(Newswire.net — July 1, 2013) Portland, OR — Funny thing is that the medical community wants you to do everything you can to suppress its production!
Just what, pray tell, is this wonder substance. Surprisingly this substance is… cholesterol!
Millions of people everyday are taking drugs in an attempt to keep their cholesterol levels low, regardless of the fact that the evidence linking cholesterol to heart disease is weak at best.
There are those in the medical industry that are beginning to speak up and express concern that cholesterol-blocking drugs are not a good choice for preventing heart disease.
But the drug of choice for the treatment of high cholesterol is a $29 billion industry are statins and anyone who doubts their effectiveness is rapidly shouted down.
Cholesterol is not a predictor of heart disease. Blood pressure levels… smoking habits… exercise habits… insulin levels… are all much better predictors than cholesterol.
However, cholesterol can tell you something about your risk. The most used indicator is the ratio of HDL to total cholesterol.
But when doctors see a total cholesterol level of 200 or higher or LDL levels higher than 130, a recommendation for a statin drug is soon to follow.
However, 75 percent of people who have heart attacks have normal cholesterol levels and lower cholesterol levels may actually reduce the average life span versus higher cholesterol levels.
What this says is that most people taking a statin treats a symptom that isn’t even the cause of the disease they’re trying to prevent.
The most common side effects of statins are an uncomfortable stomach, gas, constipation, and cramps. These aren’t life threatening, but they can be inconvenient and embarrassing. You might also experience dizziness, flu-like symptoms, headaches and nausea.
More severe side effects include joint pain, which can indicate a serious problem with how your body metabolizes the drugs like Lipitor. Less common but documented side effects include numbness, inflammation of the pancreas, pressure in the eyes, hemorrhaging of the eyes, angina, ulcers, liver failure, ruptured tendons, muscle pain, depression, loss of memory, fatigue, insomnia, and confusion… and that’s just a partial list.
Doctors would have to treat 50 at least people for at least five years each in order to save just one life. In the meantime, the other 49 patients must deal with these significant, sometimes severe side effects, not to mention the high cost of the drug, while receiving no real benefit.
From a patient care perspective, this is a terrible return on investment.
According to Dr. Stephen Sinatra, a renowned cardiologist,
“We need [cholesterol] for neurotransmitter function in the brain. When LDL is driven too low, it’s no wonder that a lot of patients develop memory problems or pre-Alzheimer’s, or even total global amnesia, which is really losing one’s memory. It’s very frightful and I have seen several cases…”
But statin drugs do have their place.
Statins are a good treatment for people with a genetic disorder that causes the liver to produce excessive cholesterol. They are also a proven treatment for patients who have already had a heart attack. They help prevent more heart attacks.
But as a choice for preventing the development of heart disease… not so much.
To protect yourself from heart disease, you should focus on lowering blood pressure, controlling insulin and blood sugar levels, and boosting your HDL levels. These are best accomplished by reducing stress levels, getting plenty of sleep, becoming active, and removing refined carbohydrates from your diet.
You shouldn’t take a drug that you don’t need. If you have high cholesterol levels, but don’t have heart disease and don’t have other risk factors, maybe you should consider saying “no thanks” to statin drugs.
Watching your diet can be just as effective, and doesn’t include the harmful list of “side effects”. But you could see some that are actually good for you, such as losing weight and lowering your blood pressure.
You should talk to your doctor before making a decision to change your diet, exercise habits, or medications.
Author: Google+ Jan Johansen