Stopping Vytorin 10/40 and adding the supplements???

[DEgirl]

Someone PLEASE let me know.... I CANNOT seem to find the d-Alpha (natural) Vitamin E in my area that is recommended on this site. .... All I can find in my search locally is the dl-Alpha (synthetic) Vitamin E capsules. We live in a smaller area and have no local access to larger vitamin store chains. So, ........... I went ahead and I purchased the dl-Alpha (synthetic) in a 400 IU with all the other recommended supplements on the list. Can I still give my husband this synthetic Vitamin E in a 400 IU with the CoQ10 "and get the same results" with the other recommended supplements or would I have to give a higher dose of this synthetic Vitamin E IU????? Should we get the same results?? Anyone know????

[adec]

Sorry to say, the synthetic version isn't as readily absorbable as the natural form. I would return it for a refund. But also realize that there are four different tocopherols that comprise Vitamin E, not just alpha, but delta, gamma, and beta. And taking too much vitamin E d-alpha tocepherol can deplete the others, and pose a greater risk of mortality.

I therefore would recommend a mixed Vitamin E complex, one with at least alpha, delta, beta, and gamma tocepherol and/or alpha, delta, beta, gamma tocotrienol. You can probably purchase mixed vitamin E more cheaply on-line though... if you're comfortable making Internet purchases with a credit card.

Here's a retailer selling Now's brand of Advanced Gamma E 120 capsules for $9.20... basically $27.60 for a year's supply. [http://www.myvitanet.com/adgae120geno.html]

Also feel free to also eat natural sources rich in Vitamin E, including wheat germ, walnuts, sunflowers seeds, hazelnuts, olives, and oils made from these grains, nuts and fruits.

[Biologist]

DEgirl,

I agree with adec about the type of Vitamin E
one should take, but I am not so sure the type
of oil (such a Vitamin E vs. Olive oil, etc.) is all
that important in your case. You may want to
read this, as I suspect your concern is about
ABSORPTION of the CoQ10. I had the same
question myself and read somewhere that
Olive Oil was good -- and that's what I use if I
take CoQ10 outside of a meal. So I put "olive
oil" and "CoQ10" and "absorption" in Google
search and found this right away (while I know
nothing about the website itself):

[http://www.nutrasanus.com/co-q10.html]

"CoQ10 is absorbed by the small intestine and transferred into the lymphatics; from there it enters the blood stream. Absorption of CoQ10 is poor. In fact, it is believed that over 60% of an oral dose of CoQ10 is excreted in the feces. Absorption of CoQ10 is highly variable and depends in large part on food intake but also on the amount of lipids present in the food. Absorption of CoQ10 is lower on an empty stomach and greater when taken with food of high lipid content. Since absorption of CoQ10 is poor, high quality supplemental CoQ10 has been recommended for maximum potency.

Dosage and Administration

Supplemental coenzyme Q10 is available in capsule, tablet, softgel (gel cap), and chewable form. To improve its absorption, it can be taken with some type of oil (olive oil is recommended) or fat (peanut butter, for example). Most doctors recommend that CoQ10 be taken with meals to improve absorption.

Dosage recommendations range from 30 mg to 300 mg a day. Higher daily doses are usually associated with a specific health condition and are often divided into 2 or 3 smaller doses (for example, one 50 mg tablet taken 2 times a day instead of a single 100 milligram tablet taken once). If you are taking the enzyme for a heart condition, it may be 2 to 8 weeks before you notice any benefit, and you will need to continue taking the product to maintain any notable improvement. Effectiveness, if any, is believed to be obtained with doses of 50 to 200 milligrams daily."

Biologist

[adec]

The unadulterated vitamin E found in olive oil, and those other sources, is probably a more complete form than any supplement could provide. There's actually a concern about absorption of vitamin E in extracted form, away from other vitamins and nutrients, some which could further increase bioavailability.

By the way, you can also greatly increase ubiquinone absorption by co-administering piperine... by as much as 21% after three weeks.

[DEgirl]

Thank you for responding with the necessary information I needed!! I checked all of the supplements that I purchased. With the issue of the Vitamin E I had mentioned above and it being discovered I purchased the (synthetic). I know now by reading your response that I purchased the wrong type. Now, reading the label of the CoQ10 bottle that I purchased, I noticed something else I hadn't noticed before. So... Here is another question for you. ....... The CoQ10 softgels that I purchased read on their label the following information:

Q-Sorb
CoQ-10
150mg

The ingredients given on the bottle label contain:

Vitamin E... d-Alpha Tocopherol 7.5 IU 25%
Coenzyme Q-10 150mg

Now my next question(s)............. Is this enough Vitamin E IU in this combination of CoQ10 softgels or will I still need to purchase "MORE" Vitamin E in the NATURAL form along with this given amount? I thought d-Alpha was (natural)? The bottle ingredients appear to say, it contains a natural form of Vitamin E IU in 7.5 IU along WITH the CoQ10 at 150mg.

Is this enough to protect my husband while STOPPING his Vytorin??? I am so confused and upset with all of this I don't know which way to look anymore!!! I am the one going to need to see a doctor for STRESS along with my dear husband! LOL.... However, I do THANK YOU for your help.

[Biologist]

I've been off Zocor about 3.5 months and continue to take about 1,000 mg per day usually at meal time; and if not with meals, I take about a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil with it. The "extra virgin" just means that it was not heated in the extraction process and it probably makes little difference for absorption. It is just the kind I happen to have.

You might want to pick up a bottle of the natural form of E but no big hurry. Just use what you have already bought to "supplement the supplement," if you like. Or just give him the CoQ10 with meals.

Biologist

[Biologist]

To clarify, I take two or three 150 mg jell caps of it about three times during the day.

Biologist

[adec]

To answer your question DEgirl, yes, there's a sufficient amount of vitamin E in that Sundown Q-Sorb formulation. Just that small of an amount is enough to help increase the absorption of CoQ10. By the way, this is the exact same CoQ10 brand my mom takes.

For the first year, my mother took two 150mg CoQ10 softgels a day, six hours apart. Now she only takes one 150mg softgel daily. She also now supplements with the Schiff Vitamin E Complex with Mixed Tocopherols. If you're so inclined, you can purchase a mixed vitamin E formula as well.

I'm just happy that you were able to attribute your husbands problems to statins, and were able to find this forum. Most people are never that lucky. Just realize that you're doing all the right things for your husband. Good luck, and please update us with your progress.

By the way, Biologist, extra virgin usually signifies the first pressing of the olive, and usually contains less than 0.8% acidity, which is also usually a cold extraction. I say usually because most of the industry is very unregulated. And here are a few links for for you to peruse, regarding increasing the bioavailability of CoQ10, among a host of other vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids.

[http://www.bioperine.com/crq10.htm]

And here's a great article examining both the benefits and risks of bioperine/piperine. Too much for me to discuss or print here.

[http://www.delano.com/Articles/piperine-multiplies.html]

[DEgirl]

THANK YOU Biologist and adec!!!! I will keep buying the formulation of CoQ10 supplement mentioned then. I also cook basically with olive oil or "heart smart" cooking oil. I have for some time. Well since we first found the cholesterol issue back in Oct-Nov. 2006. My husband will be going back for more blood work to check Cholesterol very soon. His doctor and I are going to have a very "serious chat" then about Vytorin. I intend to tell him what all I have had to endure due to this statin Vytorin 10/40. My husbad is simply NOT the same man as he was before taking Vytorin. My husband had a total and complete physical with this doctor right before being put on Vytorin 10/40. Including several blood tests. All results were found "normal range" except Cholesterol levels were a bit too high. At the time, my husband was taking NO OTHER medications... Not even daily supplements. In fact, he rarely ever even used Tylenol. I will NOT accept the doctor sending us for MORE TESTING either due to the issues we experienced over the last several weeks. He was FINE mentally before starting Vytorin daily. Nothing else has changed with him to cause these issues. So with that said, .... We'll see what happens and I'll let you know how it goes. THANKS again for all your help!!!

P.S. ... Your right, I am lucky to have found this site! I did so by searching for "Vytorin 10/40 side effects thankfully.