POLICOSANOL

[mcharris]

I am OFF statins...... have been for ages but have been using policosanol to lower cholesterol.

I HAVE ALL OVER BODY PAIN and have been diagosed with fibromyalgia.... argh is this just another cholesterol lowering symptom/disease?

I am now comming off policosanol as well but would appreciate hearing from others who have used/ been on statins or policosanol and have been diagonosed with CFS/ FMS

Clare in AUSTRALIA

[mcharris]

[b]Addendum to previous email[/b]

I ALSO suffer from head/brain problems memory problems...... needed to add this info to my previous email,,,, oops sorry I forgot!

Clare In Australia

[sos_group_owner]

Hi Clare,

Are you taking CoQ10 with the policosanol?

Research indicates that CoQ10 levels in the body may be lowered by compounds that work on the same metabolic pathway as policosanol. CoQ10 supports the cardiovascular system and cellular energy production.

Statin drugs also use the "same metabolic pathway" as CoQ10.

That is the reason that many suffer side effects from statins and policosanol. They both deplete CoQ10. The result is muscle/joint - aches/pains and memory loss in addition to a long list of other side effects.

Since fibromyalgia is a muscle disorder, it's very possible that policosanol is the cause. The only way to find out is to stop taking it for several weeks.

Incidentially, CoQ10 is very beneficial for fibromyalgia and CFS.
Good articles from Whole Health MD...

Fibromyalgia:
ww.wholehealthmd.com/hc/resourceareas_view/1,1438,465,00.html

Supercharging Your Antioxidants With CoQ10:
ww.wholehealthmd.com/news/viewarticle/1,1513,849,00.html

Fran

[mcharris]

Hello Fran

I have looked all over the place for information telling me that Policosanol uses the same metabolic pathway as do Statins. Can you give me a link to where I can find this information. If indeed Policosanol crosses the Blood-Brain Barrier, it will explain a lot of things for me.

It helps me to understand - if this is so - how come I maybe having all these problems which are the same as some statin users have.

I truly appreciate you replying to my question.

Yes I do take Q10 and will continue to do so.

I now understand that Cholesterol is not enemy number one...... there are other things I can take, use, work at to keep my arteries in better health.

May I refer you to this page
ww.cholesterol-and-health.com/

Cheer's
Clare in Tasmania Australia

[sos_group_owner]

Hi Clare,

I checked PubMed and came across this study...
Policosanol modulates HMG-CoA reductase activity in cultured fibroblasts.
ww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11282173&query_hl=11

It is diffucult to find supporting data, but I'll check further.

We were in Tasmania in 1998. Walked the Overland Track. This was part of a three month trip including Hawaii (4 islands) and New Zealand... definitely a trip of a lifetime.

Fran

[mcharris]

Thanks for the link to the pub med article... interesting read althought the 'bottom line' still remains.............

[b][i]However, the exact mechanism by which policosanol inhibits the activity of HMG-CoA reductase still remains unclear. Further studies are needed to clarify the precise mechanism of its inhibitory action on cholesterol biosynthesis.[/i][/b]

Arghhhhh yet another case of it seems to work but we do not know why!!

Tassie is beautiful... we have retired down here...... I came from Sydney via Seattle Had a holiday on Kauai (?sp) as well

Would be interested in any further links you may come across.....

Bottom line for me tho ---- OFF all cholesterol lowering concoctions.... chemical or natural!

Cheer's

Clare in Tassie Australia