Statins are NOT a Panacea

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christiane-northrup/buyer-beware-statins-are_b_246566.html full article here

 

Statins are NOT a Panacea

 

a rather good article that has these points:

 

The study's so-called medical breakthrough--that reducing inflammation reduces the risk for heart disease--is not new!

 

 

I would never recommend a statin for inflammation because statins aren't safe. For example, studies have repeatedly shown that statin use lowers CoQ10, an enzyme that's essential to the organs and many functions of the body. Here are some highlights of their dangers:

• Muscle weakness and fatigue. This is the most common side effect of statins--about one-third of patients taking Mevacor have experienced muscle problems--and it's the direct result of depletion of CoQ10 in the muscles and heart.

• Heart disease and heart failure. CoQ10 levels fall naturally as we age, decreasing by about 50 percent between the ages of 20 and 80. This is one of the reasons why heart attack, stroke, and cancer increase with age. Statin drugs deplete this nutrient even further, thus increasing the risk of cardiomyopathy and heart failure.

• Liver Damage. The liver constantly detoxifies the blood and carries out a huge number of enzymatic reactions. Because statins have been shown to cause liver toxicity, it can harm the body in many ways. Even a modest deficiency of CoQ10 can cause liver problems, too. And liver damage can begin the moment one begins taking statin drugs.

• Brain and Nerve Damage. CoQ10 is essential for normal brain and nerve function. When it's depleted, dementia can result. This is why many people on statins have difficulty with memory, mood, and clear thinking.

• Depression. It's well documented that low cholesterol is associated with depression and may even increase the risk of suicide. It's fairly common for women to begin experiencing anxiety and mood problems after beginning statin drugs. So why would you want to lower cholesterol in a person who has low cholesterol to begin with?

• Cancer. Statin drugs have been found to suppress the immune system and this may increase the risk of all cancers. In addition, studies have shown a correlation between taking statins and an increased incidence of breast cancer.

Here's the bottom line. Don't be sucked in by this study. Do some research and understand all the facts around this issue before taking statins. The press reported that the study was stopped because AstroZenica felt that the benefits of Crestor and insights from the study were too important not to share now. But when you dig deeper, you also find out that the study was halted after two years to inflate the alleged benefits of the drug. This combined with the fact that both the company who funded the study and the lead researcher had much to gain from its results make it look suspect.