Cholesterol Lowering Drugs May Not Reduce Arterial Plaque

[Guest guest]

http://www.mercola.com/2003/sep/6/cholesterol_plaque.htm

 

Cholesterol Lowering Drugs May Not Reduce Arterial Plaque Lowering your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol with statin drugs may not reduce the rate at which plaque builds up in the arteries surrounding the heart, according to astudy.

 

Researchers concluded that the commonly held belief that lower cholesterol is better does not extend to the reversal of calcified plaque progression with drugs.

 

American Journal of Cardiology August 1, 2003;92(3):334-6

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment: And you almost believed the commercials and ads saying that cholesterol drugs offer heart disease protection. Well, as this study shows the rate at which plaque builds up in the arteries surrounding the heart seems to be unaffected by how much LDL ("bad") cholesterol is lowered using statin drugs like Zocor or Lipitor. What many people don't realize is that statins kill people--lots of people--and they wound many, many more.

 

All patients taking statins become depleted inCoenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) eventually--those patients who start with relatively low CoQ10 levels (the elderly and patients with heart failure) begin to manifest signs/symptoms of CoQ10 deficiency relatively rapidly--in six to 12 months.

 

Younger patients can tolerate the statins for several years before they begin developing symptoms.

 

The bottom line here is that when you treat the symptoms of high cholesterol with a drug you are in no way, shape or form treating the cause. It should comeas no surprise that the artificial drugs cause serious side effects.

 

Why risk your health by taking drugs when there are some simple things you can do to normalize cholesterol levels?

 

The first is to normalize your insulin levels by eliminating sugar.

 

This works for most people unless they have a genetic defect called familial hypercholsterolemia. On a side note, eliminating sugar will inevitably cause beneficial side effects, such as normalizing your weight, increasing your energy and lowering your blood pressure and triglycerides.

 

Secondly, you can take a high-quality fish oil that is chock full of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. It is important to find a fish oil that is independently tested by a lab and found to conform to purity guidelines. This will ensure that the oil is free of mercury and other toxins. .

 

Additionally, if you are a man, or a woman who is in menopause, you shouldcheck your iron levels as elevated levels of iron can raise cholesterol levels and cause major oxidative damage in the blood vessels, heart and other organs. Excess iron is also one of the major contributing factors of cancer risk.

 

Regular exercise is another important tool that may reduce your risk of heartdisease.

 

Related Articles:

 

Cholesterol Drugs Actually Cause Heart Disease

 

Cholesterol Drugs May Increase Cancer Risk

 

 

[Guest guest]

> Additionally, if you are a man, or a woman who is in menopause, you

> shouldcheck your iron levels as elevated levels of iron can raise

> cholesterol levels and cause major oxidative damage in the blood

> vessels, heart and other organs. Excess iron is also one of the major

> contributing factors of cancer risk.

>

 

I've been telling people for years that it's not the cholesterol, it's

the OXIDIZED cholesterol that is a true marker for disease. To his

credit, Mercola mentions the powerful oxidative characteristics of the

iron, but other oxidizers are important too, and they can all be

managed and reduced with an antioxidant program. This is also a part of

a detoxification program anyway, which will involve liver flushes and

increasing cellular glutathione with cold-processed whey and selenium

precursors. The glutathione, among other things, escorts metals such as

the problematic iron, mercury and other metals from the body. This is

the body's natural protection. When glutathione is low there is

generally disease; when it's high, no disease.

 

Duncan Crow