Side Effects Of Statins – 7 Dangerous Facts Your Doctor May Not Have Told You About
by Pam MarshallIf you’re a male or female with a cholesterol level of 180 or more, chances are you’ve been diagnosed with high cholesterol and your doctor has recommended a statin drug to treat the problem. But were you told about the dangerous side effects of statins?
Statin drugs are sold under the name of Lipitor, Zocor, Mevacor, Vytorin, and Pravachol, to name a few. Once started, more than likely you’ll have to be on these statin drugs for a lifetime, in addition to a low-fat diet.
There’s no doubt that statins are very efficient in lowering cholesterol. As a matter of fact they do a very good job of it. However, there is a price to pay. In addition to lowering cholesterol levels, statins have been shown to cause some very serious side effects – side effects your doctor may not have told you about.
Below are seven dangerous facts about the side effects of statins you need to know.
1. Muscle Pain
Perhaps this is the most common side effect of statins — muscle pain and weakness. This condition is called rhabdomyolysis and is caused when a nutrient called Co- Q10 is depleted from the muscles. This muscle pain and weakness can be very debilitating. At times the weakness is so severe that patients can barely walk and the pain can be almost paralyzing.
2. Neuropathy
Neuropathy is pain, weakness, and tingling in the extremities. Most commonly neuropathy occurs in hands and feet. Not only is this worrisome, but often permanent damage occurs.
3. Heart failure
In studies of patients taking statin drugs who died due to heart failure, the results showed that more than likely the problem was due to interference with production of Co-Q10. All muscles need this nutrient to function properly and the heart is no exception. When deprived of Co-Q10, the heart simply cannot function.
4. Decrease in cognitive abilities
There have been cases reported in medical literature of patients who show signs of cognitive impairment after taking statin drugs. As a matter fact, some studies found that as much as 15% of all patients on statin drugs suffer from cognitive impairment. The severity can range from “fuzzy” thinking to full-blown cases of short-term amnesia. Imagine being in the prime of your life and suffering through a decline in your ability to think remember, and reason.
5. Cancer
Despite reports that statins may actually prevent the onset of cancer, in studies with rodents statins have been proven to be a cancer-causing agent. Perhaps the reason this correlation hasn’t been made in humans is because cancer takes a long time to develop. However in some clinical trials, female patients showed an increase in breast cancer rates. Another study showed that skin cancer increased as compared to patients who were not taking statin drugs.
6. Depression
Studies have found that women who have low cholesterol are more prone to depression than women who have normal or high levels of cholesterol. Other studies have shown that men who take statin drugs to lower their cholesterol levels have increased rates of suicide. The theory is that a low cholesterol level can actually cause emotional or mental disturbances.
7. Dizziness
Statins are reported to lower blood pressure, which may possibly lead to dizziness in some patients. This problem is especially worrisome in the elderly who are more prone to falls.
Are there any benefits to statin drugs?
So, what about the benefits of statin drugs? There seems to be a general consensus among physicians that the benefits of statins carry more weight than the dangerous side effects. They cite instances where it is believed that statin drugs decrease the risk of coronary deaths as compared to those patients who were not taking statin drugs. However, other researchers believe these case studies are statistically insignificant.
A safe alternative to statin drugs
Obviously, the decision to take statin drugs to lower your cholesterol is not one to be taken lightly. Certainly, the dangers of a high cholesterol level are real and need to be addressed. The good news is that there is an alternative to potentially dangerous statin drugs.
Natural supplements could be the answer for you. Cholesterol supplements such as Pre-lipid™, are 100% natural, safe, and contain eight botanical formulas that decrease cholesterol and treat inflammation in the arteries. As a matter of fact, Pre- Lipid™ cholesterol supplement lowers cholesterol levels 30 to 40 points on average.
Preemptive Meds – intervention in the pre-disease state
PreEmptive Meds Prelipid™ cholesterol supplement is an intervention strategy for cholesterol levels that lie within the pre-disease range (200-239). If prevention occurs within this range, cholesterol can be lowered before it gets to dangerously high levels, preventing the dire consequences of high cholesterol. This early intervention philosophy is the cornerstone of PreEmptive Meds.
Once only sold to physicians, Prelipid™ is now available to the public. And at only $9 a week, you can save up to 70% of the cost of prescription drugs.
If you’re interested in treating your cholesterol the natural way, you can find out more about Preemptive Meds’ Prelipid ™ and how this natural supplement can lower your cholesterol with absolutely no dangerous side effects. Just visit this website to find out how you can begin lowering your cholesterol now.
