One of the most common causes of heart failure is a lack of energy due to a deficiency of mineral or nutrients supplying the heart. Adding a drug is seldom the solution.  Indeed drugs that take out a specific co-enzyme, CoQ-10, are arguably the greatest cause of heart failure. Over 120 drugs are known to reduce CoQ-10.  The worst by far are cholesterol lowering drugs. More than one study shows twice the heart failure rate of those on statin drugs. The statin (cholesterol lowering) drugs not only reduce the cholesterol production in the liver but also take out production of CoQ-10.  With age the supply of CoQ-10 also diminishes.

Why is CoQ-10 so important?  It is like cardiologist Stephen Sinatra says, “it’s the spark that ignites the ATP energy molecule”…   in every cell in your body.  Multiple good studies show a 65% to 70%  increase in muscle pain and weakness  when cholesterol lowering statin drugs are taken without the supplementation of CoQ-10.  The heart muscle is so weak from a lack of energy it simply fails.

Cardiologist Dr. Sinatra says 70% of the people he sees on the cholesterol lowering drugs also have muscle pain and weakness. All muscles and tissues of the body are weakened by a lack of energy.  Every cell in your body needs CoQ-10.  Unfortunately the drug companies have successfully kept this hidden from the majority of doctors and the public.

According to Dr. Sinatra the popularity of prescribing statin drugs is because they have an anti-oxidant effect which reduces inflammation…the real cause of cardiovascular problems. Inflammation in the blood  was shown at Mayo Clinic and Harvard University research to be a much more reliable indicator of cardiovascular problems than LDL cholesterol.  (Half the people with heart attack and stroke have “normal” cholesterol)  Unfortunately other anti-oxidants to reduce inflammation are more effective and without the side effects of the statin drugs. (Drug companies don’t want you to know this.)

Congestive heart disease means that the heart simply becomes so weak it cannot supply enough needed blood to the heart tissue. Swollen ankles and legs are typical symptoms of congestive heart disease because the blood pools there.   The exhausted  heart muscle cannot get enough energy and nourishment to pump blood; so death can result due to low blood flow and heart stoppage.

Congestive heart failure commonly occurs when there is too little ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the fuel every cell in your body needs. The “firing” and “burn” of ATP needs CoQ-10 enzyme. CoQ-10 is depleted with age and the use of statins (cholesterol lowering drugs).  A warning sign is severe weakness and even muscle pain and swollen lower legs.

There are many factors causing death due to heart disease.  Heart failure is only one problem. Fortunately there are simple, inexpensive ways to reduce coronary heart disease… that can result in death.  I recently compiled a concise but comprehensive  book on coronary heart disease.  It is listed at Amazon’s kindle store.  Here is a direct link.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005ISP158

Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

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