Cholesterol lowering (statin) drugs are the most popularly prescribed drugs, but are they a health benefit?  “Negative effects of statins include neurological injury, digestive problems, liver damage, and serious CoQ10 deficiencies-not to mention the additional costs of the new prescriptions.”… Stephen Sinatra, M.D. , board certified in internal medicine and cardiology.  He goes on to say “Statins appear to have anti-inflammatory effects, but to me it hardly seems worth the downside…” Hundreds of studies support his position.

Harvard researcher and cardiologist, Paul Ridker, M.D. says this: “We have to think of heart disease as an inflammatory disease.” This clearly explains why half of those who have heart attacks have normal or low cholesterol.  Anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin dramatically reduce heart disease, but also have detrimental side effects. In spite of this, the myth still persists that cholesterol coronary artery disease must be reduced by lowering cholesterol.

Any one who takes the time to examine research on heart disease will find thousands of studies that demonstrate that inflammation, as evidenced by C-Reactive protein and other inflammatory markers, correlates to increased heart attacks. Cardiovascular inflammation is a reliable predictor of heart disease and stroke, cholesterol is not.  Cholesterol lowering statins enormously help the bottom line profits of drug companies, but do they help you?

Good research demonstrates that low cholesterol raises havoc with the sex hormones, testosterone and estrogens.  Ditto for vitamin D.  These all have in common the core molecule of cholesterol.  It is necessary for their production. A more comprehensive coverage of this travesty and misconception, for the public and many doctors, can be found in my 9 page free report on these sites (http://naturalhealthsecrets.ws) or at: http://www.heart-disease-risk.com …Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

Technorati Tags: cholesterol coronary artery disease, cholesterol lowering statins, statin drugs

A total of 83 patients were involved in the study. Of these, 44 were on statins, and complaining of muscle pain. Nineteen of the statin drug users were without complaints.   Twenty more were not on statin drugs and were used as controls to measure against as “normal”.

The testing involved a needle biopsy on the front thigh muscle. This involved extraction of a small amount of muscle tissue with the syringe.  Under the microscope the syringed samples were examined.    Out of the 44 who complained of pain, 25 demonstrated significant damage to the muscle tissue.   That amounts to 57% of those tested.  You may ask why not all of the statin users tested?  It was concluded the probable explanation for this damage free group was they had not been on the statin drugs long enough to exhibit muscle damage.

An interesting result of the study was the fact that of those 25 who demonstrated muscle damage, 96% had acceptable levels of creatine phosphokinase. The significance of this is creatine phosphokinase is considered a reliable indicator of damage occurring to muscle when it really is not reliable!  Even if your doctor tests you for muscle damage, the results will not prove anything.

In other posts on this blog http://naturalhealthsecrets.ws I have noted other damage, such as twice the heart failure rate on those taking a cholesterol lowering statin drug.  In addition reliable studies such as the large one done by Harvard University found fully half of those having heart attacks had normal (150 to 200) cholesterol. Yet another study demonstrated after 75 your life expectance was longer if cholesterol levels were higher.  I believe the evidence is overwhelming that cholesterol lowering statins cause more damage than benefit…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

Technorati Tags: cholesterol lowering statins, muscle damage, statin drugs

Dr. Julian Whitaker reports in his February 2009 newsletter about prescriptions: “Drugs are Bankrupting the Country”. Medicare prescription drug benefits represent a $17,000,000,000,000 (17 trillion) unfunded liability. That would amount to more than one third of the social security’s unfunded liability.

With talk of expanding the health care program to as many as 47 million more who knows what the price tag will be?  Will the medical system be able to handle the enormous influx of extra patients?

Sources report that the U.S. residents consume 50% of the world’s prescription drugs but we are only 5% of the world’s population.  Dozens of M.D’s, even cardiologists, are beginning to see the “rip off” occurring  with drugs and pay attention to better scientific evidence.

Recently Pfizer Drug  Company was fined 2 billion, 400 million dollars for misleading and false advertising. No problem…they have deep pockets.  They generate over 12 billion dollars per year on just one drug, a cholesterol lowering statin called Lipitor.  Most alternative medical doctors condemn the long term prescribing Lipitor and the other cholesterol lowering statin drugs.  The overwhelming consensus of current research is that lowering cholesterol does not reduce cardiovascular accidents.  (Half of those with heart attack are in the normal range of cholesterol…150 to 200. This was a huge study done at Harvard University Medical).  Another study showed that after 75 years of age, those with high cholesterol lived longer.

Ironically it can be argued that prescription drugs are actually destroying our health and health care system. Statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau states that we are 42nd in longevity worldwide.  A recent study by the World Health Organization listed us as 24th in longevity, previously they listed us as 37th.  I am skeptical that we have actually improved that much. There are over 600 lobbyists just for drug companies…far exceeding the number in congress and the senate who make the laws.  Are they influential?  I believe so.

The analysis cited by Dr. Whitaker was from IMS Health.  The total prescriptions written have increased by 72% in the last 10 years.  Hard to believe, but that would now mean 12.6 prescriptions per person in this country.

Cost is a huge problem but patient health is arguably more important.  The paradox is that the more drugs are prescribed, the more unhealthy the population becomes!

The FDA (Federal Drug Administration) who is the “watch dog” for U.S. citizens is receiving record numbers of serious, adverse drug reports.  Over 100,000 people are killed each year from prescription drugs.  A report in the Journal of the American Medical Association listed prescription drugs as the 4th leading cause of death in the United States…years ago.  (JADA…April 1998) I believe it is far worse today due to under reporting and increased drug usage.

Medical Dr. Julian Whitaker in his February 2009 newsletter provides a chart of 16 drug classes that are problematic. I would like to focus on just one of these categories, that of blood thinners. They are often prescribed with high blood pressure or in the case of dangerous blood clots.

In the case of “thick blood”, due to excess fibrin, blood thinners are often recommended.  Increased fibrin, causing increased blood clotting and increased blood pressure, prompts doctors to prescribe blood thinning drugs such as Coumadin.

As you may know Coumadin was originally used (and still is) as a rat and mouse killer. It works by causing bleeding that results in unstoppable hemorrhage until death.  Of course carefully controlled doses are given to humans, but bleeding does become more of a health hazard for the patient… especially with an injury.

A number of diseases warrant thinning the blood. Diabetes, kidney disease, Crohn’s  disease, obesity, arthritis, lung disease are common ones.  These diseases tend to increase PAT-1 which reduces the enzyme plasminogin that naturally counteracts the excess fibrin.

There is good argument to avoid blood thinning drugs like Coumadin. Drugs are foreign substances that tax the body in some way. Blood thinning drugs have a thin margin of error and different people respond differently to drugs.   Of course this should be discussed with your medical doctor who is best able to assess the actual risk hazard of thick blood, and what the best treatment would be.

According to alternative medical doctors and researchers there are arguably better natural substitutes. They are proteolytic enzymes that break down proteins.  Fibrin is a protein.  Some foods that contain these are nattokinase (fermented soy) bromolain (pineapple) and papin (papaya)

You can actually buy enzyme supplements that have a variety of enzymes contained in them.  They usually have digestive as well as the proteolytic enzymes mentioned already.  They should not be added to your diet if you are already on a blood thinning drug.  They will increase the bleeding tendency.

The proteolytic enzymes attack protein. One drug in Germany is  the 2^nd largest selling over the counter drug for pain relief.  It is called Wobezyme.  Pain is often caused by an inflammatory protein that is reduced by Wobezyme. It is also an excellent blood thinner…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

Technorati Tags: Health care costs, prescription drugs, statin drugs

I quote neurosurgeon and researcher, Dr. Russell Blaylock:  “While I am opposed to the use of statin drugs, if you must take them, at least take 100 mg of CoQ-10 a day in the form of ubiquinol.” Source: Blaylock Wellness Report, July 2009.   Muscle weakness occurs in all muscles when CoQ-10 is deficient because energy production is impacted.  Heart muscle suffers the most, causing heart failure.

Heart failure also comes from deficiencies of magnesium and the presence of MSG (mono sodium glutamate). This has to do with electrical conduction that produces heart arrhythmia.  First, regarding magnesium.  The majority of  U.S. residents are deficient in magnesium…so a little has to go a long ways.  It is necessary in 325 chemical reactions of the body, sometimes only as a catalyst.

Magnesium is extremely important in cardiovascular health. It plays a significant role in protecting heart, blood vessels and the brain.  In the laboratory it was found that cells low in magnesium aged much quicker.  Aging diseases such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome…diabetes 2, some cancers, Parkinson’s, and osteoporosis all appear to be accelerated by low magnesium levels.

Magnesium regulates heartbeat, lowers blood pressure, relaxes cramped muscles and can stop acute asthmatic attacks. It works with calcium for optimum function of muscles. Without adequate amounts of magnesium and calcium, cramping of muscles occurs. Not a lot of magnesium is required in many of the body’s biochemical reactions because it acts as a catalyst; nonetheless a deficiency will be the weak link that breaks the chain of events in the body’s biochemistry.

Regarding the flavor enhancer, MSG:  It not only overexcites the nerve cells of the brain, causing damage, it also detrimentally affects the heart.

The coronary arteries of the heart have glutamate receptors in their endothelial linings. This makes them vulnerable to oxidative damage and inflammation.  Inflammation is the primary cause of all heart disease. (It damages cardiac tissue and attracts LDL cholesterol plaque, producing atherosclerosis).

Omega 3’s, especially the DHA ingredient, “has been shown to reduce over activity of the glutamate receptors and may do so in the heart muscle and the heart’s electrical systems”...according to Dr. Russell Blaylock.

Mainstream medicine, as well as alternative medicine, clearly agree that omega 3’s are beneficial in heart health. Many studies show all around better heart health and reduced arrhythmias  (that produce heart failure).

Both magnesium deficiency and significant amounts of MSG co-relate to arrhythmias and ultimately heart failures.

The “take away” from this information is make sure you have adequate levels  of omega 3’s (fish oil, flax oil, hemp oil), CoQ-10 and magnesium.  Avoid MSG (mono-sodium glutamate)…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

Technorati Tags: CoQ-10, heart failure, magnesium, MSG, statin drugs

It’s a real paradox…seemingly untrue fact. In spite of spending  2.2 trillion dollars a year… United  States health is not the best in the world; in one report it is even worse than Cuba’s.  It’s terrible, we live a shortened life expectancy! The U.S. Census says we are 42nd in longevity in the world. It seems we have proceeded down the wrong path for a long time.

Paradoxically it all started with one of the greatest medical breakthroughs, when Louis Pasteur discovered that germs ( unseen microorganisms…bacteria, fungus,viruses) are the cause of infections and breakdown of general health.  With sanitation and more sterile medical procedures, the survival rates skyrocketed and complications of surgery plummeted.

This spawned a pathway of “treat the pathogens, invaders and substances” that breakdown our bodies and thereby stop a disease. There was an opposing school of thought that followed the path of “strengthen the body and its natural defenses”.  Alternative medicine is that opposing school of thought which emerged.   Whole foods, vitamins, minerals and supplements are emphasized before drugs.

Alternative medicine emphasizes the natural and anything that fuels the strength and immunity of the body by providing the nutrients and raw materials for optimal function. God created a marvelous “machine” called human body which can endure many insults and assaults and not only survive, but also repair itself.

The school of  “treat the pathogens and symptoms when they appear” now prevails. The alternative school which emphasizes “strengthen the defenses and try to prevent and deny disease any opportunities” appears ridiculed and ignored. Treat the symptoms means that drugs become the weapons of health.  But are they really?

Drug companies have thrived and greatly prospered. The public is duped into believing that a drug can cure or prevent any ill.  People want a quick solution and “pills” seem to be the answer. Over twenty billion dollars a year is spent on a single class of drugs…cholesterol lowering statins.  Numerous studies show they do not significantly extend life expectancy.   Drugs and doctors never heal, your body heals itself. At best, drugs are an aid, a help to the body.

Let’s go back to the longevity statistics.  Multiple sources confirm this fact of poor health and longevity in USA:

•    World Health Organization’s recent report is the best…we are 24th in longevity
•    United Nations Health says 38th  in longevity
•    United States Census says 42nd in longevity

Most degenerative diseases are preventable.  This includes heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes 2. Mainstream medicine and the mainstream press seem little interested in publishing compelling reports of cures that are proven in scientific studies from other countries and from alternatives research…Denis Van Loan DDS

Technorati Tags: alternative care, longevity, statin drugs

I have previously reported on the numerous health hazards of cholesterol lowering statin drugs.  (a comprehensive report is available from this site).  Virtually all the alternative doctors, including cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra, all agree statin drugs are seldom justified.  In spite of this they are prescribed and consumed more than any other drug in the world. (over 20 billion dollars in revenue for drug companies)

Board certified cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra reports on a colleague, Dr. Duane Graveline (M.D.) that suffered severe TGA ( transient memory regression & cognitive decline) while on the statin drug Lipitor… for only 5 months. Fortunately it reversed when he stopped taking Lipitor.

Dr. Graveline started a website and estimates 7,500 “statin damaged”  people emailed him for help because of health damage believed due to their drug.

According to Dr. Sinatra “researchers are now saying that if you deprive the brain of cholesterol, you directly affect its ability to process data and build memory.”

Dr. Duane Graveline’s further research on the subject found problems such as  TGA, forgetfulness, disorientation and confusion.  It can make senility worse. To quote him: “the mechanism of this side effect is clearly rooted in the synthesis of cholesterol and is fundamental (for proper function of the mind)”

Here-to-for I have reported, along with many doctors and researchers, on the health hazards of muscle weakness (65% to 70%), low energy, disruption of vitamin D, testosterone, estrogens and cortisol.  These are clearly associated with the use of cholesterol lowering stain drugs.  In addition, the heart failure rate is shown to be twice as high… in multiple studies.  (due to weak heart muscle)

Space does not allow a full disclosure of the health hazards of the cholesterol lowering drugs.  You can obtain a free copy of the cholesterol report on ths site by leaving your name and email address.  (There is absolutely no sales pitch to get this free report)…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

Technorati Tags: cholesterol lowering statin, memory loss, statin drugs, TGA

Finally, the medical press is acknowledging the fact of more than twice the heart failure rate for those on statin drugs. The American Journal of Cardiology report demonstrated heart healthy patients placed on Lipitor (world’s largest selling drug) produced a 71% heart failure rate in a period of only 3 to 6 months.

It is well known and documented in alternative health literature; there is at least twice the heart failure rate for those taking cholesterol lowering drugs.  Why?

Statin drugs take out a liver enzyme that causes the liver to produce needed CoQ-10 and cholesterol. Your body produces three fourths of your cholesterol because it is essential for all cell membranes, steroidal hormones and vitamin D production. (only one fourth of cholesterol is obtainable from your diet)

The CoQ-10 is needed in all the 70  trillion cells of your body for energy production.  Here-in lies the weak link that causes heart failure. Cardiologist Stephen Sinatra reports the heart needs at least 4 to 5 times the energy that other tissues need.  When CoQ-10 is reduced the energy production by the mitochondria of your cells is deficient.  The heart muscle becomes weak and heart failure occurs.

Powerful self interests of drug companies do not want you to know this because the revenue stream for statin drugs is enormous… 20 billion dollars per year. Drug companies pay for research and patronize doctors with perks.  Drug lobbyists influence legislation.  The FDA (Federal Drug Administration) is understaffed and conflict of interest (ties to drug companies) is shown in some cases. The net result is the majority of medical doctors believe they are helping their patients by placing them on cholesterol lowering drugs.

I won’t waste your time re-iterating what I’ve already documented in a free 7 page report on cholesterol and CoQ-10…available here on this site.  If you are interested you can read the full report…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

Technorati Tags: cholesterol, heart failure, statin drugs

Here is the problem I have with this. I believe evidence indicates it is unnecessarily expensive, unhealthy and a drug “rip off”.  Lipitor is reportedly the largest selling drug in the world, generating over 12 billion dollars for its parent company, Pfizer.

According to an alternatives researcher Gary Null, PhD., the ingredients of the pill cost 5.8 cents per pill.  It typically sold for $2.72.  Some doctors say more like $3.00 to $5.00 per pill.

If it were a scarce commodity, I could understand the enormous profit, but it is not.  If its benefits outweighed the negatives I probably would not complain. They do not. I see the sum total of good benefits are far outweighed by the bad ones. There is compelling evidence that statin drugs like Lipitor are a health hazard…studies show no significant co-relation to reduction in heart disease.

Many well controlled studies show muscle weakness in two thirds of those on cholesterol lowering drugs. (The Co enzyme, CoQ-10, is taken out with the statin drugs, causing muscle weakness especially for the heart.) According to cardiologist Steven Sinatra any slight improvement in heart attack from cholesterol lowering drugs can be explained by its mild anti-inflammatory effect. There are other more potent, less expensive, anti-inflammatory supplements.

The many cortico-steroid hormones from the adrenal cortex…testosterone, estrogens, cortisol (stress hormone) and dozens more… manufacture their hormone using the core molecule of cholesterol. Excessive depletion of cholesterol reduces these hormones as well as one of the most important vitamins to your bone health and immunity…vitamin D.

According to board certified cardiologist, Steven Sinatra, M.D., he reports that the heart failure rate of people on statin drugs (like Lipitor) is twice that of the rest of the population.

I should explain the rationale of why the idea of cholesterol lowering seemed like a good idea in order to reduce the incidence of heart disease.  Cholesterol plaque that chips off from blood vessels and plug the coronary vessels in the heart, are found in heart attack victims.  Also those plugs of plaque that block cerebral vessels of the brain cause stroke.  The simple reasoning was that lowering circulating cholesterol would lower heart attack and stroke.  Wrong!

Plenty of creditable studies have shown that the amount of circulating cholesterol does not determine whether you have a stroke or heart attack. Half the people who have heart attack are supposedly in the safe, low range statistically. Numerous studies have shown that the amount of blood cholesterol does not co-relate with a stroke or heart attack.  People with high cholesterol sometimes have no more, or can even have fewer, heart attacks than those with low cholesterol. (That includes the high ratio of LDL…the “bad kind”). The real culprit is inflammation in blood vessel linings…which  attracts cholesterol.

For more information on this subject, keep in touch through this free blog for more valuable information on heart disease and health in general. From time to time I will make posts that mainstream medicine does not address. Forward this to a friend or give them my blogsite @ http://naturalhealthsecrets.ws Denis Van Loan, DDS

Technorati Tags: cholesterol, heart attack, heart disease, heart failure, high cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, Lipitor, low cholesterol, statin drugs, stroke