July 2002 - Number 41
drhealth@getwel.com
* drhealth's getwel.com Home Page http://www.getwel.com
A. The Threat of Cholesterol-lowering Drugs!
One of the largest and best-designed federal studies of hormone replacement therapy was halted because women taking the hormones after menopause had a greater risk of: Breast cancer, Heart attack, Stroke and Blood clots than those who did not take the drugs. The trial, which was to last for 8.5 years, was halted to continue till 2005 because of a significant increase in the risk of invasive breast cancer. More than 6 million women in the US currently take estrogen and progestin (Prempro) combination therapy for a variety of reasons, including relief of hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. This has significant implications, however on Premarin was introduced in 1942. It was the most-prescribed drug in America each year from 1992 through 1999 and perhaps the most prescribed drug ever. Last year Premarin generated more than $2 billion in sales for Wyeth. Please recognize that the progestin drug used in this study is not the same as human progesterone, but a synthetic derivative of the natural female hormone progesterone. Progestin can actually kill a fetus if taken when the woman is pregnant. The only reason it is used the drug companies have a patent on it and can make more money than the safer natural progesterone. The confusion about estrogen is that it actually raises levels of HDL (or "good") cholesterol in women, which is often considered one of the reasons that a woman's risk of heart disease is low prior to menopause. For years, HRT was widely believed to reduce the risk of heart disease in postmenopausal women, but recent studies have failed to document any protective effects. The hope--and the hype of the drug companies--has been that estrogen would also confer a reduced risk of heart disease. The study suggests the exact opposite though, in that when women take the drugs for more than about 5 years, the risks of the hormones clearly outweigh the benefits. There are some in the medical establishment who are voicing their concern about the danger of popular drugs such as Lipitor, Mevacor, Zocor, Pravachol, Lescol, and Baycol (which was recently taken off the market). These drugs block the enzyme HMG-CoA redctase in the liver, which shuts down the liver's capacity to manufacture cholesterol, and as a result, cholesterol levels drop. The liver manufactures coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) via the same enzyme pathway. these drugs also block CoQ10 production resulting in disastrous consequences to health. Why? Because CoQ10 is absolutely essential. Without it, your cells are unable to produce energy. Early complications of CoQ10 deficiencies are liver damage (marked by increases in liver enzymes) and myophathy (muscle weakness and soreness, which may progress to complete muscle breakdown. Guess what? Liver damage and myophathy are precisely the side effects of the statin drugs! This epidemic of congestive heart failure, with 400,000 new cases being diagnosed every year has doubled over the last 12 years, and it has health experts scratching their heads. A primary cause of congestive heart failure is cardiomyopathy, or damage to the heart muscle. And a primary cause of cardiomyopathy is CoQ10 deficiency, which statin drugs are known to cause. The "unexplained" increase in heart failure coincides precisely with the accelerated use of statin drugs over the past decade. Congestive heart failure isn't the only problem caused by these drugs. As you may recall, one of the statin drugs, Baycol, was voluntarily taken off the market last year after 31 deaths were attributed to it. (Another 81 deaths were later confirmed.) Most of these deaths were caused by rhabdomyolysis, significant deterioration of muscle tissue, resulting in the buildup of toxins that can lead to kidney failure and death. Rhabdomyolysis is an end stage of myopathy, and myopathy is a complication of CoQ10 deficiency. If the millions of Americans suffering from statin drug-induced muscle pain and weakness or liver damage had been instructed to also take CoQ10, they would probably be free of these debilitating side effects. And if the drug companies had acted responsibly in educating the public, it is quite possible that our current epidemic of congestive heart failure would not exist. If you are taking a statin drug, by all means consider protecting yourself by taking 100 mg to 200 mg of CoQ10 daily. And if any of your friends or family members are taking a statin, please tell them about the need to take supplemental CoQ10. Stop by or call for more information about CoQ10. B. Prescription Drug Folic Acid? Artery disease remains the leading cause of death in the Western World. The reason so many people continue to suffer heart attacks and strokes is that long held concepts about atherosclerosis have turned out to be wrong! That's what was reported in graphic detail in the May 2002 issue of Scientific American. According to the publication, atherosclerosis is the result of chronic inflammation in the arterial lining. There was C-reactive protein, homocysteine and fibrinogen that contribute to atherosclerosis by facilitating inflammation. Here comes a drug company to save the day and make alot of money by patenting a product called FOLTX that cardiologists are now prescribing to their patients for the purpose of lowering homocysteine. Each tablet of FOLTX contains: 2.5 mg of folic acid, 1.0 mg of vitamin B12 and 25 mg of vitamin B6 (very low potency). The cost for 90 tablets of FOLTX from www.drugstore.com is $38.08--or about double the retail price of higher potency vitamins when purchased in a health food store. Plus it's a good idea to take a complete B complex when taking any one or two B vitamins. C. Hormone therapy Negated Headlined In The Oregonian! Federal researchers say the risks to healthy, menopausal women taking estrogen and progestin outweigh the benefits. Hormone replacement therapy for healthy menopausal women increases the risk of breast cancer, heart disease and stoke. Most surprising is the discovery that the hormones increase the risk of heart disease, the NO. 1 killer of women, by an estimated 22 percent. Researchers suggest the estimated 6 million U.S. women taking estrogen and progestin should contact their doctors and discuss whether to stop or change their therapy. Hopefully your doctor has researched an alternative natural therapy. The May issue of this newsletter was devoted to HRT. Come in for a copy. Thought For The Day: We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Take up the broken threads and weave, with love, new beginnings! NOTE: You may be wondering why the June newsletter didn't get on line. Our home burned down May 23rd. I have lost your addresses. So readers interested in keeping contact with me, please e-mail me. Thank you. Walt |
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