|
Picking on cholesterol as the villain in heart disease not only ignores
the lack of evidence for such a connection, but also ignores its
importance in the functioning of the human body. Certainly very high
cholesterol is indicative of problems in body balance, but choosing
lower and lower levels to vilify is, in my opinion, dangerous in the
extreme.
The
Health Ranger, now at
http://www.naturalnews.com/, puts it well, in his Health Fictionary:
Spontaneous mass diagnosis - The process of
redefining health in order to instantly label as many consumers as
possible with a fictitious disease. Spontaneous mass diagnosis works
by moving the goalposts that define a disease state. A "normal"
level of LDL cholesterol used to be 130. Last year, a panel of
corrupt medical decision makers with under-the-table financial ties
to drug companies spontaneously decided that "normal" LDL
cholesterol should be 100. Overnight, ten million more Americans
were suddenly afflicted with the fictitious disease of high
cholesterol. And the treatment for this spontaneous disease? Statin
drugs, of course. The aim of Big Pharma is to make sure everyone
fits the definition of at least one disease, because the
prescription drug lords know that once a person gets on one
prescription drug, the inevitable side effects will create other
health problems that need to be treated with even more drugs.
Instant recurring revenue! Now that's a clever marketing plan!
Proper diet and correct exercise will
usually mean balanced cholesterol. Not only is that true, but there is increasing
controversy, even among main stream Doctors, as to whether cholesterol
is actually the villain it is made out to be: an article in USA
Today in July 2004 quoted Dr. C. Ballantyne, cardiologist at Baylor
School of Medicine as saying "The majority of people who end up having
heart attacks or stroke don't have high cholesterol." It is also
instructive to realize that most of the vocal experts recommending the
use of statins to bring about lower and even lower levels of
cholesterol, have very intimate financial ties to the companies making
the drugs - I could not put it better than Jenny Thompson from
HSI -
go
here for her report.
Research in 2005 is shedding more light on other possible
causes of heart disease.
Clay Semenkovich of the Washington University School of Medicine in
St. Louis, Mo., does not accept the cholesterol/heart disease
connection, but suggests that with age, the energy producing
mechanisms in the mitochondria of the cells become less efficient.
This allows highly re-active oxygen species to leak into the blood
stream, causing damage to the walls of the blood vessels.
See my article on CoQ10 for its application to this theory.
This makes cholesterol a conundrum. Good cholesterol is essential to many body functions,
including the very ability of our cells to reproduce, to take in and
eliminate nutrients, and yet at the same time, a substance which, in
excess, appears to lead to early disease and death. The question is, how do we
control the bad, without causing a deficiency of the good, and evidence
shows the answer is generally not medicinal drugs: my feeling has
always been that many of these drugs were put on the market before we
knew the full extent of the damage they might do at the cellular level.
We can
only be grateful, however, that we live in an age when tests are available that
enable us to find out where we stand: in years gone by, we would not
have known to take evasive
action. There are also tests now to ascertain Homocysteine levels,
perhaps an even greater indicator of risk for cardiovascular problems -
and possibly Alzheimer's disease, too. C reactive protein, a marker of
inflammation, also needs to be considered. However, on the principle
that any imbalance in a body system requires adjustment, cholesterol and
triglycerides that are extremely high should be addressed.
One of our major organs,
the liver,
is key to
the proper control of cholesterol, |
and because of the many insults it
suffers from faulty diet, toxins, harmful (hepatotoxic) medications, it
is often functioning at less than optimal levels. I strongly recommend
the use of milk thistle or artichoke extracts, sometimes with other
important liver protective herbs, to enhance liver function in people
suffering from faulty cholesterol metabolism, particularly if they are
on medication.
Conversely, the evidence linking
success with diet,
a perfectly safe approach - is incontrovertible. |
A diet
may by itself not lower blood cholesterol levels all the way, but studies have been
done that indicate this step alone can add over 3 years to one's
life-span. Additional steps which will help you achieve total
success are
-
to eliminate hydrogenated oils and trans fatty acids from
your menu (i.e. margarine and crisco)
-
eat fish once a week at least
(or, in view of reports of high mercury levels, use a supplement)
-
eat
oat bran for breakfast
-
add apples, pears, grapefruit or oranges daily
(they are high in a miracle substance called pectin : a
study at the Clinic of Cardiology in 1988 found that 15 gms of citrus
pectin per day reduced cholesterol counts by 10%!)
-
lower your caffeine
and alcohol intake (in other words, using my favorite word,
Moderation!)
-
eat more garlic and onions
-
season with cayenne pepper and
ginger (not necessarily both at once)
-
and add daily exercise to your
regimen
-
Make sure also that you are drinking an adequate amount of
water - put simply, this dilutes the constituents in the blood stream.
Lowered cholesterol will not be your only benefit under these changes,
believe me.
|
Why is it important to limit trans
fatty acids?
|
A report released by the Institute of Medicine on July 11th
2002 says it all: "It is recommended that trans fatty acid consumption
be as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet," a
panel of experts stated, noting that trans fatty acids are known to
increase blood levels of low-density lipoprotein, while lowering levels
of high-density lipoprotein.
There is increasingly strong evidence suggesting that
high cholesterol levels may be related to a fatty acid deficiency/imbalance, and
that taking moderate amounts of "good fats" may actually help lower
cholesterol. The oils usually mentioned are flax, olive and fish
oil, but perhaps we need to add
Macadamia
Nuts Lower Cholesterol in Men...Macadamia
nut consumption may help reduce cholesterol levels in men, according to
a study published in a recent Journal of Nutrition (2003,
vol.133:1060-1063). In the study, 17 men with high cholesterol
incorporated macadamia nuts into their diets for four weeks. The amount
of nuts eaten was between 1.5 and three ounces per day, which equaled
roughly 15 percent of the men's total daily calories. Total cholesterol
levels decreased by three percent and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
cholesterol was 5.3 percent lower by the end of the trial than at the
beginning. Researchers also observed that high-density lipoprotein (HDL)
cholesterol rose eight percent.
A handful of almonds a day, with their
oils rich in vitamin E, can also
beneficially affect cholesterol levels.
Interestingly, Dr. D'Adamo
mentions in his book, Eat Right for Your Blood Type, that some blood type O individuals can lower their cholesterol by adding meat
protein to their diet. This is an approach that obviously requires the
supervision of a knowledgeable health professional, but I append the
information here as an illustration of the extreme INDIVIDUALITY of
health problems! I also am appending some information on a recent study,
which I found on www.mercola.com Most African populations are blood type O.
|
A study of nomadic tribes in Africa
suggests that people who combine
a diet rich in saturated fat but low in total calories with vigorous
exercise may not be damaging their hearts as much as previously
believed.
Despite their
fatty diets, the Fulani of Nigeria had healthy
cholesterol levels. The researchers suggest the finding can be
attributed to the population's high activity level, low-calorie intake
and lack of smoking. I would add that the type of fat was also a factor.
I doubt they had access to trans fatty acids, for example!
Researchers took blood samples from 121
Fulani men and women aged 15 to 77 and measured total, LDL ("bad") and
HDL ("good") cholesterol, as well as several vitamins, and homocysteine
-- a protein associated with heart disease risk. They also assessed the
population's nutrient intake.
Overall, men consumed about about 1,670
calories -- and women consumed about 1,485 calories -- of which nearly
one-half came from fat. And about half of total fat calories were
derived from saturated fat. In the US, individuals are advised to
consume no more than 30% of their calories from fat, of which no more
than 10% should come from saturated fat.
The dietary protein content of the Fulani
was also found to be higher than US-recommended levels. Women derived
about 16% and men derived about 20% of their calories from protein. US
dietary guidelines advise that no more than 15% of daily calories come
from protein.
What's more, the typical Fulani diet
contained only one third of the level of folate recommended in the US
and lower-than-recommended levels of vitamins C and B-6. These vitamins
have been linked to a protective effect on the heart.
Despite all of this, participants'
average levels of total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol fell within US
recommended levels, while average LDL fell below recommended levels. The
average body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight and height, was about
20. A BMI of at least 25 is generally considered to be overweight.
Despite a diet high in saturated fat,
Fulani adults have a lipid profile indicative of a low risk of
cardiovascular disease. This finding is likely due to their high
activity level and their low total energy intake.
It is not clear why a diet rich in
fat and saturated fat was not associated with elevated cholesterol and
heart disease risk but the authors suggest that an
overall low intake of calories and a
lifestyle marked by physical activity and no tobacco use mitigates the
effects of such a diet.
They also note that most of the current
recommendations regarding heart disease risk factors are based on
studies conducted in Western nations, where the majority of individuals
are relatively sedentary. Studies on populations such as the Fulani are
rare.
The researchers conclude that the
findings with the Fulani do not support the dogma of the past 50 years
that high-fat diets necessarily raise cholesterol concentrations.
American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition December 2001;74:730-736
|
An interesting
study has some encouraging information
for post-menopausal women with high cholesterol. |
Dr. Arjmandi, PhD of Oklahoma State University conducted a double- blind
crossover study, using 38 women with extremely high cholesterol levels.
For 6 weeks, they were fed either bread or muffins with a 38 gram
content of either sunflower seed or flaxseed meal
(whole flaxseeds are not digestible). It turned out that
flaxseed lowered total cholesterol by 6.9%, and
LDL by 14.7%. Perhaps even more important, a marker for heart disease
which increases after menopause, called
lipoprotein (a), or Lp(a),
was also lowered: Until now, the only control for Lp(a), which is
implicated in increased clotting of the blood and atherosclerotic
deposits on artery walls , has been estrogen supplementation. This is
the first time a dietary factor has been uncovered. Researchers
hypothesize that the lignans in flax act on lipids as a
phytoestrogen. Speaking of women and high cholesterol, it is
interesting to note that there is a high cholesterol/low thyroid
connection. Obviously not only women have low thyroid problems, but many
more do than men: there appears to be a hormone connection which I
theorize may be aggravated by birth control pills and HRT. If you do
suspect this may be a problem for you, have it checked and consider some
natural measures for thyroid support.
I have been concerned for years about
the effects of the Statin family of drugs - lovastatin being the most
common - on levels of CoQ10 in the body. Statins
can deplete CoQ10 and low levels of CoQ10 can damage
the heart. This article by Dr.
Langsjoen lays it on the line:
|
STATIN-INDUCED
CARDIOMYOPATHY -INTRODUCTION TO THE CITIZEN’S PETITION ON STATINS
By Peter H. Langsjoen, MD
|
| The medical profession has, after more
than 30 years of excellent propaganda, successfully created the wholly
iatrogenic - "pseudo-disease" dubbed "hypercholesterolemia" and the
associated malady "cholesterol neurosis". After decades of dismal
failure to cure this "disease" of numbers with low fat diets and a host
of cholesterol lowering drugs, the medical profession stumbled upon the
magic bullet, the cure for this dreaded artificial disease - statins (HMG-CoA
reductase inhibitors). First released on the US market in 1987, statins
have rapidly grown into one of the most widely prescribed class of drugs
in history. Statins do three things: |
| 1. They block the body's ability to make
cholesterol, thus lowering the blood level of cholesterol, thereby
curing cholesterol neurosis. Doctors and patients equally neurotic have
immediate gratification. The "evil" high cholesterol has been
dramatically lowered and the future is bright and promising. So far...so
good. |
| 2. Unrelated to their cholesterol
lowering, statins have been found to have anti-inflammatory,
plaque-stabilizing properties which have a slight benefit in
coronary heart disease. |
| 3. Statins kill people - lots of people -
and they wound many, many more. All patients taking statins become
depleted in Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), eventually - those patients who start
with a relatively low CoQ10 levels (the elderly and patients with heart
failure) begin to manifest signs/symptoms of CoQ10 deficiency relatively
rapidly - in 6 to 12 months. Younger, healthier people who's only
"illness" is the 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. |
| In my practice of 17 years in Tyler,
Texas, I have seen a frightening increase in heart failure secondary to
statin usage, "statin cardiomyopathy". Over the past five years, statins
have become more potent, are being prescribed in higher doses, and are
being used with reckless abandon in the elderly and in patients with
"normal" cholesterol levels. We are in the midst of a CHF epidemic in
the US with a dramatic increase over the past decade. Are we causing
this epidemic through our zealous use of statins? In large part I think
the answer is yes. We are now in a position to witness the unfolding of
the greatest medical tragedy of all time - never before in history has
the medical establishment knowingly (Merck & Co., Inc. has two
1990 patents combining CoQ10 with statins to prevent CoQ10 depletion and
attendant side effects) created a life threatening nutrient deficiency
in millions of otherwise healthy people, only to then sit back with
arrogance and horrific irresponsibility and watch to see what happens -
as I see two to three new statin cardiomyopathies per week in my
practice, I cannot help but view my once great profession with a mixture
of sorrow and contempt. |
| Statin-induced CoQ10 depletion is the
topic of a recent petition to the FDA requesting that this drug/nutrient
interaction be identified in a black box warning as part of statin
package insert information. A comprehensive review of animal and human
trials addressing this issue has been submitted to the FDA as a
supporting document. We, of course, do not expect any response from the
FDA, but 10 years from now when the full extent of statin toxicity
becomes painfully evident, at least we can, in good conscience, know
that we tried and who knows, sometimes small sparks may spread in dry
grass. |
|
For the Citizen's petition to the FDA
he mentions, see RESOURCES at
right.
For information on a possible connection between statins and
Parkinson's disease, see RESOURCES
|
Now it appears that
statins also INCREASE deposits of calcium in the arteries: this
makes me wonder whether perhaps they have a magnesium depleting effect
as well: magnesium is involved in many of the essential enzyme
activities in the body. Time will tell what the actual
physiological pathway is, but in the meantime this is another alarming
danger for elderly people using statin drugs... excess calcium is
proposed as posing a 17 fold greater risk for heart attacks, and along
with LDL levels, is one of the two most definitive signs of a possible
heart attack. See RESOURCES for report.
The most
terrifying aspect of the loosening of the regulations in the UK, where
statins are now available over the counter, and the increased
prescribing of the drugs here, is that the effect on women of child
bearing age is not considered.
This is what Dr. Malcolm
Kendrick has to say about the threat:
We are sleep-walking into what could be a major
medical disaster. Most people, and most doctors, are unaware – or
don’t seem to care – that statins should never ever be taken by a
women of child-bearing age. The risk, it would seem, is greater
than that posed by thalidomide, and no-one seems to be the least
bit bothered. ‘Yeh, whatever.’
Yet, when statins go OTC it is absolutely certain that women of
childbearing age will take them, knowing nothing of this risk. It
is equally certain that a number of these women will become
pregnant, and many of these pregnancies will result in horribly
deformed children.
How can this possibly be allowed to happen? I can only suppose
that it is because everyone believes statins to be utterly safe
and cuddly. ‘Statins, why they can’t do any harm. They are safer
than aspirin aren’t they?’
Left arm: aplasia of radius and thumb, shortened ulna; additional
VACTERL (vertebral, anal, cardiac, tracheal, esophageal, renal and
limb defects): left arthrogryposis, thoracic scoliosis, fusion of
ribs on left, butterfly vertebra in thoracic and lumbar region,
esophageal stricture, anal atresia, renal dysplasia; additional
findings: hemihypertrophy of entire left side, craniofacial
anomalies (including asymmetric ears, ptosis of eyelids, high
arched palate), torticollis.
I am quite certain that many of you won’t know what some of these
defects actually are; neither do I. Arthrogryposis….. isn’t that
the fabled winged beast in Harry Potter?
But these defects shouldn’t exactly come as a surprise.
Cholesterol is essential for the development of neural tissue, so
we should expect to find that if the mother is taking a drug that
inhibits cholesterol synthesis at a time when the fetus is
developing – horrible developmental abnormalities will occur. Such
as failure of the brain to develop in the right way, or
duplication of the spinal cord.
For more complete details of the birth defects caused by statins
consider reading the New England Journal of Medicine, April 8,
2004: pages 1579 – 1582. It’s a letter by Robin J Edison and
Maximilian Muenke.
Dr. Kendrick writes for
www.redflagsdaily.com
|
|
Remember,
Red Yeast Extracts
are still available,
which contain naturally occurring Statins. |
They are just not allowed to
label the main ingredient with its correct name! Studies in China have shown
no toxic effects, and a UCLA study showed no toxic effects on the liver
(American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2/99) but it would still
be wise, in my opinion, to take extra CoQ10 when using them. Politics is
playing a part in the availability of Red Yeast Rice: the companies
that make the statin drugs are fighting mightily to make it unavailable
to the public, since enormous profits are at stake. Any company that made a formula
containing Red Yeast Rice, and used a name on the bottle that suggested
a cholesterol connection, or any Company which stated the percentage of statins in the product, has been enjoined from selling Red Yeast Rice.
Nature's Plus fortunately did neither of these things, and I have
(for the moment at least) Red Yeast Rice available from that Company.
Speaking of the statin drugs, a new
study suggests that long-term use of them may increase the probability
of developing peripheral neuropathy - "of 166 cases of first-time
idiopathic neuropathy, 35 were classified as definite, 54 as probable
and 77 as possible cases. Nine of those diagnosed with neuropathy had
taken statins, with an average use duration of 2.8 years. Compared with
controls, the statin users had a 14.2-fold risk of developing neuropathy
classified as definite, and a 3.7-fold risk of developing neuropathy of
any classification. "(Neurology.
2002;58:1333-1337) Doctors feel that the benefits
of using statins still outweigh the risks, the study concludes. How do
we feel??
Statins are not the only cholesterol
lowering drug with nutritional consequences: cholestyramine
(brand names Questran®, LoCholest®®, and Prevalite®) can reduce the absorption
of vitamin D and other fat-soluble vitamins. Recent research on
Vitamin D , showing its importance in osteoporosis, cardiovascular
health and anti-cancer benefits, must lead us to conclude that this is
significant.
Tocotrienols
can be very
successful to clear existing cholesterol from the liver,
and Red Yeast Rice to prevent future high levels.
However, as is often the case, when one possibility
becomes hard to implement, another springs up. Much attention is now
focused on POLICOSANOL as a cholesterol inhibitor. This
substance is derived (in its most effective form) from sugar cane or
rice, and also works by inhibiting the HMG-CoA-reductase enzyme in the
liver. A recent study compared the effects of this new supplement with
a statin drug called fluvastatin, and found that after 4 weeks, it was
as effective, while after 8 weeks, it was superior. The
drug lowered cholesterol readings by 16.7%, and the
Policosanol by 19.3. Not only that, but LDL
was also lowered more by the latter, and HDL raised. This study was
published in Clinical Drug Investigations, 2001;21:103-13.
Similar studies have brought the same results with other satin drugs,
such as lovastatin and simstatin. As a bonus, it is also suggested that
Policosanol acts as an antioxidant, and can inhibit lipid oxidation ,
giving extra cardiovascular protection by these means. Policosanol has
been studied extensively for safety, and the most note-worthy finding is
that even at aggressively high doses no changes have been seen in the
liver. I feel, however, that it might still be wise to accompany it
with CoQ10!
If your numbers are really high, there
are some other supplements that can be of help: an Ayurvedic herb called
Guggul (which is actually Myrrh - maybe the
Wise Men were really on to something), lowers both cholesterol and
triglycerides. And if you don't like to cook with garlic and cayenne,
these can be found in pill form. A good, high potency multivitamin
should be considered, with extra Vitamin E, and last but definitely not
least, a form of no-flush niacin called Inositol Hexaniacinate, which is
both inexpensive and non-toxic. This is what Dr. Whitaker calls "the
best single magic bullet for cholesterol." Combined with chromium, some
studies have found it even more effective. Recent research has found a
substance called "Chitin" to be extremely helpful for the control
both of high cholesterol, and high triglycerides. It is a fiber
extracted from the exoskeletons of shellfish which has many health
benefits. Another big boy on the block, recommended first by Dr. Atkins,
is Pantethine. This is the active form of pantothenic acid, and a
component of Co-enzyme A (CoA). 900 mg of this supplement per day
will promote proper fat and cholesterol metabolism (Dr. Murray) , while
also inhibiting manufacture of cholesterol in the liver. It is virtually
guaranteed to improve blood levels of cholesterol and lipids.
New studies (Am
J Med 2002;112:343-347 have shown a
correlation between Calcium levels in post-menopausal women, and
satisfactory levels of HDL - here's another reason to make sure you are
getting enough Calcium!
|
Doctors are finally becoming aware
of the danger in the elderly
of lowering cholesterol too far
|
A study in
the Lancet (2001; 358:351-355) states that their study
confirms previous findings of increased mortality in elderly people with
low serum cholesterol, and shows that long-term persistence of low
cholesterol concentration actually increases risk of death. In fact,
they suggest that the earlier the age at which low cholesterol findings
is shown, the greater the risk of premature mortality. Because of this
the authors suggest not lowering cholesterol below 4.65 mmol/L in
seniors, but taking a "more conservative approach". A recent (Epidemiology
2001 Mar;12:168-72) Note also that a study of elderly French women
living in a nursing home showed that those with the highest cholesterol
levels lived the longest (The Lancet, 4/22/89).
The death rate was more than five times higher for women with very low
cholesterol.
I find, too, that there is distressingly an
increasing tendency to treat cholesterol that is above OPTIMAL, but
still below normal - see chart above right.
A Canadian study found that those in the lowest quarter of total
cholesterol concentration had more than six times the risk of committing
suicide as did those in the highest quarter. I would suspect a
link to depression also in those using cholesterol lowering drugs for a
long period of time.
This effect persisted after the exclusion from the analysis of the first
5 years of follow-up and after the removal of those who were unemployed
or who had been treated for depression.
|
These data indicate that low serum total cholesterol level is
associated with an increased risk of suicide.
|
There is also very little mention of
the risk of Global Temporary Amnesia. once a medical rarity, now an
increasing problem with the stronger Statin drugs. I quote from Dr.
Graveline (see RESOURCES at right for more
text)
WHAT IS TRANSIENT GLOBAL AMNESIA?
The syndrome of transient global amnesia was first presented to the
medical literature by Bender in the Journal of the Hillside Hospital
in 1956. Since that time it has become a well-described condition
whose etiology still remains an enigma. Usually transient global
amnesia occurs in otherwise healthy, middle-aged or elderly people.
The onset is abrupt, without the slightest warning to the patient that
a central nervous system catastrophe is about to strike. Suddenly they
are without the ability to formulate new memories, a condition known
as anterograde amnesia. Any sensory input during this time will be
preserved briefly, if at all, only to disappear completely and
forever, as if it never happened. Although consistently aware of their
own identities, patients are often perplexed as to their surroundings
and the identity of those around them. Characteristically these
patients question those present repetitively about where they are and
what is happening but are unable to remember any explanation. To the
consternation and ultimate frustration of doctors, nurses and
well-meaning companions, they ask the same question, over and over
again, sometimes for hours. Disorientation is profound. Language and
social skills are preserved in these patients and their ability to
focus attention appears normal but, alas, despite their desperate and
almost pathetic desire to learn what is happening, nothing seems to
register. Fortunately they are mercifully spared awareness of their
memory impairment and preserve a remarkably calm demeanor, cooperating
fully with their examiners.
...... we now have Pfrieger’s (Science, November 9, 2001) astounding
report that yet another substance is vital to synaptic formation -
cholesterol! This very substance we have been taught to believe may be
mankind’s worst enemy, this indiscriminate blocker of arteries, the
very substance that pharmaceutical companies have devoted countless
millions of research dollars to protect us from, is also our key to
learning and memory. (Lynn: My emphasis) Could we have been wrong
all these years about cholesterol?
|
Now, moderation is also the rule
here! Don't make sudden changes: ask your Doctor to work with you
towards eliminating your medication. |
Tell him that what you want is to have your
own lifestyle changes make the drugs eventually unnecessary, that you
want Health, not Illness Control! He will help make sure you achieve
this safely. Addendum
Dear Reader,
Late at night, when things get quiet and just the sounds of crickets
waft through the open windows, if you ever hear an exasperated
howling in the distance, that's probably me as I browse through
some of the day's latest health news.
My most recent howling was prompted by a report on some new
guidelines for the treatment of high-risk heart patients.
The updated guidelines come from the National Cholesterol
Education Program (NCEP), so without even reading the first word
you already know what they're going to say: Low LDL cholesterol
has to be pushed even lower.
NCEP is part of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute,
which is part of the National Institutes of Health. And the
guidelines have been endorsed by the American College of
Cardiology and the American Heart Association. (The guidelines
were published in a recent issue of Circulation - an AHA
publication.)
In other words: We're talking DEEP medical mainstream here.
How deep? Way down deep where the drug money flows.
-----------------------------------------------------------
How low can you go?
-----------------------------------------------------------
In 2001 the NCEP panel of experts said that heart patients who are
at very high risk should do whatever it takes (that is: take statin
drugs) to get their LDL cholesterol down to 100. Now, after
reviewing five studies conducted since 2001, the panel has revised
the ideal target for LDL. Now it needs to be 70! At this rate, by the
year 2010 they'll be recommending an LDL of 10.
Think I'm joking? Just wait six years.
The new recommendations suggest that statin drugs should be used
in nearly all high-risk patients whose LDL is over 100. The lead
author of the guidelines - Dr. Scott Grundy - told the Associated
Press that three years ago there were about 36 million people "who
could benefit from drugs to lower their cholesterol." Dr. Grundy
guesses that the new guidelines might increase that number by "a
few million."
So if you happen to be the executive of a large drug company that
manufactures statin drugs... well! These new recommendations are
like Christmas in July! But pharmaceutical execs know that there's
no Santa Claus. And they know that big, beautiful gifts don't just
magically appear under the tree. Someone has to put them there.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Visions of sugarplums
---------------------------------------------------------------
The release of the NCEP guidelines was not accompanied by a
financial disclosure statement for the panelists. But just days after
the release, Newsday (a Long Island, NY, newspaper) reported that
some of the panelists had ties to drug companies. In response to a
call for disclosure, NCEP officials posted a statement on their web
site. And the details are eye-opening, to say the least.
Pfizer is the maker of the statin Lipitor, the world's best selling
drug. Seven of the nine NCEP panelists have financial connections
to Pfizer. And five of them have served as consultants to Pfizer.
Nice, huh? But if you think that smells fishy, it's just the tip of
the
day-old fish bin.
Merck is the maker of Zocor, another very popular statin. Seven of
the nine panelists have financial connections to Merck. Four of
them have served as consultants to Merck.
Only one of the panelists had no financial connections to any drug
company. The other eight have received research grants or
honoraria for speaking engagements from Bayer, Glaxo Smith
Kline, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Novartis, and more than
half a dozen other drug companies. And most of these companies
manufacture statin drugs.
Hear that howling in the distance? That's me.
---------------------------------------------------------------
No quarrels
---------------------------------------------------------------
The acting director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood
Institute, Dr. Barbara Alving, defended the panelists' drug
company connections, telling Newsday that the top experts would
naturally have contact with companies that develop drugs within
their fields of expertise. She said that individuals who don't have
ties to drug companies, "are probably not the experts in the field."
Hmm. I wonder how Dr. James Cleeman felt when he read that?
Dr. Cleeman - coordinator of the NCEP - is the only panelist with
no financial ties to any drug companies. So in Dr. Alving's
estimation, Dr. C. apparently doesn't qualify as an expert. But in
my opinion he's a stand-up guy for resisting an all-expense-paid
first-class ticket on the drug company gravy train.
But that doesn't mean that Dr. Cleeman is on the right track.
Addressing the initial lack of financial disclosure, Dr. Cleeman
dismissed it as procedural blip, a simple oversight that doesn't
compromise the recommendations of the panel. Dr. Cleeman told
WebMD that the public shouldn't be diverted from the importance
of lowering LDL cholesterol, adding that, "Nobody is quarreling
with the substance of the message."
Nobody!? Does he mean nobody on the panel? Or nobody at the
NCEP? Or nobody at Pfizer? He certainly can't mean that nobody
AT ALL quarrels with the message. Because there are many who
quarrel long and loud with the basic concept that low cholesterol is
the primary key to heart health. Because it isn't. It's not even
close. In fact, there is a lot of evidence that the real danger is
letting your cholesterol get too low.
To Your Good Health,
Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute
You can sign up for Jenny's newsletter here:
http://www.hsibaltimore.com
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