Cardiovascular health, statins and other alternatives

Cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes, causes more than 40 percent of all deaths in America. High blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are all contributing factors, but people find it difficult to change their lifestyles. By combating cholesterol, both supplements and pharmaceuticals seemingly offer simpler solutions.

Pharmaceutical dugs that target cholesterol are HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, or statins: atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol) and simvastatin (Zocor), which reportedly reduce cholesterol by 20 to 60 percent. Other medications include bile acid sequestrants, fibric acids and nicotinic acid (high-strength, prescription-only niacin, FDA-approved for decades).

Supplement options include three prescribed in other countries: pantetheine, red yeast rice and guggul. Vitamins B3 (niacin), B6, B9 (folic acid), B12, C and E; Co-Q10; soy; chromium picolinate and tocotrienols may also be effective. Garlic is believed to inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, which reduces cholesterol production in addition to lowering LDL and increasing HDL. Claims have also been made for chitosan, beta-glucans, citrus pectin and beta-sitosterol.

Deaths and dangers from statins

As with many new drugs, statins are now showing to have dangerous side-effects. Cholesterol-lowering cerivastatin (Baycol) has been removed from the arket after reports of over 31 fatalities and serious muscle problems (myositis). Other statins have also been linked to deaths. Statins also interfere with coenzyme Q10, one of the body’s natural antioxidants involved in cardiovascular health. Statins limit both cholesterol and the Co-Q10 essential to heart, muscle and liver function, resulting in fatigue and liver side effects.

HDL cholesterol helps clean up excess blood fats, while high LDL cholesterol is associated with higher heart disease risk. LDL builds up inside arteries, narrowing them and slowing or blocking blood flow. Shutting down blood supply causes tissue death and can trigger heart attacks and strokes.

Statins inhibit enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which controls the body's cholesterol production and increases the liver's removal of LDL cholesterol from blood. Researchers from several studies (4s, CARE and LIPID) reported statins lower cholesterol by 20 percent to 60 percent, reduce triglycerides, modestly increase HDL levels, and significantly decrease heart attacks and cardiovascular mortality. Side effects include muscle pain, weakness, gas, constipation, abdominal pain and liver problems.

Vitamin C, vitamin E and Co-Q10 appear to be highly effective in promoting optimal cardiovascular health by preventing oxidation of LDL cholesterol. A recent study found that if you are taking a statin drug and niacin to support healthy cholesterol levels, the antioxidant vitamins E and C, selenium and beta-carotene may suppress the boost in HDL good cholesterol. The study recommended not to take high doses of antioxidants (Bonifazi, 2002).

Despite the potential dangers of statins, their prescribed use is escalating rapidly and www.health-herbal.com considers statins to be a detrimental drug that can be better replaced by other natural supplement combinations. For additional information, refer to the “Red Alert for Statin Drugs” that notes that “statins deplete coenzyme Q10 stores in the body and increase congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy risk”. Refer to the American Heart Association article for further background information on statin drugs. Dietary adjustments can also be effective in lowering blood cholsterol (Kerr, 2003). Canadian researchers report that a diet high in plant sterols, soy protein, viscous fibers and almonds lowers low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol essentially as much as lovastatin.

Alternatives to statins to reduce blood cholesterol levels

POLICOSANOL is a natural product with minimal side effects being promoted as a healthy and natural replacement or substitute for statin drugs. Policosanol is purified from the wax of sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum, L). Policosanol exhibits an exemplary safety profile. In all controlled studies, policosanol has exerted no negative effect of any clinical or laboratory parameter. Side effects were comparable to a placebo.

Se also, “A Natural Alternative to Statin Drugs”