statins Archives - Amazing Health Advances

3 Nutrients That Can Keep Dangerous Statins Away

The AHA! Team — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 06:21:01 +0000

Al Sears, MD, CNS – Big Pharma has brainwashed much of the world into thinking that statins are all that stand between patients and heart attacks – and now they’re poised to cash in on the miserable side effects caused by these drugs. I get a lot of patients who come down from New York for the winter. Not long ago, one of these patients told me a story about an old mafia trick he’d heard of… Each night, gangs would drive around the city stealing manhole covers. The next morning, like clockwork, city authorities would hire contractors to replace all the missing manhole covers. Of course, the contractors were controlled by the mafia. And the city authorities who hired them were on the take from the very same mob. Fortunes were made. It was a win-win situation. The only losers were New York taxpayers. I’m reminded of this story because Big Pharma is about to play the same game. But instead of manhole covers, they will be using cholesterol-busting statin drugs. Let me explain… Big Pharma has brainwashed much of the world into thinking that statins are all that stand between patients and heart attacks – and now they’re poised to cash in on the miserable side effects caused by these drugs. Drugs that you don’t need in the first place. I’ve been warning patients against these Big Pharma toxins for decades. Not only are they a waste of time when treating heart disease – in fact, they raise your risk of heart attacks – but they come with a long list of side effects. Some of the more dangerous side effects include high blood sugar, liver damage, memory loss, muscle pain, dystrophy, and rhabdomyolysis (when muscle cells burst).1 Now a team of researchers at Ben-Gurion University in Israel has declared that the muscle pain and dystrophy caused by statins is a “new” disease. And they’ve discovered that a new drug to treat a hereditary muscle disorder also works for the side effects of statins.2 The researchers have now filed a patent for the new drug, and it’s just a matter of time before Big Pharma comes calling. Talk about disease-mongering… I smell a rat – and I don’t mean a lab rat. If this new drug were a manhole cover and the researchers were contractors in trucks, they’d surely be suspected of mafia connections. Like most people in the developed world, there’s a high chance that a doctor has persuaded, scared, or even straight-up bullied you into taking a statin. You see, their multibillion-dollar global business is based on the decades-old lie that high fat and high cholesterol cause heart disease. It’s not true. You don’t need statins at all. I know that may sound jarring, but cholesterol doesn’t cause heart disease. Multiple studies prove it – including the landmark Framington Heart Study, which found no link between high cholesterol and raised heart disease risk.3 Only Big Pharma and their shareholders need statins. 3 Powerful Heart Nutrients That Replace Statins The good news is that for every statin, there are safe, proven, and inexpensive natural alternatives your cardiologist will never tell you about. Nutrient # 1 – Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): This omega-3 fatty acid eliminates the need for statins and has been proven to raise HDL. It’s a potent defender against heart disease. One study discovered that if you take just 1.5 grams of DHA per day for a few weeks, your HDL can shoot up by 7%. No Big Pharma drug can do that.4 I recommend supplementing with at least 600 mg of DHA and 60 mg of the EPA form of omega-3 in a combination of squid and krill oil. Nutrient # 2 – CoQ10: This nutrient provides fuel for your mitochondria — the tiny power plants inside each of your cells – in your heart. Statin drugs are the biggest killer of CoQ10 levels. Supplementing with CoQ10 can bring immediate, often-lifesaving benefits. Studies show that taking CoQ10 daily reduces arrhythmias, improves your heart’s pumping ability, and reduces your risk of death from heart attacks. CoQ10 also lowers blood pressure and your atherosclerosis risk.5,6 If you’re taking statins, your levels are likely to be dangerously low, so I recommend a supplement of at least 100 mg a day. And look for the ubiquinol form of CoQ10. It’s eight times more powerful than the more common ubiquinone form. Nutrient # 3 – PQQ: While CoQ10 does a great job of squeezing more power from your mitochondria, it does nothing for the mitochondria you’ve lost. That’s where the little-known nutrient pyrroloquinoline quinone, or PQQ, comes in. PQQ triggers your heart cells to build healthy new mitochondria, which produce more fuel so your heart pumps with more energy.It’s hard to get enough PQQ from natural sources. I recommend taking 10 mg of PQQ daily with your CoQ10. To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD, CNS References: 1. Wilson P, et al. “High density lipoprotein cholesterol and mortality. The Framingham Heart Study.” Arteriosclerosis. 1988;8(6):737-741. 2. Yogev Y, et al. “Limb girdle muscular disease caused by HMGCR mutation and statin myopathy treatable with mevalonolactone.” PNAS. 2023;120(7):e2217831120. 3. Wilson P, et al. “High density lipoprotein cholesterol and mortality. The Framingham Heart Study.” Arteriosclerosis. 1988;8(6):737-741. 4. Egert S, et al. “Dietary alpha-linolenic acid, EPA, and DHA have differential effects on LDL fatty acid composition but similar effects on serum lipid profiles in normolipidemic humans.” J Nutr. 2009;139(5):861-868. 5. Burke B, et al. “Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of coenzyme Q10 in isolated systolic hypertension.” South Med J. 2001:94(11):1112-1117. 6. Kamikawa T, et al. “Effects of coenzyme Q10 on exercise tolerance in chronic stable angina pectoris.” Am J Cardiol. 1995;56(4):247-251. To read the original article click here.

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10 Shocking Facts About Cholesterol You Don’t Know

The AHA! Team — Mon, 27 May 2024 08:05:28 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – Do you really know what you need to know about cholesterol? Do you know the truth about how diet does and does not affect it? How about how body weight affects it? Do you really know what you need to know about cholesterol? Surprisingly, even though cholesterol has been discussed for many decades, the facts about cholesterol are still lost on most. Why? Misinformation abounds. New studies shed new light on the subject. As our population has become increasingly overweight, people’s bodies (all the way down to their cells) change in how they synthesize and deal with cholesterol. To know the facts about cholesterol, you really have to dig in. It’s simple and yet complex in some ways. If you’re ready for the complete low-down on cholesterol, listen to the Divine Health Podcast! Dr. Colbert and Mary Colbert will take you on an in-depth journey to know all you need to know about cholesterol and how to obtain your best heart health! Check out all 3 cholesterol episodes here: Divine Health with Dr. Don Colbert Podcast. And for now, here are 10 shocking facts about cholesterol you probably don’t know. 10 Shocking Facts About Cholesterol You Don’t Know A heart healthy diet is imperative for overall heart health. But when it comes to cholesterol itself in the bloodstream, most is made by the body, not consumed in the diet. In fact, only about 20% of the cholesterol in your body comes from your diet. The rest is synthesized in your liver and intestines (1). How does diet play a role? Many ways! First, your diet affects how much, and what types of cholesterol are synthesized. In fact, the types of fats you eat play a bigger role than the cholesterol you eat. Next, eating a diet high in antioxidants is paramount, since antioxidants reduce the amount of oxidized cholesterol (which forms plaques) in the arteries. Vegetable oils do not contain cholesterol, however, many are still inflammatory and detrimental to heart health. Oils derived from vegetables and grains, including avocado oil, olive oil, corn oil, and others have zero milligrams of cholesterol. Foods derived from plants do not contain cholesterol because cholesterol is synthesized in an animal’s liver. However, vegetable oils with high omega-6 content increase inflammatory pathways in our bodies because they negatively affect our ratio of omega-3s to omega-6s. This means they fight against the anti-inflammatory omega-6s in our bodies. The most commonly used high-omega-6 oil in processed foods is soybean oil. Consuming this oil negatively affects metabolic health, cardiovascular health, and inflammation in the body (2, 3, 4). Avoid: Safflower oil (10.1 gm Omega-6 per tablespoon), grapeseed oil (9.5 gm), vegetable Oil (7.9 gm), wheat germ oil (7.5 gm), corn oil (7.3 gm), walnut oil (7.3 gm), cottonseed oil (7.0 gm), soybean (7.0 gm), sunflower Oil (5.4 gm), canola Oil (3.0 gm). Include: Extra-virgin olive oil (1.3 gm), avocado oil (1.8 gm) and occasionally organic coconut oil (0.4 gm), high-oleic sunflower (0.5), and high-oleic safflower oils (2.0). To learn more about this ratio and the dangers of a high omega-6 diet, click here. Weight Loss, Diet, and Exercise are your best options to ALTER unhealthy cholesterol numbers. While your absolute cholesterol number is highly influenced by your familial history, age, sex, and ethnicity (5), CHANGES in total cholesterol are primarily achieved by weight loss (if overweight), diet, and exercise (6, 7). Your Body Needs Cholesterol for Crucial Tasks Such as Synthesizing Vitamin D. Cholesterol is a waxy, whitish-yellow fat. Cholesterol is needed to make vitamin D, hormones (including testosterone and estrogen), and fat-dissolving bile acids. It is a vital building block in cell membranes. Cholesterol can be found in every cell in the body. What’s more, cholesterol is important for the formation of myelin sheath, the protective membrane around the nerves, especially in early years of life. Healthy cholesterol has its place in human health. Cholesterol does NOT dissolve in the blood to make it thick. Cholesterol doesn’t dissolve in the blood, kind of like how fat won’t dissolve in water. Instead, cholesterol bonds to carriers called lipoproteins. Lipoproteins are made up of cholesterol on the inside with a layer of protein on the outside. These carriers transport cholesterol between cells to be used for various biological functions. When cholesterol is oxidized, it can embed into the artery wall which can lead to plaques and blockages. Not all LDL cholesterol (aka bad cholesterol) creates plaques in arteries. As most people know, there are two primary types of cholesterol, Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and High-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is taught as “bad,” and HDL as “good.” But there’s more to it than that. There are actually two sub-groups of LDL particles. LDL subtype A is a large fluffy cholesterol particle that is less prone to oxidation and less likely to stick to arterial walls. LDL subtype B is a smaller and denser particle that is easily oxidized and more likely to build up in the arteries. Subtype A LDL cholesterol is not necessarily a threat, and only oxidized LDL cholesterol forms plaques (8). Triglyceride numbers and cholesterol numbers should be looked at together when assessing cardiovascular risk. Interestingly, more and more practitioners are looking at the ratio of triglycerides (TG) to HDL. In fact, when you calculate this ratio, you can infer your health risk of cardiovascular issues, blood sugar issues, inflammation and more. Divide your triglycerides by your HDL cholesterol levels. Studies have found that a number of 1.0 or less is likely indicative of lower risk, and a number of 3.0 or more of highest risk. Interestingly, a lower ratio is also linked to healthier LDL subset particle size (less subset B) (9, 10). People who suffer heart attacks don’t always have high cholesterol. Conversely, those with high cholesterol don’t always suffer heart attacks. While high LDL cholesterol (specifically, high LDL subset B) is one of many risk factors of heart conditions and heart attacks, many people who have heart attacks have “normal” cholesterol levels (11). When assessing risk, we should look at our heart illness risk overall, including weight, blood glucose, lifestyle, inflammation markers, blood pressure, triglycerides, and specifically LDL Subset B cholesterol numbers. It is not the primary risk factor. Inflammation is a primary factor in cardiovascular risk. Cholesterol is an active compound in the body. It reacts to oxidative stress and inflammation. Here’s how: As free radicals move throughout the body and damage cells, cumulative oxidative stress rises. Next, the body mounts an inflammatory response and cholesterol comes in to patch things up. When cholesterol can also become damaged and oxidized by free radicals. Oxidized cholesterol is sticky. It can embed into artery walls and potentially form plaques and blockages (12). Statins may be useful in some, but they are not completely safe and effective. While statins may be right for some patients, no medication is completely safe, and no medication is completely effective. While it is true that statins typically lower overall cholesterol, there are some harmful side effects of which you should be aware. First, statins may lower total cholesterol too much. This can lead to inadequate cholesterol levels for proper brain function (25% of cholesterol is in the brain). It can also interfere with and inhibit the benefits of omega-3 fats. Statins metabolize omega-6 fatty acids which work against omega-3s and can promote resistance to insulin, and elevated blood glucose levels. Like most medications, statins include a risk of damage to organs and systems in the body (13). Lastly, chronic use of statins has also been shown to interfere with the body’s production of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). CoQ10 is critical for immune and nervous system health, and also bolsters heart health, proper muscle function, and healthy blood pressure, among much else. If you are on statins, it is very important to supplement with CoQ10. Ready to Do All You Can to Support Healthy Cholesterol Numbers and Heart Health? Dr. Colbert has devised an amazing guide to help you obtain a healthy weight, healthy cholesterol, and overall great health for life: Beyond Keto. When you follow this plan that marries the best of the Mediterranean Diet with the best of Keto Zone, you can optimize your health efficiently and effectively. Try Beyond Keto and get started today. Then, listen to the podcast and learn even more facts about cholesterol! Bottom Line After decades of confusing information, new studies, changes in lifestyles and societal health, and more, it’s important to learn the facts about cholesterol. Learn all you can. Listen to Dr. Colbert’s Podcast, it’s a wealth of free information to keep you up to date on what you can do to support your heart health and cholesterol numbers, every day. To read the original article click here.

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Statin Use Associated With Increased Survival in Severe COVID-19

AHA Publisher — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 08:00:14 +0000

Columbia University Irving Medical Center via EurekAlert – NEW YORK, NY (Feb. 26, 2021)–People who took statins to lower cholesterol were approximately 50% less likely to die if hospitalized for COVID-19, a study by physicians at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and NewYork-Presbyterian has found. “Our study is one of the larger studies confirming this hypothesis and the data lay the groundwork for future randomized clinical trials that are needed to confirm the benefit of statins in COVID-19,” says Aakriti Gupta, MD, a cardiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and one of the co-lead authors of the study. “If their beneficial effect bears out in randomized clinical trials, statins could potentially prove to be a low-cost and effective therapeutic strategy for COVID-19,” adds co-lead author Mahesh V. Madhavan, MD, also a cardiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Why Look at Statins? Gupta, Madhavan, and the study’s leadership group are cardiologists who cared for hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the spring and summer of 2020 when the first wave of the pandemic swept through New York City. “We observed that patients who got very sick and required hospitalization had high rates of hyperinflammation and clotting,” says Elaine Wan, MD, the Esther Aboodi Assistant Professor of Medicine in Cardiology and Cardiac Electrophysiology and a cardiac electrophysiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, one of the study’s senior authors. “As cardiologists, statins naturally came to mind,” Gupta says. “In addition to their well-known cholesterol-lowering effect, statins are known for their anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant and immunomodulatory properties.” Study Analyzed Data from Electronic Health Records Based on their observations, the authors looked at outcomes for 2,626 patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to a quaternary academic medical center in Manhattan during the first 18 weeks of the pandemic. The researchers compared 648 patients who regularly used statins before developing COVID-19 to 648 patients who did not use statins. Patients in each group were matched so that there were no significant differences in demographics, comorbidities, or use of other medications at home. 50% Fewer Deaths among Statin Users Among the statin users, 96 (14.8%) died in the hospital within 30 days of admission compared with 172 (26.5%) of patients who did not use statins. When other differences among the patients were factored in, the researchers found that statin use was significantly associated with a 50% reduction in in-hospital mortality (within 30 days). Patients on statins also tended to have lower levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation. Statin use was not associated with a statistically significant decrease in the use of invasive mechanical ventilation (18.6% in statin users vs. 21.9%), days on a ventilator (13.5 vs 12.8), or length of hospital stay (7 vs 7). Comparison with Other Studies Other studies and meta-analyses from China have also suggested a survival benefit from statins among COVID-19 patients. However, these results may not apply to patients in Western countries who generally have more cardiovascular disease. The current study is one of the larger studies confirming the association. Smaller retrospective studies out of North America and Europe have found similar results. Randomized Clinical Trials Needed Although the study compared closely matched participants and adjusted for other variables, as a retrospective analysis, unknown factors could explain the results. “Only randomized controlled clinical trials can evaluate the benefits of statins in COVID-19 patients,” says senior author Sahil A. Parikh, MD, associate professor of medicine and a cardiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Several randomized trials are underway, including studies to determine if statins can prevent hospitalization in outpatients, and lower the risk of death when given to hospitalized patients. One of the study’s authors, Behnood Bikdeli, MD, a former cardiology fellow at Columbia now a fellow in vascular medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is leading a randomized clinical trial looking at the impact of statins in hospitalized ICU patients in Iran. To read the original article click here.

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