If You Want To Feel Younger, Forget Your Statins

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 3-17-2007 | James LeFanu

[blam]

If you want to feel younger, forget your statins

By James LeFanu, Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 11:20pm GMT 17/03/2007

A doctor accused of wittingly prescribing useless or possibly lethal drugs would vehemently - and understandably - deny it. This makes it rather difficult to oppose the prevailing medical consensus on statins - the cholesterol-lowering drugs prescribed to four million people in Britain at a cost of £1 billion a year.

That's quite a sum. It could pay the salaries of 700,000 nurses or build two spanking new teaching hospitals.

An even bigger sum is £15 billion. That is the profit the pharmaceutical industry made last year from this, the most profitable class of drugs ever invented. They are so profitable that the latest statins to reach the market came with a £600 million promotion budget, to "promote" the notion to family doctors and policymakers that the lower the cholesterol the better, and that at least half the population would benefit from the drugs.

But it is not so. Statins are useless for 95 per cent of those taking them, while exposing all to the hazard of serious side-effects. Hence my ever-growing file of letters from those who regrettably have had to find this out for themselves, illustrated by this all-too-typical tale from Roger Andrews of Hertfordshire, first prescribed statins after an operation for an aortic aneurism (that he had cleverly diagnosed himself).

Over the past few years Mr Andrews had become increasingly decrepit -what can one expect at 74? - with pain and stiffness in the legs and burning sensations in the hands so bad that when flying to his son's wedding in Hawaii he needed walking sticks and a wheelchair at the transfer stops. However, he forgot to pack his statins, and felt so much better after his three-week holiday that when he got home he decided to continue the inadvertent "experiment" of not taking them. Since October most if not all of his crippling side-effects have gone. Several friends can tell a similar story, and they have friends too\u2026

The take-home message is that statins are only of value in those with a strong family history of heart disease or men with a history of heart attacks. For everyone else they are best avoided as they seriously interfere with the functioning of the nerve cells, affecting mental function, and muscles.

This is all wittily explained in a recent book by a Cheshire family doctor, Malcolm Kendrick, The Great Cholesterol Con (John Blake Publishing, £9.99). There are, I suspect, many out there, like Mr Andrews, wrongly attributing their decrepitude to Anno Domini, when the real culprits are statins. I would be more than interested to hear from anyone who finds that "giving them a rest" effects a similarly miraculous transformation.

[nascarnation]

For more critical views of many hyped aspects of modern medicine, I recommend:
"The Last Well Person"
by Nortin Hadler MD

[cayuga]

Good find, Blam. I didn't know about this.

[AmericaUnited]

But it is not so. Statins are useless for 95 per cent of those taking them, while exposing all to the hazard of serious side-effects.

LOL! I've always said that the whole cholesterol hype is such a crock! 20 years from now we'll look back at the "conventional wisdom" in the same way we do "blood letting".

[AmericaUnited]

If your doctor EVER tries to put you on Lipitor and any of the other witchdoctor potions, smack em, then run as far and as fast as possible.

[nothingnew]

Interesting.

I wish I were taking statins for my decrepitude so I could stop taking them.

FMCDH(BITS)

[AppyPappy]

My cholesterol went from 216 to 120 in two months on a statin

[AntiGuv]

The odd thing about 'overhyped modern medicine' is that lifespans just keep on increasing and the quality of health just keeps on improving in the developed world. An remarkable situation considering all this modern medicine quackery....

[Wiseghy]

Statins do put tremendous strain on the liver and kidneys.
However, with Heart Disease as a #1 killer, it would be hard to take this advice seriously.

I'd say, keep dosages as low as possible for these meds, and keep testing every six months for liver function and other complications.

Ancedontal stuff like this is interesting, but can really hurt people if they take it at face value without data to back it up.

[redangus]

My wife was on Lipitor for about 2 weeks and started to have severe pain in the muscles in her legs. I had read about this problem in a medical newsletter so I took her off them and started her on flush-free niacin. The pain went away and when she went in for her 6 month check the doctor was very pleased with the drop in her cholesterol level from the statin use. When she told him she had switched to niacin because of the leg pain he just told her to keep doing whatever she was doing.

[chesty_puller]

20 years from now we'll look back at the "conventional wisdom"

After one heart attack and six bypasses, 20 years may be a bit iffy for me. I'll stick to my Vytorin and hope for the best.

[GSlob]

"... £1 billion a year.
That's quite a sum. It could pay the salaries of 700,000 nurses..."
So, a nurse gets paid only £1420 a year? Either a very crappy nurse, or - where do they find so cheap ones?

[Malsua]

There is little relationship between your "number" and heart disease. Statins are bad. If you want to lower numbers, take some policosonal. It's natural and won't turn your liver and kidneys into hamburger.

[Gorzaloon]

I have experienced it myself, and personally known others who have had serious side effects.

Whether we say that Divine Design, or Evolution, did it, there are REASONS WHY there are certain metabolic pathways, and shutting several off may have consquences unthought of when a certain number of patient-dose-years has accumulated.

Someday, mark my words, this issue is going to result in actions that will make the tobacco and asbestos settlements pale into chump change.

Look at this:

Sorry, but whenever I see fused benzene rings, and another "Chickenwire", unwanted carcinogen associations spring to mind. Oh, I am SURE these have been tested for carcinogenicity, but there are $billions at stake, and only Little People die.

Someday it will all come crashing down. The Industry says that, from the Helsinki Study on, the benefits of these outweigh all the risks, such as perpiheral neuropathy, kidney malfunction, etc. Then WHY did not everyone in the lard-eating 1950's all die of coronary disease?

Actuarily, not one day's life is gained by taking these...One does not die of as many circulatory defects, but they die on the same day they were going to without taking them, it appears.

Yes, I am highly suspicious, and especially at the costs! With copay, still $60 a month, for something a Junior Chem major could cook in his kitchen. Something is going on, and all Hell will break loose someday.

[B Knotts]

My doctor put me on Lipitor due to borderline-high cholesterol and an inflammation test.

I felt so miserable, I could not keep taking it.

I kept on a relatively low-fat diet, and switched to policosanol, an inexpensive nutritional suppliment, and my last lipid test came out much improved. My doctor was suprised, as he was unfamiliar with policosanol.

[VeritatisSplendor]

Almost all drugs have side effects, and can therefore be inappropriately prescribed; but this particular class of drugs has saved an awful lot of lives.

I'm on Lipitor due to high cholesterol and a strong family history of heart disease; I've been watching for the side effects, but in my case, at my dose, I'm not experiencing any. When I've gone for a week or two between the end of a prescription and refilling it I haven't noticed any change in how I feel.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Olive Oil, Garlic , Grapefruit, Cinnamon, and Ginger or Ginger root have been known to help lower Cholesterol naturally.

[joshhiggins]

My wife developed peripheral neuropathy and severe memory loss after just a few weeks on a statin. These gradually improved after she stopped them.

She thought it might have been a coincidence, and later went back on a statin, and within two weeks again developed neuropathy and memory impairment.

One of our astronauts Duane "Doc" Graveline had a similar experience with one of the statins and wrote a book about it.

[B Knotts]

Some studies have shown that policosanol does not reduce cholesterol studies.

My anectodal evidence shows that it does, so I'm sticking with it.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

I read some were that eating fiber in your diet causes your body to produce more bile ( bile salts ) ,, and your body needs to break down cholesterol with the liver, to help produce more bile.
I know I have high cholesterol, but, I refuse to go on any medication to lower it.

[Sacajaweau]

I now drink 6 ounces of grape juice a day. I noticed on the directions for a home cholesteral test that it said not to drink any citric juices in the 24 hours before as it may gice you a false result.

False result??...or show that it can be done naturally.

[Malsua]

Policosonal dropped my Cholesterol number about 20%. However, I'm still looking for the study that shows that high cholesterol means heart disease. Sure, heart disease exists in patients with high cholesterol, but I question the relationship.

[Osage Orange]

SIX?????

[Bobibutu]

http://www.spacedoc.net/

Good resource.

I was on Lipitor - 10mg for 2 months - short temper - fatigue - etc. My readings dropped into "good" levels after 30 days but I couldn't function well.

My doc took me off and started me on niacin protocol - slow build up to 2gms daily - I'm now at 1gm and will get tested again in about 2 weeks.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

I read that Ginger and Cinnamon can help lower cholesterol, and help balance blood sugar levels,,,, but, I just read that sugar can be a major cause of bad cholesterol,,, I never knew that.
I have been using cinnamon and ginger in my tea, and food, I have not noticed anything yet, but, I read that Cinnamon can be toxic at high levels.
I do consume a lot of sugar, I drink a lot of colas, both of my parents had diabetes.

[Jay Howard Smith]

Wonder whats wrong with me......I've never had a prescription drug...??..!

[ConservativeMind]

There are natural ways to reduce cholesterol, but the drugs are faster.

One can't take anecdotal evidence as gospel truth. I know people who are certain that aspartame gives them headaches or cancer. Others say shark cartilage can cure whatever ails you. Still others say bee pollen cures everything else.

In the end, unless one experiences something directly for him or herself, the only prudent thing is to listen to the double-blind study results and follow that.

Of course, the best thing is to not become unhealthy in the first place.

[RipSawyer]

The odd thing about 'overhyped modern medicine' is that lifespans just keep on increasing and the quality of health just keeps on improving in the developed world. An remarkable situation considering all this modern medicine quackery....

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I am curious, just how much of this increased lifespan do you believe can be credited to statins?

[Jaysun]

I'd like to see some real evidence that high cholesterol = heart disease.

[RipSawyer]

What is policosonal?

[turbocat]

I was on Lipitor for years and finally developed painful joints - where it hurt to open a bottle... thumbs, toes, finger joints. Doctor ran all sorts of test and told me to stop the Lipitor. All pain went away and now am taking Niacin, glucosomine, flax oil and vitamin E - per doc's recommendation.

[expatpat]

What kind of niacin? I read somewhere that ordinary niacin tablets from the vitamin section don't work -- is that true?

[AntiGuv]

If I had to put a number on it then I would credit statins with an average lifespan increase of two years among those who take them.

Study: Statins Increase Life Expectancy

[Prophet in the wilderness]

http://mercola.com/article/sugar/dangers_of_sugar.htm

[Ragnar54]

Unfortunately, your coenzyme Q10 levels are probably also falling, and COQ10 is needed by muscles (including the heart). Better to take niacin and policosanol (and maybe COQ10 supplements).

Cardiologists Overlook Lifesaving Discovery

[Ole Okie]

After one heart attack and six bypasses, 20 years may be a bit iffy for me. I'll stick to my Vytorin and hope for the best.

Stick with it, Chesty.

After a severe heart attack in 1974 (LAD blocked), I had six bypasses in 1981.

Because my choloresterol LDL stayed high, I asked my cardiologist to put me on choloresterol reducing drugs. I've taken Lipitor, recently changed to Vytorin, for about 10 years.

Had a angiogram a year ago. Four of the bypasses which had been there for 26 years were still open, and I had developed a lot of corollary circulation.

I've had no problems with muscles or joints, and think the statins have been instrumental in allowing me to reach the age of 80 still going strong.

[expatpat]

What is 'flush-free nicacin'?

[ExtremeUnction]

If your doctor EVER tries to put you on Lipitor and any of the other witchdoctor potions, smack em, then run as far and as fast as possible.

My doctor, who sees few patients because his primary job is teaching internal medicine at UC Davis (Sacramento CA), prescibed me "Niaspan" to reduce my cholesterol. The drug is simply slow release niacin, the vitamin. It works as well as the statins, but costs just pennies. The initial side effects are a burning sensation on the skin, which abates with time and an aspirin taken with the drug. There is no profit in prescibing Niaspan, it is greatly underused. But there it is, a drug that works, and doesn't do the harm of the statins.

[ExtremeUnction]

If your doctor EVER tries to put you on Lipitor and any of the other witchdoctor potions, smack em, then run as far and as fast as possible.

My doctor, who sees few patients because his primary job is teaching internal medicine at UC Davis (Sacramento CA), prescibed me "Niaspan" to reduce my cholesterol. The drug is simply slow release niacin, the vitamin. It works as well as the statins, but costs just pennies. The initial side effects are a burning sensation on the skin, which abates with time and an aspirin taken with the drug. There is no profit in prescibing Niaspan, it is greatly underused. But there it is, a drug that works, and doesn't do the harm of the statins.

[Tarheel]

My husband had the exact same reaction to Lipitor. Even gave the stuff another two tries -- every time he developed peripheral neuropathy and mental "fogginess" ( that's how he described it).

[altura]

interesting info.

[chesty_puller]

Yeah, I didn't know they did that many either. No symptoms and thought I was healthy. I am now!

[expatpat]

Can you get Niaspan over the counter?

[Bobibutu]

"What kind of niacin? I read somewhere that ordinary niacin tablets from the vitamin section don't work -- is that true?"

Straight B-3 - NOT buffered or time release - the kind you get a flush with - BTW the flush is good for you. I am taking Twinlab caps (NOT TABLETS). - ones reaction (flushing - or not) is an indicator as to how and when to up your dose.

I don't know if it's "true" or not - tabs may take too long to disolve so caps loaded with powder are what she ordered and I'll have objective verification in a couple of weeks or not.

[kddid]

For cholesterol, check out Red Rice Yeast. You can get it at Walmart for around 8 dollars. I can't remember, but I think that 8 bucks gets enough for a month or two.

[Orange1998]

"six bypasses"

That could be a record.

[Malsua]

Google Policosonol or just go to a reasonably stocked drug store or Walmart and buy some. It's not real spendy and can do as much or more as statins without the liver and kidney damage. That said, I'm not sold on the cholestrol = heart disease link. Not saying it isn't a factor, but I'm saying it's not the primary or sole factor.

[chesty_puller]

I've had no problems with muscles or joints,

The only problem I have is that no one mentioned that ripping that artery out of my leg could be a problem. I walk 10 miles a day 3 days a week at work (casino security). My right leg hurts, but it beats dying.

[Malsua]

My dad went in for 6 and got 4, my father in law went in for 3 and got 6. My uncle was set for 6 and lived through a 7. Not sure how you can simply add more arteries and make life work, but it happens.