Statins are very problematic drugs. Some researchers believe they interfere with the body’s use of vitamin D, which could seriously impact your health — because, as we’ve reported here at Easy Health Options more than once, vitamin D is crucial for overall health and helps keep bones strong and the immune system functioning at optimal capacity.
But the shifting strategies of the big drug companies to lure many of us into using an endless round of drugs is like a slow-motion chess match. And if you don’t think through your next move, you could end up on a path of destruction paved with pills.
New guidelines, first proposed by drug companies in 2013, are aimed at getting more people — up to 10 million more Americans — to take one of their most ‘successful’ products — statins — which would boost their bottom lines considerably. But this time they may have finally gone too far because even doctors are starting to have qualms about using them on their patients.
The studies, funded by Big Pharma, allege to show the benefits of giving statin drugs — medications designed to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol — to people who are at very low risk for heart problems.
The research is predicated on some pretty shaky assumptions that make a lot of financial sense to companies, but falls short at convincing many cardiologists and others in the medical profession.
As Melissa Healy points out in the Los Angeles Times, the idea of giving all these low-risk people statins, alarms many doctors. It could “lead to massive use of statins at the population level; i.e., ‘statinization… It is uncertain whether this would be one of the greatest achievements or one of the worst disasters of medical history,” writes John P.A. Ioannidis, who specializes in preventive medicine at Stanford.
Ionnadidis believes that if the drug companies had their way, billions of people worldwide would be taking statins.
The reason doctors are nervous and buyers should beware is because statins can cause a wide-range of dangerous side effects, including:
- Hindering the body’s use of vitamin K2 and CoQ10. These nutrients are crucial for proper function of muscles (including the heart muscle) and the proper use of calcium in the body. The bottom line: Statins can weaken your heart muscle.
- Hampering the body’s use of selenium, a mineral that may prevent cancer and fight oxidative damage to muscle tissue.
- Increasing your risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Cognitive problems. Statin users report the medicine creates ‘brain fog’ and may contribute to memory loss.
Many medical experts don’t believe the risks posed by statins outweigh the benefits. Especially, when there are other proven options.
Making lifestyle adjustments is one of the most effective ways to reduce cardiovascular risks. Even moderate changes in diet and activity (exercise) can reduce LDL, increase HDL (the good cholesterol), reduce inflammation and support circulation. Plus, there are many natural solutions that have been shown to be just as effective, and much safer, than pharmaceuticals.
These kinds of changes will not only reduce your risk of stroke and heart attack, but you’ll also get numerous ‘side benefits’ instead of side effects: reduced risk of diabetes, improved energy, better cognitive health, stronger immunity and greater long-term wellness.
It may take a little effort at first, but if you remind yourself of the dangers of statins, that should be all the motivation you’ll need.
