You know there’s only ONE way to go with this discussion. Vit D has a definite impact on our risk for CVD, and one of these pathways will be related to the reduction in lipid levels. So, if seasonal exposure to sunlight can lower lipid levels, how about strong Vit D supplementation instead of statins?
statins
AGGRESSIVE TREATMENT OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL WITH STATINS
Muscle Microvascular Dysfunction in Central Obesity Is Related to Muscle Insulin Insensitivity but Is Not Reversed by High-Dose Statin Treatment
Stop the presses!! You mean that aggressive treatment of high cholesterol with statins that is caused by insulin resistance will make the numbers look better but will not actually affect the insulin resistance????? I find this very hard to believe.
So, what we’re saying here is that statins do nothing to fix the actual problem, but DO make it look better? Always helps to place a sticker over your “check engine” light…
HOW TO PREVENT DEATHS FROM CVD?
Cardiovascular Risk Estimation and Eligibility for Statins in Primary Prevention Comparing Different Strategies
It’s always funny when we put things into perspective. Statins are given out seemingly like candy and viewed as the best thing for prevention of CVD in this country. Here is yet another study putting things into perspective.
For those at the very highest risk of CVD, assuming perfect compliance with medication dosage (which is NOT common), we have to treat 285 people to prevent a single death from CVD. Keep in mind that numbers for most drugs are preferred to be on the range of UNDER 10 to 1….This really shows just how incredibly ineffective this class of drugs is at preventing CVD.
Compare this to exercise, healthy diet, stress reduction, fish oil supplementation or Vit D (let alone all combined!). A NNT of 285 compared to these is laughable. THEN, factor in the cost difference and we stop laughing and begin to cry…
ARE FISH OILS BETTER THAN STATINS FOR HEART DISEASE?
ARE FISH OILS BETTER THAN STATINS FOR HEART DISEASE? Not that this should come as a shocker, but the answer is a very, very strong yes. This current study on primary prevention of fatal heart attacks shows that those with the highest intakes of EPA + DHA (still only at a very low 234 mg /day) had a 62% lower risk of fatal heart attack (compare to less than 50% w/ statins). The absolute risk reduction is relatively unexciting, but consider this. Statins cost tens of billions / year to our health system. The cost of side effects is much, much higher (concerns over certain cancers, muscle problems, liver problems, and yes–even heart problems!). And statins work for heart disease only.
Fish oils, in this study, were at a very low level (234 mg vs at least 1,000 mg in most studies), cost much less, and rather than having negative side effects, they protect against many cancers, diabetes, depression, Alzheimer’s, stroke, blah, blah, blah… Get the picture? One last sickening fact–Omacor / Lovaza is a prescription of fish oils. Not the best quality. The cost to your insurance? $200+ / month. Biotics brand we sell in office that is of higher quality? $25 / month. That should induce gastritis…
IS MY CHOLESTEROL BAD FOR MY HEART?
IS MY CHOLESTEROL BAD FOR MY HEART? If you’ve been reading my posts now, you’ve got my feedback on the lack of association between cholesterol and heart disease. Interestingly, without the drug companies and doctors coming out and saying that their is no relationship, we’ve been seeing a form of backpedaling in the medical research.
What we’re seeing is twofold. First, looking for other markers (like inflammation and homocysteine) that are related to heart disease. Second, looking at the wonder class of drugs, the mighty savior of the heart, the bastion of all that is good in medicine, the STATINS (you can almost hear the angels humming….) and their effects on these markers. It’s been a quiet movement, but it’s there.
This study looked at 10 yr risk factors for heart disease based on the NHANES III data . Guess what is suspiciously absent? You guessed it–cholesterol.
STATINS AND RISKS OF INCIDENT DIABETES
UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
In a meta analysis of 91,000 patients, an INCREASED risk of diabetes was seen for those using statins. While the risk was small (9%) it just further illustrates why this class of drugs is not the miracle we seem to think it is.
DO I BUY THE EXPENSIVE OR THE CHEAP OLIVE OIL??
DO I BUY THE EXPENSIVE OR THE CHEAP OLIVE OIL?? This article gives some more info. Basically, cholesterol, despite all the hype of the statins, does not, all by itself, cause problems. It is not until it gets oxidatively damaged that it becomes an oxysterol and can begin to damage arteries. So, less oxysterols = better vascular health.
In this study the researchers looked at levels of phenols (class of protective compounds in olive oil) in those who used virgin olive oil vs refined olive oil and found that the VOO users had higher blood levels of phenols and less oxysterols. Important thing here–most of the phenols are destroyed by heat!! Bottom line–expensive olive oil for dips, dressings, sauces, cheap stuff for cooking because the protective compounds in the expensive stuff will just get destroyed.
STATINS–THE WONDER DRUG THAT ISN’T
In 1997, Pfizer partnered with Warner-Lambert to release the drug atorvastain calcium, or Lipitor. It quickly rose to become one of the best selling drugs in history. It’s pretty well accepted that statins cut the rate of heart attacks in half. Sounds pretty good at the surface. But when you dig deeper, this 50% number will make you a little heartsick.
The class of statin drugs has reached godly status among drugs used in America, as exemplified by the ridiculous assertion by some cardiologists that statins should be added to the water supply. I would argue that not a single doctor in favor of the use of statins actually understands a shred of statistics. You see, there is a difference between absolute risk reduction and relative risk reduction.
If I told you that 2 people in the US per year got carcinoma of the tip of the pinky finger (fictional…) and someone found a drug that, when given to the entire population of the US would cut that number down to 1 person per year. Just how many would be in line to pop this pretty little pill down their throats, especially if there was a long list of side effects? I’m thinking few of us would.
However, if you are marketing this drug, you would stand proudly in the waiting room of every doctor’s office and proclaim that this drug will reduce the rate of carcinoma of the tip of the pinky by a whopping 50%. Patients, doctors and staff alike would listen in awe, jaws lowered, at how amazing this drug would be. After all–who wants to experience carcinoma of the pinky? The line to get the prescription would remind many of us the 1979 deaths of people crushed to death while attending a Who concert..
But if that same rep stood up on the Today show and stated that this fantastic new drug would cut the absolute risk by 1% when taken by 100 people for 3 years, the yawns and disinterest would be legendary. But this is the consistent data we see with all the statins. Treat 100 patients for 3 years and you’re lucky if one less person has a heart attack. Not death. Heart attack. You can eat a walnut per day and beat this.
So, we have a class of drug that is the best selling in history and, quite frankly, it sucks at preventing a heart attack. What’s worse is that the list of side effects has gotten quite long and include:
- Potential increase in the risk of cancer
- Increased risk of chronic muscle diseases
- Problems with the functioning of the heart
- Reduction in cognitive function
- Increases the risk of your muscles melting, a condition called rhabdomyolosis
- Increases risk of long term muscle damage, even after discontinuation
- Nullifies–YES, nullifies, the positive effects of exercise on the heart
The list is actually longer. This particular study actually looked at the production of oxidative stress in the muscles of patients taking statins. Overall, the damage was enough to begin to cause the deaths of muscle cells. Not a good thing.