Are Your Cholesterol Drugs Destroying Your Health

Cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) are a $30 billion a year class of drug. It is one of the most highly profitable drug categories today. With this being said, half of men and 39% of women take statins. If you just look at people over 45, 1 in 4 takes a statin.

What isn’t spoken about in the medical community is the nutritional deficiencies that these statins cause. If you are taking a statin, supplementation in these areas may reverse or prevent the occurrence of side effects.

Cholesterol is a Powerhouse in the Body!

To understand why this is, let’s first look at what cholesterol does in the body. It regulates proper hormonal levels and is the precursor to the production of Vitamin D. Cholesterol works to digest and absorb fats, nutrients and vitamins. It is an integral part of the cell membrane in every living cell. 50% of the brain is made up of cholesterol.–no wonder the FDA released a new warning last year that statins could cause memory loss. The body uses cholesterol to make bile salts and a part of the adrenal and sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone).

CoQ10

Nutritional deficiencies and side effects occur as a result of the disruption in the normal metabolic processes involving cholesterol. For example, CoQ10 deficiency is the most common one noted. That’s because statins block the pathway that also produces CoQ10 or ubiquinol. A deficiency here is first noted in the heart, because the heart has high energy needs. Some may experience heart muscle weakness, heart failure and even chronic fatigue.

The best dietary source of CoQ10 is beef, chicken and fish. This enzyme is used in every cell in the body and is important for energy.

Vitamin D

Since cholesterol is critical in the production of Vitamin D, it is no surprise that some may experience Vitamin D deficiency. Researchers found a connection between D deficiency and muscle pain. By supplementing with Vitamin D, one may reverse statin–related myopathy. Myopathy is one of the side effects with statins, causing sore muscles.

It would not be harmful to supplement both CoQ10 and Vitamin D if you are on a statin. CoQ10 by itself helps to maintain cholesterol levels without statin drugs. The best way to get Vitamin D is exposure to the sun without clothes and sunscreen early or late in the day.

Other Vitamins

Statins can also deplete other nutrients: B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, folic acid, phosphorous, Vitamin A, B-12, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, and zinc. Most Americans are deficient in magnesium. Minerals and vitamins are necessary for energy production.

No wonder so many on statin medications feel tired much of the time.

The Best Way to Replace Lost Nutrients

Eating nutrient-dense foods is the best way to get your nutrients. Following is a list of some statin vitamin deficiencies and the foods that replace these vitamins:

Vitamin E: seeds, nuts, green leafy vegetables

Vitamin K: broccoli, kale, spinach, dairy from pastured cows, eggs from pastured chickens

B-12: liver, milk, shellfish, fish

Calcium: yogurt, cheese, milk, sardines

Magnesium: spinach, swiss chard, dark green leafy vegetables, bananas, dried apricots, avocado

Potassium: cantaloupe, avocado, apricots, banana, kiwi

If you are taking a statin, these foods can help replenish the vitamins you need to replace.

*** Important: Do not stop taking your statin without your physician’s approval. Diet and exercise are usually the first recommendations for individuals who need to lower their cholesterol, prior to prescribing statins.