Dr. Lark: Heart Health Drugs May Be Dangerous For Women

Heart Health

Statin Drugs May Be Dangerous For

Women

I’m constantly

seeing articles praising statin drugs as the latest “medical

miracle” for lowering cholesterol levels. In fact, new National

Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) guidelines indicate that

an incredible 36 million Americans—nearly 20 percent of the

adult population—should be taking cholesterol-lowering drugs,

especially statins.

Statin drugs such as Lipitor, Pravachol,

Lescol, Mevacor, and Zocor block the action of the enzyme that

is needed to produce cholesterol in the liver. Unfortunately,

for women, these drugs also interrupt essential biochemical pathways

within the body, some of which are crucial for maintaining cardiovascular

health!

Interferes with production of

coenzyme Q10

First, statin drugs interfere with the production of coenzyme

Q10 (CoQ10), one of the most important substances needed for the

production of energy by virtually every cell of your body. It

is particularly important for heart health; in fact, 50 to 75

percent of individuals with established cardiovascular disease,

as well as individuals who are at high risk of heart attack, or

have diabetes or high blood pressure, have decreased levels of

CoQ10.

Statin drugs also interfere with

the chemical pathways of vitamin E and squalene. They reduce levels

of vitamin E and make it more readily oxidized, thereby interfering

with its antioxidant capabilities. Squalene is found in olive

oil and has heart-protective benefits like vitamin E.

Increased risk of cancer

Women using statin drugs may also be increasing their risk of

cancer. In a 1998 study published in the Journal of the American

College of Cardiology, approximately 500 postmenopausal women

with heart disease were given either Pravachol or a placebo. In

the group taking Pravachol, twelve women developed breast cancer,

as compared to just one woman in the control/placebo group.

Other negative side effects

If this weren’t enough, there are several other negative side

effects related to statin drugs, including liver toxicity, extreme

muscle fatigue, weakness, or pain. But what disturbs me most of

all is that statins don’t produce the beneficial results that

patients are promised. The December 12, 2001 issue of the Journal

of the American Medical Association highlights a study which

found that 66 percent of the patients had less LDL reduction than

the package inserts suggested, and 18 percent experienced no reduction,

or even had an increase in their LDL.

Try some natural alternatives

Given all of these negative studies, I strongly suggest that you

say “no thanks” to statin drugs and consider safer,

more natural methods of reducing your cholesterol levels. Some

excellent, natural alternatives to statin drugs include policosanols,

a mixture of waxy substances manufactured from rice bran (take

5 to 10 mg twice daily), and plant sterols, which are

found in raw fruits and vegetables, vegetable oils, and legumes

(take 1,000 to 1,500 mg a day). Be sure to have your physician

test your liver function regularly.