One of the most commonly prescribed medications for adults is a drug in the statin class; These drugs are intended to lower cholesterol in an effort to lower the risk of developing a heart attack.
Look around at your coworkers, family, friends, or even just those at the grocery store. You or one of these people is taking or has taken a statin. It has been estimated that 8 in 10 adults have taken a statin, with more than 200 million new prescriptions written each year (some are written for those who took them the previous year).
Unfortunately, they are also the most common drug that people stop taking due to their side effects. An estimated 54% of people who take statins stop taking them after 2 to 3 months.
However, many of the side effects are caused by a deficiency of CoQ10 (short for Coenzyme Q10) as a result of the action of the statin drug in the liver. It usually takes a person 3 months to experience the side effects of CoQ10 deficiency.
Statins work in the liver to inhibit the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase. This enzyme is responsible for making 70% of the cholesterol used by the body. Yet another use for this enzyme is to make CoQ10, which is essential for the body, which means that the body can make all the CoQ10 it needs as long as this enzyme is working. Without that enzyme, the body cannot produce CoQ10, and the body will suffer if the nutrient is not supplemented or ingested into the body through diet.
Looking at the side effects of most concern to someone taking a statin, these are the signs of a CoQ10 deficiency: memory loss, depression, fatigue; difficulty breathing; irregular heartbeat, palpitations; leg cramps or heavy, sore legs; diabetes; and impotence. The main symptoms that make people stop taking the medicine are the effect on the legs, pain or a feeling of heaviness. The second most common is loss of libido or impotence.
CoQ10 itself has heart protective properties. Statin drugs are intended to help reduce the risk of a heart attack; But studies have shown that they have little effect in preventing a heart attack. Perhaps it is because the drug causes a deficiency in CoQ10.
Several of the other side effects of these drugs are caused by a vitamin D deficiency; this class of drugs depletes vitamin D. These side effects are: depression, anxiety, seasonal affective disorder (SAD); difficulty breathing; muscle weakness or osteoporosis; hearing loss or decrease; increased risk of cancer; rheumatic bread; or decreased appetite or food cravings.
Therefore, unless otherwise contraindicated, it is a good idea to supplement with CoQ10 and vitamin D daily while taking a statin drug. Although some doctors recommend fish oil supplements to their patients, most fish oil supplements do not contain enough CoQ10 or vitamin D to make up for the deficiency created by the drug. Therefore, it is recommended that a person take 100 mg of CoQ10 and 50,000 IU of vitamin D daily.
If you want to increase your dietary intake of these nutrients, you can find higher levels of CoQ10 in fish, beef, and poultry; or in pistachios or peanuts. Although you can find CoQ10 in foods, most are too low to counteract the deficiency created by a statin. It is best to take a supplement.
For vitamin D, foods rich in this nutrient are cold-water shellfish, fortified milk, liver, and fortified cereals. If you get 20 minutes of sun a day (without sunscreen protection), you are likely getting enough vitamin D to make up for the deficiency created by the medication.
Since we are talking about supplements, it may be a good idea to take a supplement to protect the liver, as statins are very harsh on the liver and liver damage can occur over time. Consider a supplement like Milk Thistle, ALA (alpha lipoic acid), or NAC (n-acetylcysteine) to help protect the liver from damage.
As a note, keep in mind that a statin interferes with the absorption of ALL ingested nutrients; therefore, it is recommended to take this medicine before going to bed so that the nutrients from the meals are absorbed during the day. But do not take it with pomegranate or grapefruit juice, as these juices increase the side effects of the drug and can greatly increase the risk of liver disease or damage. It can also cause neuropathy (nerve damage).
As always, talk to someone who is knowledgeable about supplements and medications before taking any supplements.
It is possible to take a drug and decrease or eliminate the side effects of that drug; at some point, you must look to nature to do so. Just be cautious and make sure what you take from nature is compatible with the drug.
Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only. It is important that you do not make health decisions or stop any medications without first consulting your personal physician or healthcare provider.