Scariest Side Effect of Statins

[Guest guest]

April 19, 2009

 

From The Desk of The People's Chemist:

 

 

(http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3IoXNIbFDy2he31a5AhNZA?feat=embedwebsite)

I recently sounded the alarm about statin (cholesterol lowering drug)

induced Lou Gehrig's Disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in OnFitness

Magazine.

 

This is an urgent message that media has been ignoring for years, until

now. Apparently it's been so destructive, they just can't look away. You can

help others to learn about the tragedy and avoid it by forwarding the below

interview.

 

 

 

Cholesterol-Lowering Drug-Induced Lou Gehrigs Disease (ALS)

 

Interview by OnFitness Magazine with Shane " The People's Chemist " Ellison,

M.S.

 

What physiologically happens in the brain and spinal cord that is

amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)?

 

ALS occurs when cells of the nervous system (brain and spinal chord)

become inactive. This can result from many cellular dysfunctions. It usually

results from dysfunctional tau proteins – or simply put, a protein

entanglement within the nerve cell. Tau proteins are responsible for ensuring

cellular

integrity as well as the ability of the nervous system to transport

electrical messages through the body.

 

If tau proteins are tangled, the outcome is loss of voluntary muscle

control. As time passes, atrophy (muscle wasting) results. Victims of ALS

usually die from inability to breathe due to extreme muscle loss.

 

How do statins lead to ALS?

 

Statin use has been shown to cause tau protein entanglement.

 

You've mentioned thus far that ALS is caused by, and results from, tau

protein entanglement. Yet ALS researches say they don't know the cause of this

disease. Can you elaborate on this disparity?

 

The disparity exists because scientists are not exactly sure what causes

the tau protein to become " tangled. " Is it a nutrient deficiency? Is it a

pesticide? Is it a drug? Is it free radicals? Is it genetics? Is it all of

the above? The inside of the cell is as complex as a major city. Any single

disturbance - not just tau protein entanglement - could lead to neuronal

dysfunction. Therefore, there is much debate as to what exactly causes ALS.

Regardless, it is well established that tau protein entanglement leads to

dysfunctional neurons among those that suffer from ALS.

 

How does this disruption lead to ALS?

 

Tau protein entanglement prevents the nerve cell from forming properly and

transmitting electrical messages among the brain, spinal cord and skeletal

muscle. Without the electrical transmission, muscle control is lost.

 

Why aren't sensory neurons affected?

 

I'm not sure why motor neurons are more affected than sensory neurons in

ALS. There are many intrinsic differences among both that might help explain

this selectively. Most likely, it is because motor neurons rely more on

tau proteins than do sensory neurons. If a cell does not rely on tau proteins,

they are unaffected by tau protein entanglement and ALS.

 

Other hypotheses exist. Perhaps both motor and sensory neurons are

affected equally, but sensory neurons regenerate faster and healthier. Perhaps

it

is because motor neurons rely on " astrocytes, " which also become

dysfunctional with tau protein entanglement, and sensory neurons do not.

 

If statins trigger ALS, then in theory, wouldn't the progression of ALS

stop dead in its tracks once the person stops taking the statin?

 

In theory, ALS symptoms would not stop dead, but its progression might.

That is what makes the side-effect so scary.

 

It's not fully understood how statins cause tau entanglement. Is it a

direct effect of the drug? Or is it due to drug-induced low cholesterol? Or is

it due to DNA damage caused by statins?

 

Understanding exactly how statins induce damage would help us better

understand the etiology and progression of statin induced ALS - and the

long-term outcome among patients.

 

A certain percentage of the general American public is diagnosed annually

with ALS. Is this percentage higher among statin users? And if so...are

there other possible explanations, perhaps some other variable that is

associated with people who take statins?

 

I don't know of any statistical studies looking at ALS among statin users

specifically. But data does exist among " ALS adverse event reports. "

 

The FDA and the World Health Organization (WHO) monitor adverse event

reports. ALS adverse event reports are simply those people who report suffering

from ALS as a result of using a drug or being exposed to a toxin.

 

Recently, among those who reported " drug induced ALS, " the WHO reported

that 23% in their database were statin users. The FDA reported that 33% in

their database were statin users. These are very strong statistical

associations and should serve as an alarm to the medical community. It warrants

further investigation into the causal association of statins and ALS. The

national average of those who suffer from ALS is a mere .0005%. Whereas, almost

a third of those reporting drug-induced ALS are taking statins!

 

Statins have already been linked to death (Baycor recall). Is it only a

matter of time before more statins are recalled because of a link to ALS, or

is this something that will never receive the attention you think it should

get?

 

I don't think that statin-induced ALS will ever get the attention that

patients deserve. Only about 30 percent of clinical trials involving statins

are reporting negative outcome. Worse, it could take many years for a statin

user to suffer from ALS. Most statin trials last a mere 5 years.

Therefore, the side effect of ALS goes unreported - it is never even on the

radar

screen.

 

What is your response to the fact that ALS has been around long before

statins?

 

Nobody is saying that statins are the only cause of ALS. Tangled tau

proteins can result from a myriad of biochemical disturbances - like excess

free

radicals or DNA damage - not just statins.

 

If statins are linked to ALS, why don't more people, who are on statins,

get ALS? After all, millions of people are on statins. Maybe they do.

 

Adverse drug event like ALS are only reported 10 percent of the time by

the medical community. Under reporting is currently the limiting factor in

preventing drug induced illnesses like ALS.

 

About the Author

 

Ellison's entire career has been dedicated to the study of molecules; how

they give life and how they take from it. He was a two-time recipient of

the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Grant for his

research in biochemistry and physiology. He is a best selling author, holds a

master's degree in organic chemistry and has first-hand experience in drug

design. Use his knowledge and insight to look and feel your best in 90 days

with his free report, Save $65K or More and Boost Heart Health. Get it at

_www.thepeopleschemist.com_ (http://www.thepeopleschemist.com/)