THE dangers of using stattins to reduce Cholesterol

eurotrotter

is there many side effects to this drug?
is there better alternatives out there, natural or otherwise?
is there anything that I should avoid, eating or doing to maximize the effect of this drug.
thanks in advance,
ed

DrIndy

The information is available on the internet, check by searching under the drug name such as simvastatin, pravastatin, atorvastatin.

Most people have few or no side effects with it, known serious side effects include inflammation of the liver (hepatitis) and breakdown of muscle (rhabdomyolysis). These can be serious, but doctors watch out for them.

Regarding advice to maximise effect, talk to you doctor regarding diet.

Of all the cholesterol reducing drugs on the market, the statins have the best general side effect profile and are generally very well tolerated.

Traumadoc

Ive seen a bad case of rhabdomyolysis from statins, essentially the muscles dissolve. I think there is some concern regarding early onset Parkinsons.

rumki8

Hi, I am 25 years old male and well built. My cholesterol is 5.4, which I think slightly high. I am11 stone in weight with 18% body fat. I eat quite healthy, I intake between 35-50 grams of fat each day and I rarely eat junk food. I drink liquor once every week. For the last 4 months I have improved my diet and exercise considerably and take a cholesterol lowering drink each day but my cholesterol has stayed exactly the same. I am quite confused about this. Does anyone know how I can lower it?

Tree

stop smoking?

Vorsprung

rumki8 wrote: »

Hi, I am 25 years old male and well built. My cholesterol is 5.4, which I think slightly high. I am11 stone in weight with 18% body fat. I eat quite healthy, I intake between 35-50 grams of fat each day and I rarely eat junk food. I drink liquor once every week. For the last 4 months I have improved my diet and exercise considerably and take a cholesterol lowering drink each day but my cholesterol has stayed exactly the same. I am quite confused about this. Does anyone know how I can lower it?

Ask a doctor!

DublinDan

rumki8 wrote: »

Hi, I am 25 years old male and well built. My cholesterol is 5.4, which I think slightly high. I am11 stone in weight with 18% body fat. I eat quite healthy, I intake between 35-50 grams of fat each day and I rarely eat junk food. I drink liquor once every week. For the last 4 months I have improved my diet and exercise considerably and take a cholesterol lowering drink each day but my cholesterol has stayed exactly the same. I am quite confused about this. Does anyone know how I can lower it?

The question is why lower it at all? If you're a healthy 25 year old (non-smoker I presume) there is no point in worrying about a marginally elevated cholesterol, your risk of cardiovascular disease is negligible. Some people are genetically more likely to have higher cholesterol. End of story. You're wasting your money measuring it IMO.

If you were a 50 year old diabetic smoker on your 3rd bypass, well that's a different matter.....

You can check out http://www.heartuk.org.uk/new/pages/prof/risk.html to actually see how it's worked out, but you'll need more info such as Total cholesterol : HDL ("good cholesterol") ratio and your BP.

N8

eurotrotter wrote: »

is there many side effects to this drug?
is there better alternatives out there, natural or otherwise?
is there anything that I should avoid, eating or doing to maximize the effect of this drug.
thanks in advance,
ed

Anti cholesterol drugs side effects
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055130657

UrbanFox

Traumadoc wrote: »

Ive seen a bad case of rhabdomyolysis from statins, essentially the muscles dissolve. I think there is some concern regarding early onset Parkinsons.

Is that muscle problem what the doctor is looking for when checking muscle enzymes ?

bleg

rumki8 wrote: »

Hi, I am 25 years old male and well built. My cholesterol is 5.4, which I think slightly high. I am11 stone in weight with 18% body fat. I eat quite healthy, I intake between 35-50 grams of fat each day and I rarely eat junk food. I drink liquor once every week. For the last 4 months I have improved my diet and exercise considerably and take a cholesterol lowering drink each day but my cholesterol has stayed exactly the same. I am quite confused about this. Does anyone know how I can lower it?

those cholesterol lowering drinks are a joke.

siochain

take CQ10 if your on statins (do a search on both for details)

luckat

Depends on your own risk.

If you have the kind of cholesterol that's made by your body independent of diet, then statins look like the best dart.

If you're lucky, and diet, exercise, sane working hours and a rational life, you won't need them - assuming you keep to a sane lifestyle.