What common ingredient?

[catspajamas]

Does anyone know the common ingredient that all statin drugs share that causes such adverse reactions in some people? I was on zocor, lipitor, pravachol...all with dire consequenses for me....tried zetia.severe abd. cramps/diarrhea....tried welchol..severe constipation allmost to the point of a bowel obstruction.....Yet even a so called cholesteral specialist tried to push yet more statins at me...

[Biologist]

catspajamas,

I almost hate to tell you. Here's the applicable "cut & paste" section from an email where I described it for someone else recently:

"...beyond "Snake Oil" which was useless
but generally harmless, statins are Snake
Venom which calls for the attempted cure
of the slews of misdiagnosed problems
they often create. In point of fact, the base
molecule is a Red Yeast-derived toxin
evolved to kill any and all other competing
and predatory organisms via similar
molecular pathways found in
humans..."

Biologist

[sos_group_owner]

Hi "catspajamas",

Re: Does anyone know the common ingredient that all statin drugs share that causes such adverse reactions in some people?

It's not a specific ingredient - it's the fact that all 'statins' use the same mevalonate pathway as CoQ10, hence the muscle pain and memory loss (to name a few side effects).

Zetia (a non-statin) 'works' in the intestines, so not surprising it caused cramps and diarrhea.

WelChol is a 'bile acid sequestrant' and also 'works' in the digestive tract. Common side effects are constipation, abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and excessive passage of gas (flatulence)

Most doctors will keep trying to find something that agrees with the patient, exhausting the long list of cholesterol lowering drugs. Very sad, as total cholesterol is not the problem.

If triglycerides are high, cut out the carbs and take cinnamon. Cinnamon also controls blood sugar levels.
If HDL is low, add fat back to the diet, especially healthy 'saturated' fats - butter and virgin coconut oil.
As far as LDL cholesterol, it's when LDL is oxidized that matters -

Excerpt from:
"Is Heart Disease All Due to Blood Clots?" - by Dr Malcolm Kendrick
Things that create "free radicals" and oxidized LDL... Smoking, high blood sugar levels (diabetes), stress... Risk factors that damage the "endothelium" include elevated levels of homocysteine, blood sugar, insulin, cortisol (stress hormones), triglycerides, smoking and deficiency in some vitamins, such as C and the B's.

When you get a chance, read the complete article,
[http://www.thincs.org/Malcolm.htm#clots]

Fran

[Biologist]

Thanks, Fran, for a more helpful post for catspajamas.

To augment mine a bit, here's a short description of the derivation of statins: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statins#History]

The chart further up on that page shows the various manufacturing methods, however, its my understanding that the end product is basically the same for all the statins. There are only small additions and alterations to the original base molecule in the various manufacturing processes which alter its behavioral characteristics to various degrees (and makes each one suitable for separate patenting). I might add, that while my description may sound a bit alarmist compared to theirs, theirs is so benign that it appears it could have been written by a marketing rep for one of the pharmaceutical companies. And the entire presentation on statins is clearly based on the "cholesterol theory" of heart disease -- which is highly dubious, if not a "known lie" to researchers.

For instance, here's an example of some particularly sloppy writing, or more likely, some carefully composed slight-of-hand (i.e., deception) from the page:

"A clearer major safety concern, myositis, myopathy, rarely
with rhabdomyolysis (the pathological breakdown of
skeletal muscle) may lead to acute renal failure when muscle
breakdown products damage the kidney. Co-Enzyme Q-10
(ubiquinone) has shown promise in reducing statin-associated
myalgias (statins block production of ubiquinone in addition
to cholesterol).[citation needed] One 2004 study found that of
10,000 patients treated for one year, 0.44 will develop this
side-effect."

Notice the inappropriate inclusion of the sentence on CoQ10 where "myalgias," an adverse side effect, is mentioned.

Then notice the next sentence citing statistics.

The statistics are not about the last mentioned adverse side effect (i.e., myalgias) in the paragraph, but rather for rhabdomyolysis, the very rare but most serious side effect. One might be left with the impression that it is myalgias that occur at such a tiny rate. See what I mean? Having deconstructed carefully composed written subterfuge in the past, I do not believe this was just a "writing mistake." I suspect it was written with the intention of deceiving. My analysis is partially based on over all evaluation of the tone and substance of their presentation on statins.

Other statistical claims -- based on (flawed and misinterpreted) studies cited -- are highly dubious. Some seem to claim that reported incidences of adverse effects are similar for those taking placebos.

One of my major complaints about statins is the apparent systematic hiding and understatement of common serious negative side effects. This campaign has been effective on doctors to the detriment of patients, including me. I thought they were about as safe as any drug could be based on the lack of warnings provided in six years of use. I now believe that this was a premeditated effort.

The current effort to make these drugs OTC is distrubing -- while actually, they already are available over the counter in the form of red yeast rice.

Writing about statin abuse may be cathartic, but more importantly, it helps others who have been hurt (to know what to expect) and helps those who are yet to be hurt by statins from being hurt in the first place. I like being part of that effort.

Biologist

[xrn]

Biologist said "The current effort to make these drugs OTC is distrubing"

Statins are available OTC in the UK. My addition to the thread at...

http://www.spacedoc.net/board/viewtopic.php?t=709

...shines a small light on the issue.

xrn

[Biologist]

Thanks, xrn.

Note that I have commented on your post there:

http://www.spacedoc.net/board/viewtopic.php?p=2924#2924

Biologist

[xrn]

Thanks, Biologist. I will go and have a look now. :)

xrn

[vipergg22]

Take a look at this study . Exactly what I thought all along the drug companies covering up all the problems these things cause.

[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16873939&query_hl=4&itool=pubmed_docsum]

[sos_group_owner]

Hi "vipergg22",

Thank you for sharing that link! Doesn't surprise me either.

Fran

[sos_group_owner]

Hi Biologist,

Thank you for the Wikipedia link... I reference Wikipedia frequently too.

<snip>
One of my major complaints about statins is the apparent systematic hiding and understatement of common serious negative side effects. This campaign has been effective on doctors to the detriment of patients, including me. I thought they were about as safe as any drug could be based on the lack of warnings provided in six years of use. I now believe that this was a premeditated effort.
<snip>

I don't think the drug companies are loosing any sleep... just laughing all the way to the bank. Pfizer announced massive layoffs today citing various reasons... could it be many are not refilling their Lipitor prescriptions? I can only hope!

Have you read Anthony Colpo's book "The Great Cholesterol Con"?
He very expertly dissects all the flawed data. I list his book and others at this link: [http://www.freewebs.com/stopped_our_statins/books.htm]

Fran

[Biologist]

Fran,

Yes, I read Anthony Colpo's book and several others on your list. I may read more.

Thanks,

Biologist