Statin Drugs and Co-Q10

Statin drugs can help improve the health of a number of ailments but many health professionals recommend that they should not be taken without also supplementing with Co-enzyme Q10 (Co-Q10). Statin users take these drugs to combat and prevent disease but unfortunately many costumers are left uneducated about the potential harmful side effects of statin drugs.

Statin drugs are one of the most widely used pharmaceutical products in the world that generate their makers billions of dollars annually. They are primarily used to treat ailments such as heart diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and osteoporosis, but scientific research reveals that stain drugs are extremely effective in lowering total cholesterol and triglycerides.

Side-effects
Unfortunately Stain drugs have a down side. When they reduce cholesterol levels they also lower Co-Q10 levels, this occurs due cholesterol and C-Q10 sharing the same synthesis path way. Reduced Co-Q10 levels can cause detrimental health effects.

In a double-blind placebo controlled study there was a decrease of 50-54 % of Co-Q10 levels in statin treatment groups.

According to Peter H. Langsjoen MD, FACC, PA; a pioneer in Co-Q10 research.

“There is very good evidence that Co-Q10 depletion is associated with impairment in myocardial function. We first presented and published data in 1990 that patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy show a drop in blood Co-Q10 level and life threatening decline in heart function when placed on statins. Since the release of statins in 1987 there has been roughly three fold increase in chronic heart failure in USA.”

Peter H. Langsjoen MD, FACC, PA; further states.

All patients taking statins have become depleted in Co-Q10, eventually, those patients who start with relatively low Co-Q10 levels ( the elderly and patients with heart failure) begin to manifest signs/ symptoms of Co-Q10 deficiency relatively rapidly – in 6 to 12 months. Younger, healthier people who’s only “illness” is non-illness “hypercholesterolemia” can tolerate statins for several years before getting into trouble with fatigue, muscle weakness and soreness (usually with normal muscle enzyme CPK tests) and most ominously –heart failure”

On the 8th August 2001, Pharmaceutical company, Bayer, recalled its statin drug, Baycol (cerivastatin) following the deaths of more than 50 people who died from rhabdomyolysis, is a condition in which the skeletal muscle degenerates.

According to Public Citizen, Washington DC based consumer advocacy group, rhabdomyolysis has been linked to other statin drugs as well.



Warning labels
In their 2001 petition to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to request black box warning labels (strongest labeling caution that can be authorized by the FDA) on all statin drugs, the Public Citizen group stated.
“While cervastatin accounted for slightly more than half of the 772 reported cases of rhabadomyolosis between October 1997 and December 2000, 385 cases of rhabadomyolosis deaths were reported in the associations with other statins. An additional 29 deaths from rhabadomyolosis in people using stains other that cerastatin were reported to the FDA prior to October 1997, for the total 81 deaths from rhabadomyloysis caused by statins other than cerivastatin”. The group said.

Similarly, in 2002, Doctor Julian Whitaker, filed two petitions with the FDA requesting that statin drug labels should have medical guidance to inform costumers that when they take statin drugs they should also supplement with Co-Q10.

Just recently the Canadian Authorities have started that all cholesterol lowering drug advertising must display warnings in regards to the potential dangers of taking these drugs. For example. “Statins lower Co-enzyme Q10 (Co-Q10) levels and they raise Lipoprotein (a) (LP (a)) blood levels”
In another study performed by Emili G. Bliznakov, MD a veteran Co-Q10 researcher, he stated.

“I unearthed an important aspect of his story within two statin patents. Two U. S patents were granted to Merck (Pharmaceutical) in 1990 describing a method for counteracting the statin associated myopathy and potential nerve damage caused by the statins. Thus the manufacturer itself implicated the serious side-effects of the statins and protective role played by Co-Q10 in preventing these statin side-effects. The manufacturer has not disseminated this data for 12 years; w/c incriminates them seriously.”

Other known side-effects associated with the use of statin drugs include muscle inflammation, pain and weakness, fatigue and liver damage”

“Co-Q10 supplementation is an easy, economically-feasible remedy to prevent and/or reverse the dangerous Co-Q10 depletion effects of statins. The FDA should therefore act immediately to protect public health against foreseeable patients risks, including heart damage and death, by requiring use in all statin labeling or the warning recommended here.” Dr. Julian Whitaker, M.D.


Healthcare professionals’ awareness
But are doctors, who prescribe statin drugs, aware of the harm they can cause? Bernard Wollschlaeger, M.D said.

Are you as the patient told of the possible side effects over the possible benefit? Does your doctor even know? Drug companies have been successful in promoting their products and the need for lower cholesterol levels. Were cholesterol levels such a topic of concern before Statin drugs were invented? Most of the studies on Statins have been founded by the drug companies, themselves.

“The potential adverse side-effects of the statin drugs is being discussed in scientific literature, but such information is not currently documented in PDR or other drug information databases that are used on daily basis by physicians and other healthcare professionals. As healthcare professionals, we need to be attentive to potential depletion of essentials nutrients in patients taking prescription medication for n extended period of time”

Statin drugs are obviously bad news if Co-Q10 supplementation is left out of the equation. Statin users need to educate themselves on how satins affect their body because the known side-effects are too harmful to be ignored. Co-Q10 helps to promote and maintain overall health due to its energy production and free radical scavenger properties.

Health Care Professionals are recommended that Co-Q10 supplementation is vital if taking statin drugs. For those who want to know more information www.statinalert.org. there are over 1500 sites promoting concern over statin use.