The Dangers Of Cholesterol Lowering Drugs

By Elaine R. Ferguson, M.d.


Currently45 million Americans and millions more across the globe are currently taking cholesterol lowering drugs. Most don't know about the dangerous and preventable side effects these medications, also known as statin drugs, are associated with, in particular, damaging heart muscle function, the increased risk of developing diabetes, cognitive decline, and memory loss. These drugs also cause muscle damage, weakness and a breakdown of muscle fibers resulting in the release of muscle fiber contents into the bloodstream.

Statin drugs are very toxic because they prevent cells from producing a key vitamin, CoQ10, which causes the side effects. Relatively low doses of statin drugs such do lower cholesterol levels. These drugs function by halt an enzyme that changes the chemical HMG-CoA to mevalonate, which is an early and limiting step in cholesterol production. This part of the cholesterol pathway in animal cells leads to the development of CoQ10. Also, statin drugs can reduce CoQ10 in the liver and lowers at doses prescribed by physicians.

Regretfully, the vast majority of physicians don't know about the cause of these complications, and could recommend taking CoQ10 supplements to their patients when prescribing these drugs. Pharmaceutical company even has a patent on the drug and CoQ10 combination, since but never released it. In 1989, Merck& Co., makers of lovastatin was awarded patent #4,933,165.

The patent states that Coenzyme Q10 is a part of the respiratory chain and is found in all cells having mitochondria. It is thus an essential ingredient in the production of energy and is very important in muscle function.

Researchers, have measured Coenzyme Q10 levels in heart tissue biopsy samples taken from patients with varying degrees of damage to the heart muscle. They found decreasing tissue levels of CoQ10 with increasing severity of the symptoms of cardiac disease. Unfortunately, the FDA doesn't warn consumers of this dangerous and reversible side effect.There are no official warnings in the U.S. regarding CoQ10.

Compared to the U.S., Canadian law requires labeling and clearly warns of CoQ10 depletion and even notes that this nutrient deficiency "could lead to impaired cardiac function in patients with borderline congestive heart failure."




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