly why. This latest study sheds some valuable information on the subject

and adds to your arsenal when discussing whether or not you really need to be

taking a statin drug with your doctor.

There are a small group of people with genetic enzyme defects that have

cholesterols levels above 325-350. These are about the only individuals in my

experience, who seem to benefit from statins. In my clinical experience over

more than two decades and thousands of patients, there have been a grand total

of three patients that required statins to control this genetic problem.

One thing is for sure. You should NOT ignore these symptoms, as they can

deteriorate into even more dangerous conditions, including death. For example,

Bayer's statin, Baycol, was pulled from the market in 2001 after 31 people died

from rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which muscle tissue breaks down resulting in

kidney failure.

Other serious and potentially life threatening side effects include, but

are not limited to:

a.. An increase in cancer risk

b.. Immune system suppression

c.. Serious degenerative muscle tissue condition (rhabdomyolysis)

d.. Potential increase in liver enzymes so patients must be monitored

for normal liver function

e..

Why Statins are One of the Most Unnecessary Drugs in Medicine

Statin drugs work by preventing the formation of cholesterol, and reduce

LDL cholesterol, which is considered the " bad " cholesterol.

There is no argument that these drugs do work very well at lowering your

cholesterol levels. However, they in no way, shape or form, treat the cause of

your problem. They are nothing more than a potentially toxic band-aid.

So just what is the problem with statins, and why don't you need them to

manage your cholesterol levels?

Well, first of all, you need to understand that there is no such thing as

" good " or " bad " cholesterol. Both HDL and LDL cholesterol perform vital

functions in your body, which is why it's actually dangerous to bring your LDL

levels down too low.

HDL (high density lipoprotein) and LDL (low density lipoprotein) are

actually proteins that transport the cholesterol to and from your tissues.

Cholesterol in turn is a precursor to steroid hormones. For example, you can't

make testosterone or estrogen, cortisol, DHEA or pregnenolone, or a multitude of

other steroid hormones that are necessary for health, without cholesterol. Even

more importantly, you can't make new cell membranes without cholesterol.

So, the major reasons your body makes cholesterol in the first place, and

why you have LDL, is to take the cholesterol to the tissue so you can make new

cells or repair old damaged ones.

However, there are different sizes of LDL particles and it's the LDL

particle size that is relevant. Unfortunately, most people don't hear about that

part, and very rarely, if ever, get it tested. Naturally, the drug companies

really don't want you to know that part of the science, because it would

severely limit the number of people going on cholesterol-lowering drugs, since

statins do not modulate the size of the particles.

The only way to make sure your LDL particles are large enough to not get

stuck and cause inflammation and damage is through diet. In fact, it's one of

the major things that insulin does. If you eat properly, which is really the

only known good way to regulate LDL particle size, then it does the right thing;

it takes the cholesterol to your tissues, the HDL takes it back to your liver,

and nothing gets stuck causing damage.

The second thing you need to know is that statins work by reducing the

enzyme that causes your liver to make cholesterol when it is stimulated by high

insulin levels. Again, you can achieve the same, or better, result by simply

reducing your insulin levels by eliminating sugar and most grains.

Additionally, statins are non-specific inhibitors of not just one, but a

number of very important liver enzymes. For example, not only do they block HMG

coenzyme A reductase, they also block Coenzyme Q10.

CoQ10 is a vital enzyme that your body needs for energy and cardiovascular

health. It is widely recommended to repair heart damage, boost the function of

the heart and acts as a protectant against heart attacks and valve damage.

Additionally, CoQ10 has been shown to be beneficial in heart and lung cancer, as

well as maintain cognitive function. Thus, when you take statins your production

of this enzyme is dramatically depleted and you do not reap the health benefits

associated with it.

What's the Best Way to Normalize Your Cholesterol?

Just about every person, other than the tiny minority with the genetic

enzyme defects mentioned above, can normalize their cholesterol levels with the

Total Health Program, which includes modifying your eating habits based on your

body's unique nutritional type.

If you truly want to normalize your cholesterol levels, following these

simple lifestyle changes can get you there:

a.. First, normalize your insulin levels by eliminating sugar and

grains.

b.. Second, you can take a high-quality krill oil or fish oil that is

chock full of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.

c.. Additionally, if you are a man, or a woman who is in menopause, you

should check your iron levels, as elevated levels of iron can cause major

oxidative damage in the blood vessels, heart and other organs. Excess iron is

also one of the major contributing factors of cancer risk.

d.. Regular exercise is another important tool that can help.

e.. Energy Psychology methods such as Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)

can also be helpful for cholesterol. Read this press release for the

possibilities. Doctors Use New Acupressure Technique to Lower Cholesterol and

Triglyceride Levels: Medications Unnecessary

f.. Stick to the Healthy Dietary Advice You Read in this Newsletter!

Read about the hypnosis program I recommend for dietary adherence.

The pen is mightier than the sword, it's said, and one of my goals is to

send out the message that statin drugs are clearly not the weapon of choice for

high cholesterol. I urge you to share this information as well, by forwarding

this article to your friends and family.

Related Articles:

The Truth About Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs (Statins), Cholesterol and Health

The Dangers of Statin Drugs: What You Haven't Been Told About

Cholesterol-Lowering Medication

Crestor and Other Statins: Are They Really Worth the Risk?