Working in an Integrative Medicine practice, I encounter
many patients with high cholesterol and a resistance to taking certain
cholesterol lowering medications. 
Statins, including popular names like Lipitor, Zocor, Vytorin, Crestor
and generic medications ending in -statin, have been associated with liver
damage and muscle pain which have sparked patient concerns.  They have also been shown to reduce LDL
cholesterol, and therefore reduce a patient’s potential risk for heart
disease.  As in many scenarios, the
risks,benefits and alternatives must be assessed for each individual patient.

Luckily, there is one clear fact in this debate.  Statin medications inhibit (“stop” in
medical-ese) an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase.  This enzyme is responsible for making LDL
cholesterol and when blocked, your liver does not produce as much LDL
cholesterol.  However, when a statin
blocks HMG- CoA reductase, it also blocks the production of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10),
an important nutrient necessary for the body to produce cellular energy.  CoQ10 has also been shown to lower blood
pressure, reduce platelet stickiness and work as an anti-oxidant, all of which
also decrease a patient’s risk for heart disease.  Integrative Medicine supports the judicious
use of statin medications along with a therapeutic lifestyle change.  Prophylactic supplementation of CoQ10 is used
to avoid any downstream issues from the use of cholesterol lowering medications like statins.

 The recommended
dosage can vary between 30 to 360 milligrams a day depending on your
diagnoses.  For my patients taking statin
medications, I usually recommend 80 -100 milligrams a day of a clinically
tested dietary supplement.  Do not take
more than 100 milligrams a day without consulting your healthcare provider as
it can create “too much energy” in parts of the body causing diarrhea,
insomnia, irritability and loss of appetite for some individuals in rare circumstances.

Clinical research supporting the benefits of CoQ10 continues
to grow. Studies show benefits in improving high blood pressure, diabetes,
migraines, Parkinson’s disease, breast cancer, fibromyalgia and the list
goes on.  Talk to your physician about taking
a CoQ10 supplement.  Click on the link
below to find a physician-geared summary about CoQ10.  It can help your doctor answer some important
questions he/she might have prior to prescribing CoQ10 for you. 

 http://faculty.washington.edu/ely/coenzq10.html

Be a Patient Powered
by Knowledge and pass this on to anyone taking a statin medication so they may also benefit from this new research.  Pay it forward!