Statin Drugs Cause Even More Nerve Damage Than We Thought
Have the nerve-damaging properties of statin drugs now been confirmed? There are over 300 adverse health effects associated with the use of this chemical class of cholesterol-lowering medications known as statins, with myotoxicity (muscle-damaging) and neurotoxicity (nerve-damaging) top on the list. When will the FDA step in and warn the public, as proof of the problem in the biomedical literature reaches an alarming level of clarity?
The neurotoxicity of statin drugs are back in the news. Following on the heels of the FDA decision earlier this year to require statin drugs manufacturers to add “memory loss” as a side effect of this chemical class, a new study in published in the Journal of Diabetes reveals a clear association between statin use and peripheral neuropathy in a US population 40 years of age and older.
The study found “The prevalence of peripheral neuropathy was significantly higher among those who used statins compared to those who did not (23.5% vs. 13.5%; p < 0.01),” which is a 75% increase in relative risk.
Case reports of statin-induced peripheral neuropathy have existed in the medical literature for over 15 years. Now, larger human studies are confirming that statin drugs do damage to the peripheral nerves. Moreover, much of the damage is occurring below the threshold of clinical surveillance, silently causing harm in unsuspecting patients.
For example, in 2011, the results of a 36-month prospective clinical and neurophysiological follow-up of patients treated with statins over 3 years was published in the journal Neuro Endocrinology Letters, revealed in forty-two patients that despite the fact that they did not report subjective symptoms typical for peripheral neuropathy, damage was occurring. They concluded: “The study confirmed that long-term treatment with statins caused a clinically silent but still definite damage to peripheral nerves when the treatment lasts longer than 2 years.” Click the hyperlink to view all 9 studies on statin-induced peripheral neuropathy on Greenmedinfo.com. Or, view an even more sizeable dataset (54 studies) on statin-associated neurotoxicity.
While this research is adding to a growing awareness of the nerve-damaging properties of statins, this side effect is just the tip of a massive iceberg of under reported deleterious effects. For example, our project has identified 314 possible adverse effects of statins thus far. Conversely, we have identified a wide range of health benefits of cholesterol, running diametrically opposed to the over-simplification inherent in the cholesterol hypothesis (some say “cholesterol myth“) of heart disease causation.
For those who are interested in learning more about natural cholesterol modulating substances, or, better yet, the wider array of research relevant to cardiovascular health, visit this Health Guide: Heart Health.
Sources:
This article is republished with permission from Green Med Info, November 15, 2012. Go straight to the source.
Sayer Ji is the founder and director of GreenMedInfo.com and co-author of the book The Cancer Killers: The Cause Is The Cure. His writings and research have been published in the Wellbeing Journal, the Journal of Gluten Sensitivity, and have been featured on Mercola.com, NaturalNews.com, Reuters.com, GaryNull.com, and Care2.com. Check out his newest project with co-author Tania Melkonian: EATomology: An Edible Philosophy of Food
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Article updated on: November 21st, 2012
It seems to me that it is hard to know what to believe anymore !!! Earlier this year i suffered a heart attack which was closely associated with my lifetime of being a diabetic ( i am now 52)
It was revealed in the Daily Express today , that Statins are the key to long life along with a healthy exercise lifestyle.
I find myself confused and concerned about just which article to believe.
Should i be consulting my doctor to establish what the facts truly are as i am going to be on this medication for the rest of my life, and if it is detrimental to my well being then should i just stop taking them or continue and hope for the best ? Who knows and if anyone does please comment.
To treat your heart problem download the free book “Why Animals Don’t Get Heart Attacks But Humans Do” by Dr Matthias Rath.
He explains how to remove 50% of atherosclerotic plaque in 3 years just using 500mg minimum vitamin C a day and some other really inexpensive common dietary supplements.
Avoid hydrogenated fats, as they are like candle wax and cause systemic ischaemia, like mini stroke all over your body through constant oxygen deprivation.
Don’t bother with statins as the health problems they cause as documented in numerous studies in articles by Dr Mercola and Mike Adams (Healthranger) mean that overall they do much more harm than good.
Take a capsule or two of Krill oil every day, get plenty of Vit D, like 5,000 to 8,000 iu a day, which will reduce several major diseases by over 70%, take 300mg magnesium a day, shown to reduce death from all causes by 40%. Use cold hemp oil sprinkled on your food (this is pressed from the seeds and not intoxicating).
Use coconut oil to clean out your arteries also and increase your oxygen supply all over your body, especially to heart, eyes, ears and brain.
Try EDTA to strip your arteries clean as well, and look up the benefits of DMSO too, as people who use that experience many years longer life. The DMSO from Jacob Laboratories is the real deal and not weak or industrial or contaminated stuff.
Just a few ideas to get you started anyway.
Took statins for about 15 years & continually reported joint/muscular pain to my Dr who would discontinue particular med & try another…
Upon retirement & relocation, found the need for a cardiologist who apparently heard me & following the heart cath/stent put me on Zetia… no more pain.
Thank You Dr Lance LaMotte,
Baton Rouge, La
Isn’t peripheral neuropathy one of the inidcators or signs and symptoms of diabeties? In which case this study doesn’t make a lot of sense.