Cholesterol Lowering Drugs May Not Reduce Artery Plaque

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Cholesterol Lowering Drugs May Not Reduce Artery Plaque

 

Lowering your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol with statin drugs may not reduce

the rate at which " plaque " builds up in the arteries surrounding the

heart, according to a more recent study.

 

Researchers concluded that the commonly held belief that lower

cholesterol is better does not extend to the " reversal " of calcified

plaque progression with drugs.

 

American Journal of Cardiology August 1, 2003;92(3):334-6

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

And you almost believed the commercials and ads saying that cholesterol

drugs offer heart disease protection.

 

Well, as this study shows the " rate " at which plaque builds up in the

arteries surrounding the heart seems to be " unaffected " by how much LDL

( " bad " ) cholesterol is lowered using statin drugs like Zocor or Lipitor.

 

What many people don’t realize is that statins kill people--lots of

people--and they wound many, many more.

 

All patients taking statins become depleted inCoenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

eventually--those patients who start with relatively low

CoQ10 levels (the elderly and patients with heart failure) begin to

manifest signs/symptoms of CoQ10 deficiency relatively rapidly--in six

to 12 months.

Younger patients can tolerate the statins for several years before they

begin developing symptoms.

 

The bottom line here is that when you treat the symptoms of high

cholesterol with a drug you are in no way, shape or form treating the

" cause " .

It should come as no surprise that the artificial drugs cause serious

side effects.

 

Why risk your health by taking drugs when there are some simple natural

things you can do to " normalize " your cholesterol levels?

 

The first is to normalize your insulin levels by eliminating refined

sugar.

This works for most people unless they have a genetic defect called

familial hypercholsterolemia.

On a side note, eliminating sugar will inevitably cause beneficial side

effects, such as normalizing your weight, increasing your energy and

lowering your blood pressure and triglycerides.

 

Secondly, you can take a high-quality fish oil that is chock full of

beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. It is important to find a fish oil that

is independently tested by a lab and found to conform to purity

guidelines. This will ensure that the oil is free of mercury and other

toxins.

 

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 raise

cholesterol levels and 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.

 

Regular exercise is another important tool that may reduce your risk of

heart disease.

Related Articles:

Cholesterol Drugs Actually Cause Heart Disease

Cholesterol Drugs May Increase Cancer Risk

http://www.mercola.com/2003/sep/6/cholesterol_plaque.htm

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Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 10:16 pm

Post subject: Cut Your Cholesterol 30 points in 30 Days

--

Cholesterol always gets a bad rap—and it should. But it's important

to understand that cholesterol is a " fatty acid " that is naturally

found in the brain, nerves, liver, blood and bile—and is needed to

build cell membranes, insulate nerves, produce vitamin D, hormones,

and bile acid for digestion.

 

Necessary for hormone production

The hormones, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone are

manufactured from cholesterol. Also, adrenal corticosteroid hormones,

which regulate water balance through the kidneys, and cortisone, the

anti-inflammatory hormone that also controls our stress response, all

" come from " cholesterol.

 

Normally, the liver makes all the cholesterol your body needs.

 

Problem is, because of our poor dietary habits and sedentary life

styles, we produce way too much of the *wrong type* of cholesterol …

which increases our risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack and

stroke.

 

A cholesterol primer:

Cholesterol is carried in blood in the form of substances called

'lipoproteins'.

Cardiovascular risk can be assessed by measuring total blood

cholesterol, as well as the " proportions " of the different types of

lipoproteins.

 

1) Total cholesterol is the most common measure of blood cholesterol

and the only number many people get from their doctor.

 

Cholesterol is measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) of blood. A

total cholesterol reading less than 200 mg/dL means a lower risk of

heart disease, which everyone should try to attain.

(Although cholesterol is not the only marker for heart disease risk,

200-239 is borderline high cholesterol, and 240 and over is high

cholesterol).

 

Lipoproteins:

2) HDL cholesterol, the " good " cholesterol, helps " carry " LDL

cholesterol out of the body, including cholesterol deposited inside

blood vessels, where it may " block " the flow of blood.

 

If there is too much cholesterol for the HDLs to pick up, or an

inadequate supply of HDLs, cholesterol may " aggregate " into 'plaque'

groups that block arteries. Those blockages are the main cause of heart

attacks.

 

Remember that higher HDL is healthier.

A reading of less than 40 is low, at or greater than 60 is high, and

having a level of 60 or greater is considered a " negative' risk factor

that can offset another risk factor.

 

3) LDL cholesterol, the " bad " cholesterol, hauls cholesterol from the

liver to all cells in the body.

 

Remember that lower LDL is healthier.

 

A reading of less than 100 is optimal; 100-129 is near or above

optimal; 130-159, borderline high; 160-189, high; 190 or great is

very high.

 

Rule of thumb: You want to " raise " your *HDL* and lower your LDL.

 

 

4) Triglycerides make up most of the body's fat, and are the

storehouse for energy. Edible oils from seeds and animal " fats " also are

composed mainly of triglycerides. They may not be as corrosive as LDL,

but excess triglycerides exacerbate heart disease potential when they

" oxidize " and damage artery linings or induce blood cells to clump. A

reading of under 100 is optimal; under 200 is normal; 200-400 is

borderline high; over 400 is high.

 

When high triglycerides and low HDL occur together, risk of

cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, heart and kidney failure

and other degenerative diseases increase.

 

In fact, another up-and-coming index of heart disease risk is your

triglyceride-to-HDL ratio. A ratio of less than 2 is considered good.

 

The best ways to lower your triglyceride levels are:

1) to reduce your intake of refined simple carbohydrates, especially

refined sugar and starchy foods and

2) to take a high-quality (pharmaceutical) fish oil product.

 

• Reduce saturated fat intake to less than 7% of total calories and

total cholesterol intake to less than 200 mg a day.

* Add more vegetables and 10-25 grams of soluble fiber to your diet

(fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans).

* Exercise regularly, and reduce weight. Men should keep their

waistlines smaller than 40 inches, and women smaller than 35.

• People with diabetes who do not have heart disease are in the same

high-risk category as those who already have heart disease

 

" Studies show conclusively that lowering the level of LDL the " bad "

cholesterol, " can reduce the short-term risk for heart disease by as

much as 40%.

 

Dr. Claude Lenfant, director of the

" National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute "

 

=====================================================================

According to NDS Health, a health-care information services company

based in Atlanta, more than 110 million prescriptions were written

for statin drugs in 2001--

they're expensive … and they're not without risk.

 

The hidden side effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs-

Unfortunately, like most pharmaceuticals, these drugs usually have

side effects. The symptoms vary depending on the type of cholesterol

drug is being taken, but they include:

 

• Hot flashes

• Nausea

• Allergic reaction (skin rashes)

• Heartburn

• Dizziness

• Abdominal pain

• Constipation

• Decreased sexual desire

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Indigestion

• Peptic ulcers

• Gout

• High blood sugar

• Cholesterol gallstones

 

 

In addition to the above side effects, some drugs may carry the risk

of serious side effects, such as:

 

• Rhabdomyolysis - a muscle condition that can " cause " kidney failure

• Muscle pain or weakness

• Liver abnormalities

 

How do statins work?

 

Statins all work by the same mechanism: they 'inhibit' a liver 'enzyme'

called HMG CoA reductase that 'enables' the liver to make cholesterol.

 

The liver is the body's main source ofcholesterol.

 

But when the liver can not make its own, it removes cholesterol from

the blood to fulfill your body's other needs for cholesterol, as

previously described (see " Necessary for hormone production " ). '

 

Ideally, blood levels of cholesterol decrease, which reduces the

tendency for arteries to become clogged with fatty deposits.

 

Moderator's Note: The problem with this approach is that these drugs

deplete good cholesterol as well and as you can see we all need a

certain amount of good cholesterol as the basis for hormone production.

 

=====================================================================

Statin Hazards:

 

In a clinical advisory issued recently, the American College of

Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the National Heart,

Lung and Blood warned doctors about possible serious adverse effects

and factors that could increase the risk of statin-caused muscle

disorders.

 

In fact, in January 2002 Bayer Pharmaceutical announced that its

cholesterol drug *Baycol*

has been linked to approximately 100 deaths since its withdrawal from

the market in August 2001, and Baycol was recalled after it was linked

to about 40 deaths in the US. Bayer is currently facing several lawsuits

from patients who were injured while taking the drug.

 

New York Times health writer Jane E. Brody recently reported

(December 10, 2002) that last summer an 82-year-old Kansas woman died as

a result of an undetected muscle disease caused by the statin she had

been taking for years to " control " her cholesterol.

 

During the entire time she was taking it, the woman had muscle pains

that doctors never attributed to the drug.

" She even had a shoulder operation, which did nothing, of course, to

cure the drug-induced pain that might have been correctly diagnosed

through a simple blood test, " wrote Brody. " Then she was mistreated with

an anti-fungal agent for skin lesions that actually resulted, not from a

fungus, but from the muscle breakdown caused by the drug. "

 

It's been shown that when anti-fungals are combined with statins,

they can greatly increase the risk and severity of muscle

disorders.

 

" Within three months, the woman's condition worsened and

she became so weak she could not stand or breathe on her own. Two

weeks later, she was dead, " reported Brody.

 

Public Citizen Calls for Stronger Warnings on Statins:

Statins may also cause a liver disorder in about one percent of

patients. Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, has petitioned

the FDA for stronger warnings on all statin drugs in the wake of the

August 2001 recall of Baycol. The petition asks the FDA to include a

warning that muscle pain or weakness can lead to muscle damage.

 

---

Post subject: LOWER THAT LDL CHOLESTEROL- (It Can Kill You)

--

More than anything else, the *types* of fat you eat affect your

" cholesterol " levels.

It's everywhere: Some 40 to 50 percent of every calorie the average

American consumes comes from fat. Fat comes mainly from foods of animal

origin — meat, milk, cheese, butter and Dairy products.

It also comes from oils.

But fat is hidden in virtually every processed and packaged food known

to man-—cookies, crackers, chips, dips, frozen dinners, snacks, cakes,

pies— you name it, it's loaded with fat.

And don't forget fast foods- hamburgers, fried chicken, pizza,

tacos— are high-fat foods to start with and they're generally cooked

in lard or some other type of saturated fat so these

foods pose even more of a problem.

====================================================================

Types of fat:

There are two kinds of fat: saturated and unsaturated.

Unsaturated fats are classified into polyunsaturated and monounsaturated

fats.

 

The foods we eat from day to day contain a mixture of all three.

The worst for elevating LDL (bad) cholesterol is saturated fat. It is

solid at room temperature. Generally, as we saw earlier, it comes from

foods of animal origin, but some plant and vegetable oils (such as

coconut and palm oil) contain them as well.

 

Doctors say fewer than 10 percent of your total calories should come

from saturated fats because it, more than anything else, causes blood

cholesterol levels to skyrocket.

 

Foods high in saturated fats - the worst offenders:

Butter, beef, veal, pork, cheeses, chocolate, lard, milk, palm oil,

vegetable shortening, margarines, mayonnaise, ice cream, lobster and

shellfish.

 

Monounsaturated (oleic) fats:

Monounsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature.

They come mainly from plant foods. They have a deserved reputation as

being " better for you " than saturated fats because the liver does not

" synthesize " them into bad cholesterol.

 

Most Nutritionists claim that monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) do not raise

total cholesterol or lower HDL (good) cholesterol. In most cases, these

types of fat ( also known as omega 9 or oleic

acids) may actually have a 'beneficial' effect.

They lower total LDL cholesterol levels and raise " HDL " (good

cholesterol) as well.

 

Foods high in monounsaturated fats:

Avocado, cashews, olives, extra-virgin olive oil.

Almonds, filberts, pecans, fish (cold water fish such as water packed

sardines and alaskan salmon) and sunflower oil.

 

" Vegetable " oils are not necessarily as good for you as advertisers

would like you to believe! Whenever you see the words, " hydrogenated

oil " or " partially hydrogenated oil " , beware!

 

This is the type of fat you're most likely to find in packaged foods—it

is extremely unhealthy and a 'causative' factor in weight gain!

 

The word " hydrogenated " simply means that polyunsaturated fats have been

converted from their natural liquid to a more solid state through the

process of *hydrogenation*. The process of hydrogenation creates

transfats!

As the transformation takes place, the naturally unsaturated fats in the

oils turn into deadly artery-clogging saturated fats.

Be extremely cautious every time you see " made with pure vegetable

oils " . It doesn't mean a thing if the vegetable oil has undergone

" hydrogenation " .

 

Three schools of thought:

Organizations such as the American Heart Association say you should

get no more than 30 percent of all your calories from fat.

That's the minimum reduction to prevent *arteriosclerosis*.

 

Many leading cardiologists believe that the above recommendation does

not go far enough. They have their patients aim for an even greater

reduction of fat intake, which they say is necessary to obtain

meaningful protection from heart attack.

 

Dr. Sheldon Saul Hendler, author of the " Vitamin and Mineral

Encyclopedia " (Simon and Schuster) and professor of medicine at the

University of California at San Diego, says the " ideal

cholesterol-lowering diet " consists of only 20 percent calories from

fat.

 

Then there's the school of thought led by Dr. Dean Ornish, author

and founder and director of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine

Research Institute in California and Professor of Medicine at the

University of California in San Diego, and long advocated by Dr. John

McDougall, of St. Helena Hospital, in Santa Rosa, CA, and others.

They are on the farthest end of the spectrum.

 

They say that no one should consume more than 10 percent of total

calories in the form of fat. Dr. Ornish's landmark Heart Disease

Reversal studies have shown that at that low intake level of fat, you

can unclog arteries and undo heart disease if including the beneficial

omegas as well.

 

Start with the most conservative cholesterol-reduction option and

work from there. Don't be satisfied with 30 percent of calories from

fat; look at it as a temporary stage along the way.

 

But get comfortable with each stage as you go before progressing to the

next.

 

Regarding oils: Some people would have you believe refined oils, because

they contain unsaturated fats, are ok. Well, that can be DECEPTIVE! " Fat

is FAT " , says Dr. John Mc Dougall, " and no oil qualifies as health food!

 

 

Tests at the University of Texas and throughout the Mediterranean

have shown that *monounsaturated* fats (MUFA)s provide the most benefit.

 

They lower total cholesterol slightly while raising good HDL cholesterol

as well.

 

The best source of these " monounsaturated " fats

is extra-virgin Olive Oil!

 

Dietary Cholesterol:

Food Portion Cholesterol

 

Whole milk 1 cup- 34 mgs

Cheddar cheese 1 oz.- 30 mgs

Ice Cream 1 oz. -88 mgs

Butter 1 Tbs- 33 mgs

Mayonnaise 1 Tbs 27- mgs

Organic Lean Beef 4 oz- 80 mgs

Amish Chicken 4 oz- 100 mgs

Oysters 4 oz- 225 mgs

 

Beware of packaged foods touting a " no cholesterol " label. While this

may be true, it does not necessarily mean the food is healthful. Once

you read the label, you may discover it contains a great deal of

" refined " polyunsaturated fats and oils.

 

If that's the case, it can raise cholesterol and clog your arteries as

well.

 

A significant source of saturated fat is from " tropical " oils, such

as coconut and palm oil. Many manufacturers have removed them, but

you'll still find them in " non-dairy "

creamers, breakfast cereals and whipped toppings.

Keep an eye out for them and avoid them!

 

Easy Fat " Tips "

Here are five ways to reduce your fat intake. Put one into practice

per week for the next five weeks, and you'll knock the

numbers off your cholesterol total without having to count!

 

1.) If you fry foods often, commit to using other cooking

methods, such as poaching, steaming, baking or broiling.

 

2.) Learn how to stir-fry with sesame oil and sauté' with extra-virgin

olive oil.

 

3.) If you use Trans -fatty salad dressings and mayonnaise, resolve

to switch to an organic brand or use a small amount of extra-virgin

olive oil with vinegar for your salads.

 

4.) If you cook regularly with butter or lard, make a commitment

right now to switch to heart healthy

extra-virgin olive oil.

 

5.) If you use organic butter on pancakes, potatoes and

vegetables, cut the amount you use in half, then find substitutes,

such as non-gmo Soy Garden spread or organic yogurt.

 

From the book,

" Cut Your Cholesterol 30 points in 30 Days! " A Drug-free,

doctor-approved plan--By James O'Brien

 

 

 

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