MUST READ: The Stealth Drug Cause of Diabetes

The Hidden Diabetes Link No One is Telling You About...

March 28, 2011

Coronary heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, killing one in five adults, and doctors are very quick to prescribe statins. In fact, statin drug sales rank in the billions each year globally.

These drugs are so pervasive that they are no longer just indicated for hypercholesterolemia, they are also being prescribed for elevations in Creactive protein, and are promoted for kids as young as eight years old.

Heart disease is so pervasive that some have boldly suggested that we should put statins in our water supply as some kind of protection.

This is very disturbing.

Do You Really Need a Statin Drug?  

By far, statin drugs are the most popular cholesterol-lowering drugs available today.  

They work in your liver by preventing your body from making cholesterol. The drugs block an enzyme called HMG-CoA Reductase. This can be helpful, but only if you are one of those people who happen to produce too much cholesterol.  

It doesn't do a good job at removing it from your clogged arteries, contrary to what most people think.  

Physicians and health experts now agree that statins seem to offer more benefit through their ability to reduce dangerous inflammatory chemicals in your body, rather than by reducing production of cholesterol, which usually leads to uncomfortable, unwanted and dangerous side effects. One study found that lowering cholesterol too much actually backfires.  

Cholesterol is good for you; it's one of your body's most powerful antioxidants, it makes important neurotransmitters and sex hormones so this madness to lower it as much as possible really concerns me. Plus, I believe the indiscriminate use of statins has contributed to the staggering rise in diabetes… 

The Statin—Diabetes Connection Few People Know About  

I watched this happen to my mom who was given a statin, and then told months later she suddenly had diabetes. All of a sudden? This happened many years ago, and it began my search to understand the connection. It also prompted me to write a book on the subject entitled "Diabetes Without Drugs" (Rodale, 2010).  

It typically happens like this: 

Many statin users come back to see their physician for a routine visit and after the blood work is drawn, they find their cholesterol ratios may be improved, but now they have high blood glucose.  

It's entirely possible that some physicians then mistakenly diagnose their patients with "Type 2 diabetes" when in fact they just have hyperglycemia—a side effect, and the result of a medication that was prescribed to them months earlier.
Do you think you have type 2 diabetes?  

I will provide more information so you can see for yourself that so-called "diabetes" diagnosis might not really be genuine diabetes. It may just be hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)—the result of your cholesterol medication, and for some people, it may be reversible with drug discontinuation. Whether or not you are able to discontinue your medication is between you and your physician.  

Research Suggesting Raised Blood Sugar is a Side Effect of Statin Use 

Several studies have indicated that statins can cause high blood sugar, which can be mistaken for "diabetes." For example, researchers in Glasgow, Scotland conducted a meta analysis, known as the JUPITER trial, which took into account 13 statin trials that each included 1,000 patients or more. The participants were followed for over than a year. The conclusion was there was indeed an increase, albeit small, in the development of Type 2 diabetes.  

It should be considered that some of the patients in this meta analysis already had symptoms of insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome, so it could be said that they were on their way to diabetes anyway.  

Now consider another meta-analysis published in the Lancet Here, the researchers reviewed randomized controlled trials beginning in 1994 and ending in 2009, for a total of 91,140 participants who took either a statin or a placebo.  

They found that people treated with statin drugs showed a nine percent increase for diabetes. They did not evaluate other factors however, which would be considered pre-diabetes, so I suspect their nine percent number to be on the low side. 

Insulin is a pancreatic hormone that reduces blood sugar. You want some insulin to maintain blood glucose levels, but too much of it is bad—it's an inflammatory compound in your body when it is elevated. And guess what? The use of statin drugs appears to INCREASE your insulin levels! High insulin is extremely harmful to your health.  

For starters, elevated insulin levels lead to heart disease, and isn't that the reason cholesterol drugs are prescribed in the first place?  

The ratio of glucose to insulin should be less than 10:1, this ratio is far more important than the levels of glucose or insulin alone. Keep that in mind if you seek a complete recovery. For more information about the harmful effects of elevated insulin levels, see my article on dearpharmacist.com, or my book Diabetes Without Drugs. 

You want to keep insulin normal, to protect yourself from heart disease and high blood pressure. Chronically elevated insulin causes a cascade of inflammatory chemicals and high cortisol which lead to belly fat, high blood pressure, heart attacks, chronic fatigue, thyroid disruption, plus major diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and cancer.  

Unfortunately, the most popular cholesterol drugs in the world seem to increase insulin levels. However, that's just one mechanism by which these drugs can raise your risk for diabetes.  

How Statins Raise Your Insulin 

Keeping things simple, you might imagine it like this: When you eat a meal that contains starches and sugar, some of the excess sugar goes to your liver, which then stores it away as cholesterol and triglycerides. Now stay with me -- when you have a statin on board, it's like a message to your liver saying, "No! Don't make any more cholesterol, please stop."  

So your liver sends the sugar back OUT to your bloodstream. As a result, your blood sugar goes up. 

In 2009, it was proven that statins could directly raise blood sugar, whether or not you have diabetes. Over 340,000 people were included before this conclusion was made. The people who did not have diabetes but took statins experienced a rise in blood glucose from 98 mg/dl to 105 mg/dl. Those who already had diabetes and also took statins experienced a rise from 102 mg/dl to 141 mg/dl.  

After adjustments for age and medication use were considered, researchers concluded that both diabetic and non-diabetic statin users showed a statistically significant rise in blood sugar.  

Why take all these risks, just to get the convenience of taking a pill instead of eating a better diet and exercising?  

It's been scientifically discussed and even published in JAMA that eating a better diet could lower cholesterol as well as the statin drug lovastatin.  

And of course, there are so many other benefits to eating a healthier diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and lean meats. Besides feeling better and increasing lifespan, you can squeeze into those skinny jeans you're hiding in your closet. 

Another way statins can affect your blood sugar is via their "drug mugging" effect. A drug mugger is my term, and the title of my newest book, which describes how a drug can rob your body's warehouse of a valuable nutrient. In the case of statins, they rob your body of two different nutrients, both of which are needed to maintain ideal blood sugar.  

Two Important Nutrients Decimated by Statins

The first nutrient that is mugged is vitamin D. There have been mixed studies regarding the D-depletion effect of statins, but statins reduce your body's natural ability to create active vitamin D called 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, shortened to "calcitriol" when it is eventually converted to its active hormone form.  

This happens because statins reduce cholesterol, and you need cholesterol to make vitamin D! It is the raw material that exposure to UVB from sunlight will convert to vitamin D.  

It is well documented that D improves insulin resistance, so needless to say, when you take a drug mugger of vitamin D (like statins), then you increase your risk for diabetes.  

More specifically, a 2004 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition determined that raising a person's serum vitamin D levels (from 25 to 75 nmol/l) could improve insulin sensitivity by a whopping 60 percent.  

Compare that to the blockbuster diabetes drug metformin, one of our pharmaceutical gold-standards, which can dispose of blood sugar by a meager 13 percent according to the New England Journal of Medicine. 

Now, statins also suppresses your natural coenzyme Q10 — also called "ubiquinol" in its active form; it makes energy for every cell in your body, and it's produced mainly in your liver.  

This powerful antioxidant just so happens to also play a role in maintaining blood glucose. When you deplete levels of CoQ10 by taking a drug mugger of it, like a statin drug, then you lose that benefit. You also raise your risk for heart failure, high blood pressure and heart disease as CoQ10 deficiencies can contribute to those conditions. A study by Hodgson et al, published in 2002 found that 200mg CoQ10 taken daily caused a 0.4 percent reduction in hemoglobin A1c.  

Moreover, CoQ10 protects your body from oxidative stress, a strong contributing factor in the development of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and heart attacks. You want to make sure you have enough CoQ10 (or ubiquinol) on board to protect every cell in your body. The take home point is that statins annihilate this compound and you need it for good health. 

In summary, if you take a statin medication and you've been told that you have diabetes, it may be drug-induced, and it's possible that it can be reversed over the course of time. However, you will have to eat right, exercise, and take supplements that help to lower your risk for heart disease naturally.  

About the Author  

Suzy Cohen, R.Ph., has been a licensed pharmacist for 22 years, and has had a weekly syndicated health column for the past 13 years which you can get for free by signing up at her website Widely recognized as "America's most trusted pharmacist," she has appeared on The Dr OZ Show, The View, Good Morning America Health and The 700 Club.  

Cohen is also the author of three books: The 24-Hour Pharmacist, Diabetes Without Drugs, and Drug Muggers: Keep Your Medicine from Stealing the Life Out of You.
For more information, see www.SuzyCohen.com.

 

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

 

Statins are HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors; that is, they act by blocking the enzyme in your liver responsible for making cholesterol (HMG-CoA reductase). The fact that statin drugs cause side effects is well established—there are now 900 studies proving their adverse effects, which run the gamut from muscle problems to increased cancer risk. 

I first learned of the association between statins and diabetes when I had lunch at Expo West with Suzy Cohen, who is a nationally syndicated pharmacist. She offers compelling evidence that this popular drug is further worsening the epidemic of diabetes, and that untold numbers of people are then being treated for a disease they do not actually have. Rather, they may actually be suffering from a side effect of the statin drug.

One of the most recent studies supporting this finding was published in February in the International Journal of Obesity. Reuters recently reported on the findings stating:

"Australian researchers found that among more than 11,400 adults with high blood pressure and/or diabetes, those on beta-blockers weighed more, on average, and had larger waistlines. And in a separate look at 30 patients with high blood pressure, they found that people on beta-blockers generally burned fewer calories and fat after a meal -- measured by a device called a calorimeter.

The patients on beta blockers also reported lower physical activity levels in their day-to-day lives. (Beta blockers are suspected of curbing people's physical activity because the drugs slow the heart rate and may cause people to tire more easily.) Together, the findings suggest that beta blockers lead to weight gain by curbing people's calorie expenditure, according to the researchers, led by Dr. Paul Lee of St. Vincent's Hospital in Sydney.  

..."Our hypothesis is that widespread use of beta blockers may fuel the modern-day obesity epidemic," he told Reuters Health..."  

 

Ninety-Nine Out of 100 People do NOT Need a Statin Drug 

That these drugs have dominated the market the way they have is a testimony to the power of marketing, corruption and massive conflict of interest, because the odds are very high— greater than 100 to 1—that if you're taking a statin, you don't need it.  

The ONLY subgroup that might benefit are those born with a genetic defect called familial hypercholesterolemia, as this makes them resistant to traditional measures of normalizing cholesterol. 

Part of seeing past the propaganda is to understand that cholesterol is NOT the cause of heart disease. If your physician is urging you to check your total cholesterol, then you should know that this test will tell you virtually nothing about your risk of heart disease, unless it is 330 or higher. 

These two ratios are far more potent indicators for heart disease and are the ones you should pay attention to:  

1. HDL/Total Cholesterol Ratio: Should ideally be above 24 percent. If below 10 percent, you have a significantly elevated risk for heart disease.
2. Triglyceride/HDL Ratio: Should be below 2.

I have seen a number of people with total cholesterol levels over 250 who were actually at low risk for heart disease due to their elevated HDL levels. Conversely, I have seen many people with cholesterol levels under 200 who had a very high risk of heart disease, based on their low HDL.  

Your body NEEDS cholesterol—it is important in the production of cell membranes, hormones, vitamin D and bile acids that help you to digest fat. Cholesterol also helps your brain form memories and is vital to your neurological function.  

There is also strong evidence that having too little cholesterol INCREASES your risk for cancer, memory loss, Parkinson's disease, hormonal imbalances, stroke, depression, suicide, and violent behavior.

If You Take Statins, You MUST Take CoQ10 or Ubiquinol 

Another important aspect that most doctors fail to tell you about is that statins are non-specific inhibitors of not just one, but a number of very important liver enzymes, one of of the most important being Coenzyme Q10. Hence, if you take statin drugs without taking CoQ10, your health is at serious risk. Unfortunately, this describes the majority of people who take them in the United States. 

CoQ10 is a cofactor (co-enzyme) that is essential for the creation of ATP molecules, which you need for cellular energy production. Organs such as your heart have higher energy requirements, and therefore require more CoQ10 to function properly.
Statins deplete your body of CoQ10, which can have devastating results.  

Physicians rarely inform people of this risk and only occasionally advise them to take a CoQ10 supplement. As your body gets more and more depleted of CoQ10, you may suffer from fatigue, muscle weakness and soreness, and eventually heart failure.  

Coenzyme Q10 is also very important in the process of neutralizing free radicals. So when your CoQ10 is depleted, you enter a vicious cycle of increased free radicals, loss of cellular energy, and damaged mitochondrial DNA.  

If you decide to take a CoQ10 supplement and are over the age of 40, it is important to choose the reduced version, called ubiquinol. Ubiquinol is a FAR more effective form—I personally take 1-3 a day since it has such far ranging benefits.

Optimizing Your Cholesterol Levels, Naturally 

The real tragedy here is that for nearly everyone that is prescribed these drugs, there's simply no reason to be taking themand suffer the damaging health effects from these dangerous drugs when they are far more effective, less dangerous and inexpensive ways to optimize your cholesterol profile.  

The fact is that 75 percent of your cholesterol is produced by your liver, which is influenced by your insulin levels. Therefore, if you optimize your insulin level, you will automatically optimize your cholesterol.  

It follows, then, that my primary recommendations for safely regulating your cholesterol have to do with modifying your diet and lifestyle:

• Reduce, with the plan of eliminating, grains and sugars in your diet. Eat the right foods for your nutritional type, and consume a good portion of your food raw.
• Make sure you are getting plenty of high quality, animal-based omega 3 fats, such as krill oil.
• Other heart-healthy foods include olive oil, coconut and coconut oil, organic raw dairy products and eggs, avocados, raw nuts and seeds, and organic grass-fed meats as appropriate for your nutritional type.
• Exercise daily. Make sure you incorporate peak fitness exercises, which also optimizes your human growth hormone (HGH) production.
• Address your emotional challenges. My favorite technique for stress management is the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT).
• Avoid smoking or drinking alcohol excessively.
• Be sure to get plenty of good, restorative sleep.

Unlike statin drugs, which lower your cholesterol at the expense of your health, these lifestyle strategies represent a holistic approach that will benefit your overall health—which includes a healthy cardiovascular system.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/03/28/the-stealth-drug-cause-of-diabetes.aspx

Don't Overlook Your Thyroid

Life Extension Magazine August 2012

LifeExtension® Book Excerpt

 

Too often, uninformed physicians diagnose fatigue, difficulty concentrating, unwanted weight gain, and hair loss in their patients as the inevitable results of aging. This blanket diagnosis may be flat-out wrong. In fact, your lack of energy and inability to focus may have nothing at all to do with your age! You may simply need to adjust a thyroid malfunction. The thyroid affects every cell in your body and is a key regulator of your energy, metabolism, heart, and bones. In her new book, The Fatigue Solution, Eva Cwynar, MD, urges readers to have their thyroid checked with a simple blood test. Check Your Thyroid When was the last time you went to the doctor and he checked your thyroid? You would know if he did, because to manually examine the thyroid, you have to step behind the patient and put your hands around the patient's neck as if you were going to choke her. That's the only way you can feel for the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland, which is located at the front of the neck near the collar bone (right where a man would wear a bowtie). When I introduce this examination to my patients, I always get the same reaction: "Why are you doing that? No doctor has ever done that to me before!" You can't breathe without the thyroid, you can't think without the thyroid, you'd constantly be constipated without a thyroid, and yet it's way down at the bottom of the list of possible causes of some very common symptoms. Are you losing your hair? It could be your thyroid. Is your voice getting hoarse and raspy? It could be your thyroid. Are you always cold? It could be your thyroid. Are you having trouble concentrating? It could be your thyroid. And if it is, it's something that is easily fixed. That's why I get so angry and excited at the same time about the subject. People are suffering needlessly, some for many years, when they could be leading much more energetic, productive lives with the right diagnosis and treatment. The Thyroid: What, Where, and How One woman in eight will develop a thyroid disorder during her lifetime. And by the time they reach age 60, more than 20 percent of American women will have a thyroid disorder. I personally believe the numbers may be even higher because so many women haven't been officially diagnosed. The simplest way to describe your thyroid and its function is to compare it to a furnace that is run by a thermostat (the pituitary gland). Together, they regulate how much energy and stamina you have on a daily basis. The amount of thyroid hormone you have affects how well you have slept, how you feel when you get up in the morning, and how effectively you will make it through your day. Thyroid function affects every cell in the body. It is the main regulator of basal metabolism, which is the amount of energy needed to maintain essential physiologic functions when you are at complete rest, both physically and mentally. If your thyroid gland is not producing optimally, your cells cannot properly take in the nutrients they need, receive the right amount of oxygen, or get rid of waste materials efficiently. Thyroid hormones also affect your heart, muscles, bones, and cholesterol, to name just several of its jobs. Introducing the 3s and 4s There are two main hormones produced by the thyroid: Triiodothyronine, known as T3 Tetraiodothyronine, known as T4 You may have noticed a portion of the word "iodine" in each of the hormones above. That's because the function of the thyroid gland is to take iodine, found in many foods, and convert it into thyroid hormones. Thyroid cells are the only cells in the body that can absorb iodine. These cells combine iodine and the amino acid tyrosine to make T3 and T4. There is one more factor we have to mention to complete this process, and that is Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), which is produced by the pituitary gland in the brain and gives that gland its thermostat-like function. So the thyroid is the furnace that provides "heat" in the form of the T3 and T4 hormones and the pituitary gland is the thermostat that goes on and off according to the amount of heat in the body. TSH tells the thyroid to raise or lower the heat. The process goes like this: T3 and T4 travel through the bloodstream, producing heat The pituitary gland senses the heat; the thermostat shuts off; TSH production slows down The body cools as the level of thyroid hormones decrease The furnace produces more heat When your body temperature drops, your metabolic rate drops, too. You produce less energy, and you store more calories as fat—in other words, you gain weight. You also suffer from fatigue, irritability, and the inability to concentrate. Too Few Hormones The most common form of thyroid disorder is hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid is not producing enough of its hormones. Approximately 25 million people suffer from hypothyroidism, and about half of them are undiagnosed. It is usually found in women, particularly older women; the percentage of patients with hypothyroidism is greater for women for each decade of age after age 34. That is because thyroid hormone production decreases with age. One of the reasons that hypothyroidism often goes undiagnosed is that symptoms usually appear slowly over time, and they may appear to be signs of normal aging. Symptoms include: Anxiety and nightmares Difficulty losing weight Dry skin Easy weight gain Impaired concentration and memory Menstrual irregularities Mood swings Severe fatigue Thinning eyebrows Thinning hair Yellow skin from poor conversion of beta carotene to vitamin A There are many women who have no symptoms and feel perfectly healthy, and yet, when tested, are diagnosed with hypothyroidism. These women need to be treated as well as those who have symptoms, because their slowed metabolism will result in adverse effects down the line. If you are not treated for hypothyroidism, you may have a heart attack because of the metabolic dysfunction that your thyroid has produced over the course of many years. That's the reason testing is so important, especially as you get older and the likelihood of hypothyroidism increases. In the United States, the most common cause of hypothyroidism is called Hashimotos's thyroiditis. This is an autoimmune disorder—in other words, the body's immune system attacks thyroid tissue. The tissue eventually becomes so inflamed that the gland can't make enough thyroid hormone. The pituitary gland, noticing the lack of these hormones, reacts by turning up the thermostat and sending out TSH to raise hormone production. But that's no longer possible because of the inflammation of the gland. Thyroid cells start to enlarge and multiply, which will eventually cause nodules and swelling. Hashimosto's disease, like many other autoimmune diseases, is most often inherited, usually from mothers to daughters. Too Many Hormones When everything is functioning properly, the thyroid and pituitary work together to produce just the right amount of hormones. But there are times when the thyroid malfunctions and produces either too many or too few hormones. When the thyroid becomes overactive and produces too many hormones, you end up with a condition called hyperthyroidism. This condition affects 10 times more women than men, and usually occurs in women under 40. Here are some of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism: Being nervous, moody, weak, or tired Excessive sweating Fine hair that is falling out More bowel movements than usual Rapid heartbeat Red, itchy skin Shaky hands Shortness of breath The most common form of this disorder is Graves' disease, which was made "famous" when first lady Barbara Bush was diagnosed with the illness in 1989 (coincidentally, her husband, President George H. W. Bush, was later diagnosed with the same disease, as was their dog, Millie). One of the stranger symptoms of Graves' disease is known as "frog eyes" where the eyeballs get pushed forward and protrude because fat builds up behind them. Graves' disease can be life threatening and can lead to heart problems if left untreated. This type of hyperthyroidism is an autoimmune disease that is genetically inherited. It causes mood and body changes when the immune system "mistakenly attacks" the thyroid gland, causing overproduction of the thyroid hormones. People who have hyperthyroidism are often confused when they hear the diagnosis. My patients tell me, "I thought if I had hyperthyroidism, I'd be full of energy and losing weight and able to multitask like crazy! How come I'm so tired all the time?" Although this line of thinking is correct in most situations, the answer in other situations is that the overactive thyroid is burning out your body. It's affecting other organs (such as the adrenal gland) that are being compromised. It's like an engine that is constantly revving at a very high speed and going nowhere. Eventually, the parts will burn out and the engine will stop going. Another type of hyperthyroidism is subacute thyroiditis, which involves swelling (inflammation) of the thyroid gland and is thought to be produced by a virus that usually follows an infection of the upper respiratory tract. It is often treated with anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen to decrease both the production and the release of thyroid hormone. A beta-blocker (usually given for heart disease or hypertension or even tremor or anxiety) is also given to slow down the heart rate and make the patient more comfortable until the situation spontaneously resolves itself. This disease usually lasts for only a few months and heals itself naturally, but if left untreated can be life threatening.

Testing Your Thyroid

The good news is that there is a simple blood test that can measure thyroid function to determine whether or not your hormone production is normal (the "gold standard" is to test one of many thyroid functions, which is the production of thyroid stimulating hormone). The bad news is that if you get five doctors in a room, you'll get five different opinions on what is "normal" and what is not. In my practice, I don't rely on blood tests alone because over the years I have found that what is normal for one person, and even normal for the population at large, may be abnormal for someone else. I use other tests as well (such as one that tests for particular antibodies) and palpation (examining with my hands) of the thyroid to determine its size, shape, firmness, or location to check for abnormalities. Internists may do this as well, but since they do not palpate the gland as frequently as endocrinologists do, they may miss the diagnosis. Some doctors may recommend an ultrasound of the thyroid as well.

Here's where the tricky part comes in. As of 2010, at most laboratories in the United States, the official normal reference range for the thyroid stimulating hormone blood test runs from approximately .5 to 5.0 (measured in micrograms per deciliter). Reference range is what determines—for the vast majority of physicians, who rely on blood tests almost exclusively—whether or not thyroid disease is even diagnosed at all, much less treated, and when diagnosed, how it is treated. In January of 2003, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists recommended that doctors "consider treatment for patients who test outside the boundaries of a narrower margin based on a target TSH level of 0.3 to 3.0." Even though many years have passed since the new range was established, some doctors use it and some don't. The issue that it raises is this: One study found that using a TSH upper normal range of 5.0, approximately 5 percent of the population is hypothyroid. However, if you use 3.0 as the top of the normal range, approximately 20 percent of the population would be hypothyroid. That means that millions of patients with hypothyroidism are being undiagnosed and untreated.

There are now more effective blood tests that provide a complete picture of how well the thyroid produces T4, how well the body converts T4 into T3, how much of the active form T3 is created, and whether there are significant anti-thyroid antibodies present. A complete panel would also include levels of free (unbound) T3 and T4. You might want to suggest to your doctor that she use the free T3 and T4, as the "regular" T3 and T4 totals may not be as accurate.

One of the problems with thyroid testing is that they are typically not on the list of things that are regularly checked in a standard or even a more comprehensive blood test panel. Just like the guidelines we have established for testing for colon cancer, for instance, beginning at age 50 and not before, it's not until you reach the age of 65 that your doctor will routinely request thyroid testing.

When you complain to your doctor about putting on weight, losing a little hair, fatigue, lack of libido—most of the time you get the same response: "Well, you are getting older, it's to be expected." If you are suffering from any of these symptoms and your doctor doesn't suggest testing, bring it up yourself. Most doctors, even though they may be skeptical, will order the testing if you insist.

I Keep Forgetting What You Said About Thyroids…

Here is a frightening thought: many doctors have diagnosed patients with dementia and Alzheimer's disease, when in reality what they had was a thyroid disorder. A 2008 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that older women who had levels of TSH that were either too high or too low had more than twice the risk of Alzheimer's disease than those with more moderate levels (the same was not true of men). This is another reason that testing your thyroid become part of your standard testing routine as you get older!

Your Numbers, Your Doctor, and You

Here's an important point to remember if do get tested and your numbers are not "normal." Hypothyroidism has a huge range, from very mild to quite severe. Not only that, one person whose TSH tests result in a reading of 2.5 may feel perfectly fine, while another person with the same reading may be suffering a battery of symptoms. The numbers and the symptoms don't always correlate. Most of the time, taking thyroid medication will cure your symptoms and you will feel better within a matter of days; by six weeks on the medication you'll have a very good idea of how it's working. Unless you tell your doctor how you're feeling, he or she has nothing to go on but your test results. You need to share with your doctor if your symptoms are getting better (or worse), and you need to be consistently retested to see how your medication is working. Your numbers may go back to normal, but if you're still not feeling well it's your responsibility to tell your doctor so that more tests can be taken or your medication can be tweaked until you find what works best for you.

It is possible, however, to go overboard with thyroid medication. Some of my patients have the "if some is good, more is better" attitude. However, too much thyroid medication can stress out the adrenal glands, which will then overproduce cortisol as well as dysregulate (impair) the ratio of cortisol and DHEA and epinephrine and norepinephrine. This will leave you more fatigued than you were in the first place, because the rest of your body's systems will not be able to produce the energy needed to keep up with your now revved-up thyroid.

Iodine Deficiency and the Thyroid

Since iodine is needed for the production of thyroid hormone, and the body does not make iodine, we have to get through what we eat. It is commonly found in foods such as saltwater fish, seaweed, sea vegetables, shellfish, bread, cheese, and iodine-containing multivitamins.

Iodized salt is now the main source of iodine in the American diet, but only about 20 percent of the salt America eats contains the micronutrient. Increasingly popular "designer" table salts, such as sea salts and Kosher salts, usually do not have much iodine. However, the majority of salt intake in the United States comes from processed foods, and food manufacturers almost always use noniodized salt in processed foods. Add to that the ubiquitous warnings against using too much salt because of our ever-pressing issues of hypertension, congestive heart disease, and other coronary artery diseases, and iodine deficiency becomes a real threat for some people in the United States. Whereas, just a few years ago iodine was mandated by the FDA to be included in salts (and was for decades), now most medical advice states that, due to the large variety of food sources available from all over the world, iodine in salt is no longer necessary in the United States and other Western countries. Iodization of salt is now voluntary in America. It appears that iodine intake has declined by 50 percent in North America in the past 30 to 40 years and the anticipated rate of future hypothyroid cases has risen dramatically.

Before the 1920s, iodine deficiency was common in the Great Lakes, Appalachian, and Northwestern regions of the United States and Canada; however, the introduction of iodized salt has virtually eliminated the problem in those areas. Iodine deficiency can lead to goiter, hypothyroidism, and even to mental retardation in infants and children (the term "cretin" comes from the fetus not getting enough iodine while in the mother's womb).

Worldwide, the number one cause of hypothyroidism is iodine deficiency, which remains a public health problem in 47 countries, and about 2.2 billion people (38 percent of the world's population) live in areas with iodine deficiency. An article in The Lancet in 2008 stated that, "According to WHO, in 2007, nearly 2 billion individuals had insufficient iodine intake, a third being of school age. Thus iodine deficiency, as the single greatest preventable cause of mental retardation, is an important public health problem."

There are many different types and brands of iodine supplementation available over the counter. It's important, however, that you get guidance from your doctor or health professional before taking any iodine supplementation. If you take too much, you can develop hyperthyroidism.

Thyroid Treatments

One of the first thyroid treatments that was commercially available was Armour Thyroid, which was a natural product made of desiccated pig and cow thyroid glands put into pill form. It is still available today. It contains both T3 and T4 hormones. It fell out of favor over the years because quality control of this medication was difficult. In recent years, however, production has become much more stable and it is back in use again. Your doctor may prescribe Armour Thyroid if you have had problems with a synthetic therapy, or if you or your doctor prefer natural products.

The most commonly prescribed synthetic drug for hypothyroidism is called levothyroxine, known under the brand names Synthroid, Levothroid, Levoxyl, and Unithroid. A more recent addition is a drug called Tirosint, which is made in Switzerland and distributed in the United States. It has fewer additives and preservatives than the other synthetic medications, so it may be a good choice for you if you find you're allergic to any of the other brands.

Another popular drug is called Cytomel, which contains only T3. Synthroid contains only T4, which must be converted to T3 by the body. Some people respond better to T3 preparations because they have trouble converting T4 into T3; those people fare better with either a combination of T3/T4 or T3 alone.

The mineral selenium decreases the antibodies that form in Hashimoto's thyroiditis, thereby decreasing the inflammation, which is why I recommend selenium to everyone who has hypothyroidism. It is also useful as a messenger in the brain helping with the communication between the thyroid and the adrenal gland.

How to Take Thyroid Medication

Although thyroid problems are usually easily treated with medication, it can be tricky to take because of how thyroid hormones react with other substances. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use because there are many other medicines that can affect thyroid medications. This includes vitamins, minerals, and herbal products. There are also some substances that block the absorption of thyroid medications (e.g., soy, calcium, iron, some mood altering prescription medications), which is why some patients don't see the results they'd like.

• Do not take thyroid medication within two hours of eating as food may delay or reduce its absorption.
• Do not take estrogen, birth control pills, or hormone replacement therapy in the pill form at the same time you're taking thyroid medication (you can take them in the same day, just not at the same time of the day). Any form of oral estrogen may be a problem if taken at the same time as thyroid because both estrogen and thyroid hormone share the same binding globulin (a protein to which thyroid hormone binds in the blood and from which it is released into tissue cells) in the liver. If you take them both at the same time, you're not absorbing as much of either one. This does not apply if you are taking other forms of birth control, such as the patch or the NuvaRing; transdermal (through the skin) hormone replacement; or sublingual (dissolving directly into the bloodstream from drops or lozenges into the mouth) hormone replacement. That's another reason why I treat my menopausal women who have hypothyroidism with a hormone CREAM instead of the standard oral prescription pill.
• Calcium also prevents absorption of thyroid medication, so they should not be taken at the same time.
• Iron, whether alone, or as part of a multivitamin or prenatal vitamin supplement, interferes with thyroid hormone absorption. You should not take your iron supplements or your vitamins with iron at the same time as your thyroid hormone, and should allow at least two hours (four being the optimal time frame) between taking them.

Your Thyroid and Menopause

Although it is very rarely mentioned, your thyroid and your reproductive cycle are closely related. Thyroid problems can cause irregularities in the menstrual cycle, and even infertility in extreme cases. As you get older, these problems can become exacerbated. In fact, untreated hypothyroidism can cause a woman to be in an artificial premature perimenapause or even throw her into menopause.

It's important to remember that the thyroid is part of the overall endocrine system, and when any of this system's hormones get out of balance, all of the parts suffer. So when you go through times where hormonal imbalance is more than likely—such as pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause—your thyroid is also more than likely to get out of whack as well.

That is why women over 50 should be tested for thyroid problems every few years (earlier if you have a family history) and woman over 65 should be tested annually. Any woman of any age should be tested at any time and as frequently as needed if she has symptoms of hypothyroidism. Your doctor will then be able to determine whether you need thyroid hormone medication, and/or iodine or other supplementation.

In dealing with thyroid problems, it's important to find a doctor who will listen to your symptoms and be open to the newest research, the latest reference range recommendations, inclusive testing, and who understands that each patient will react differently to various treatments. You may need to see an endocrinologist, someone who is trained in the art and science of working with hormones, to get the results you need and deserve.

It makes me frustrated to know that there are so many women who suffer unnecessarily for so many years. I hear it over and over again, how finally being diagnosed and treated for thyroid problems has changed women's lives. They have accepted their "lot in life" for so long that they have almost forgotten what it's like to have energy and focus and fun in their lives. I'm here to tell you, don't just accept it. Get tested. Check your results. Ask for a copy of your labs. See a specialist. Don't settle—if you don't agree with your doctor, go somewhere else. You know your body better than anyone else. Listen to it and get your life and your health back in your hands.

The "Check Your Thyroid" Jump Start Tip

Taking Matters into Your Own Hands—or Armpits. If you suspect you're having thyroid problems and you want to check yourself out at home, there is a simple test you can do called the basal temperature test. Here are the steps:

• Get a basal thermometer (the kind you can use under your tongue). Leave it overnight on your bedside table.
• First thing in the morning, before you get out of bed, tuck the thermometer under your armpit and lay completely still for 10 minutes. Set a timer before you begin so that you don't have to move around to look at the clock.
• Record your temperature for there to five days. If your temperature is consistently below 97.8°F, you may have a thyroid problem, and you should have yourself evaluated by a health professional.

Remember, thyroid disease is not just about fatigue, it can ultimately affect your morbidity as well as your mortality. Take control, but do it with the assistance of an expert.
Excerpted with permission from The Fatigue Solution by Eva Cwynar, MD, published by Hay House. For more information on Dr. Eva Cwynar, visit www.dreva.com.   To order The Fatigue Solution call 1-800-544-4440. Item # 33847 Retail price $24.95 Member price $18.71   If you have any questions on the scientific content of this article, please call a Life Extension® Health Advisor at 1-866-864-3027.



http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2012/aug2012_Dont-Overlook-Your-Thyroid_01.htm

Chemist Exposes 5 Deadly Pills!

(The 5 deadly pills:  Beta blockers, Folic acid, Anti-depressants, Vitamin D and Statins.)




Chemist Exposes 5 Deadly Pills!



By: Shane Ellison, MS

Don’t ask me why. But, just as I’ve reveled in swallowing nine shots of tequila in a dank, Mexican bar, American’s are proud pills poppers. They wear their prescriptions like a badge…I’m not sure which is worse. But, if I had to bet, I’d say “pill pride.”

When I toss too many back, I know what I’m getting into. My ego goes from being really big to very big in the blink of an eye. This is partly why my book, Over-The-Counter Natural Cures, is so much fun to read (or offensive depending on your point of view). At times, I drank to break up the monotony of writing, and subsequently my ego took pot-shots at the pharmaceutical and supplement industries (essentially, one in the same). That’s a predictable outcome, and knowing that is awareness in motion, no matter how stupid the act might be.

In contrast, the outcome associated with popping pills can be unpredictable because you rarely get what you’re being promised. Rather than gain health, sometimes you lose it, along with your wealth. Just as counterfeit Rolex watches are sold to intoxicated teenagers on the streets of Mexico, the pill pushing industry sells counterfeits of Mother Nature to consumers dizzy with marketing spin. Here are five of the deadliest pills that you and your loved ones might be swallowing.

#1 Fat Fertilizers that Plummet Sexual ability

Metabolism is controlled by switches in the body known as beta-receptors. When triggered, they tap into our fat stores to create energy; much like a wine merchant may go to the wine cellar to grab a customer’s favorite bottle of Merlot.

Without this key metabolic switch being activated, fat festers in the gut with nowhere to go, and the body uses carbohydrates (sugar) as fuel. This is why overweight people crave sugar – their body is constantly burning it, while storing fat. Patients using beta blockers are circumventing the vital fat burning process, while at the same time losing sexual ability to due artificially low blood supply to those critical areas of male anatomy. Over time, unsightly belly fat comes on like gangbusters regardless of exercise or diet – and wives get grumpy.

It doesn’t have to be like this. High blood pressure is not an instant death sentence. In fact, sometimes it is a normal process of aging. The goal of maintaining a blood pressure at or near 120/80 or more recently 115/75 is based on drug company hype, not science. Such low recommendations ensure that healthy people are converted into patients. When blood pressure goes beyond this, there is an easy fix.

Weaning from prescription drugs – beta blockers – and using hawthorn in place of them plummets blood pressure, while enhancing the health of your blood and heart! And it won’t accidentally put you in to the Fat Gain Hall of Fame! For aggressive control of blood pressure, inflammation and blood clotting, I designed CardioFX.

Note: Commonly Used Brand Names in the United States: Betapace (sotalol), Blocadren (timolol), Brevibloc (esmolol), Bystolic (nebivolol), Cartrol (carteolol), Coreg (carvedilol), Corgard (nadolol), Inderal (propranolol), Inderal-LA (propranolol), Kerlone (betaxolol), Levatol (penbutolol), Lopressor (metoprolol), Normodyne (labetalol), Sectral (acebutolol), Tenormin (atenolol), Toprol-XL (metoprolol), Trandate (labetalol), Visken (pindolol), Zebeta (bisoprolol)

#2 The Pregnancy Vitamin That Increases Cancer 30%

Just as counterfeit Rolex watches are sold to intoxicated teenagers on the streets of Mexico, the drug industry pushes counterfeits of Mother Nature to consumers dizzy with marketing spin. I’m talking about the “folic acid fallacy.” Folic acid is a cheap counterfeit isolate of the naturally occurring “folate.”

The term folate (not folic acid) encompasses a slew of naturally occurring chemical cousins – chemists call them isomers – that have a wide range of positive roles in the body. Without full-spectrum natural folate, our body becomes a breeding ground for Alzheimer’s disease, coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, neural tube defects, poor cognitive performance, depression, hearing loss and many types of cancer.

In one of the biggest natural heists in pharmaceutical history, Big Pharma has stolen the real folate from the marketplace and replaced it with their counterfeit: Folic acid. Known to chemists as pteroylglutamic acid monoglutamate, the drug folic acid is one of the best-selling counterfeits infiltrating nutritional supplement products such as multi-vitamins and prenatals. Adding injury to insult, the FDA mandated that grain-based foods such as bread and cereal, be fortified with it in 1996. The only thing missing is a “black box warning,” because the side effects are staggering.

Today, an estimated 274 million people are being exposed to folic acid. Unbeknownst to them, the synthetic compound has proven adverse effects and according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), “no long term studies exist to evaluate the risks associated with prolonged use.” Supplement promoters always get their panties-in-a-wad hearing this, insisting that “I’m missing vital studies.” Please. I have piles of research papers bigger than most midget thinkers who push cheap, nutritional supplement propaganda online –Ah, there goes my ego again, and I’m not even drinking.

Prenatal and postnatal supplementation of folic acid in mothers on a standard diet resulted in the occurrence of higher numbers of cancer tumors. The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening trial linked folic acid intake with 20% to 32% increased risk of breast cancer in women consuming more than 400 microg/d supplemental folic acid.

Moms who supplement with folic acid face a drug induced illness known as MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate polymorphism). Kinda like the shuffling of cards, folic acid can shuffle your genetic map leading to altered DNA activity, putting moms at risk for heart disease as well as colonic cancer and acute leukemia later in life. Writing for Nature magazine, scientists warned in 2005 that the use of folic acid in fortification programs worldwide could have, “the side effect of increasing the prevalence of some of the most significant, human life-threatening diseases.”

The history of folate dates back to 1931 when chemists concluded that anemia was caused by a dietary deficiency of the vitamin, based on their discovery of it in folate rich foods like liver and yeast. Big Pharma – smelling big money in a synthetic version – moved quickly to counterfeit the natural cure. Folic acid was created in a lab in 1941 and today has replaced natural folate consumption, but not without risk.

Fortunately, wiping out illness associated with a folate deficiency is simply a matter of adhering to “nutrient logic” rather than popping unpredictable pills. You can do this by bolstering your diet with foods rich in folate like liver, leafy green vegetables (such as spinach and turnip greens), fruits (such as citrus fruits and juices), eggs, dried beans and peas, and the forgotten master folate supplement, non-fortified brewer’s yeast.

#3 Common Psychiatric Drug Induces “Neurotransmitter Hijacking”

Antidepressants strive to increase the levels of a “coping” molecule known as serotonin in the brain. It supposedly helps us find happiness when it’s covered in an avalanche of nastiness. But, it’s never been proven. Still, the drugs attempt to boost serotonin by “selectively” stopping the “reuptake” among brain cells. This is where the whole SSRI acronym came from—“selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.” It’s a slick name, but a stupid idea. Nothing is selective in the body.

While trying to block the reuptake of serotonin, antidepressants can also prevent its release and that of another brain compound known as dopamine. The areas of the brain responsible for release and reuptake of these neurotransmitters are so damn similar (after all, they work on the same molecule) that an antidepressant drug isn’t smart enough to understand which one it is supposed to work on. So it does what any dumb drug would do, it blocks both. That’s why users usually carry a glassy stare in their eye. Fully under the psychiatric spell, they’ve tuned out.

Deep sadness, fear, anger and aggression can set in over time. By removing serotonin and dopamine from the brain, long-term antidepressant users can’t find or feel happiness. Instead, they may become buried in the avalanche of nastiness. And if you can’t find or feel happiness in life, what’s the point? What’s going to stop you from snapping your own neck or spraying bullets on your classmates? Not much when you live in your own personal antidepressant hell.

Think this is all opinion?

According to the FDA, antidepressants can cause suicidal thoughts and behavior, worsening depression, anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, irritability, hostility, impulsivity, aggression, psychotic episodes and violence. Some even cause homicidal ideation according to the manufacturers. Many long-term antidepressant users will tell you they no longer feel normal emotions—they’re numb, like zombies.

But the side effects of these drugs aren’t limited to hijacking your feelings and emotional state, causing violent and psychotic states. Physical side effects occur too and include abnormal bleeding, birth defects, heart attack, seizures and sudden death. Over one hundred and seventy drug regulatory warnings and studies have been issued on antidepressants, to sound the alarm on these side effects.

While people can suffer miserably from emotional or mental duress that can hinder their lifestyle, the pseudo-science of psychiatry has yet to solve any of these problems, and in fact only contributes to poor health as seen by the wide array of side effects. In place of psychiatric pills start every other day with exercise, and get plenty of sunshine. Supplement your diet with L-tryptophan and whey isolate protein. Before bed each night, take Mother Nature’s knockout pill, valerian. Combined, these will help your body produce its own “antidepressant compounds” throughout the day. Minimize sugar and alcohol, which put a monkey-wrench into this innate protective mechanism.

#4 The Sunshine Counterfeit That Suffocates Your Heart

In the early 1930’s, some dude (a pharmaceutical shill) learned that as sun rays beamed down to earth at light speed – 670,616,629 miles per hour – our skin produced a family of hormones known as secosteroids in response. I call these “sunshine hormones.”

Profiting from Sunshine

In the 1930’s, seeing great profit potential in sunshine hormones, Big Pharma went to work manufacturing a copy cat. In that pursuit, they narrowed the scope of our sunshine hormones and postulated that it was a single isolate that was responsible for the vast, biological benefits of sunshine. At the same time, they disregarded the unique balance and protection mechanism built by the body to guard against toxicity. Once successful in designing their “Franken-chemical,” they launched a campaign to systematically contaminate our vitamin and food supply with it and make billions.

Turning Sunshine into a Drug

Today, Big Pharma cartels BASF and Hoffman La Roche are the largest manufacturers of the synthetic hormone isolate. To get the masses to swallow it, they erroneously named it “The Sunshine Vitamin,” AKA vitamin D.

Consumers, stimulated by ads, couldn’t wait to start choking it down – so much that old ladies now brag about taking the “drug disguised as a vitamin” to their hairdressers. In reality though, it’s as close to being a sunshine hormone as a tootsie roll is to being chocolate, or a porno is to having sex. I’m not the only one pointing out this fact.

“Vitamin D is not really a vitamin,” wrote scientists for the New England Journal of Medicine.
For something to be a vitamin, it must provide the body with an essential nutrient that it cannot make on its own, but requires for survival –officially.

Since synthetic vitamin D is a drug, foreign to the body, and not required for survival, it’s technically a fraud – an impostor posing as a vitamin. It has “vitamin like” activity, which initially tricks the body into thinking the host of associated co-hormones is present. But this biological ruse proves to be devastating to the body over time.

Before the vitamin D scam was fed to consumers, the deadly “D” was fed to rodents as a means of eradicating the pesky creatures. In their report, “The Endocrine System,” the University of Colorado, reminds us, “Ingestion of milligram quantities of vitamin D over periods of weeks or months can be severely toxic to humans and animals. In fact, baits laced with vitamin D are used very effectively as rodenticides [rat poison].” This is in stark contrast to naturally produced sunshine vitamins, and it isn’t hard to understand.

Once swallowed, the copycat hormone bypasses our innate protective mechanisms and throws hormonal balance out of whack. This “plugs” the body with calcium and induces calcification, which leads to heart failure, kidney damage, and more. Since it’s a “cumulative poison,” people who take the recommended dose every day as vitamin D are saturating their fatty tissues, and at the same time, offsetting their God-given hormonal intelligence. Anyone eating and drinking foods “fortified” with vitamin D are at serious risk.

Nobody has ever been poisoned by naturally produced sunshine hormones.

Scientific Trickery

Promotion for the drug disguised as a vitamin is “business as usual” for the drug, food, and vitamin industries: They work together to instill fear and confusion designed to blur the lines between synthetic and natural. And they’ve done it with a “deficiency hypothesis” that has everyone regurgitating their “25-hydroxy vitamin D” levels in an attempt to avoid rickets, infection, cancer and even a bad haircut, so it seems. But it’s as weak as my PC laptop battery (I’m buying a Mac soon). Ever wonder who defines our “ideal levels?” (See Big Pharma cartels above.)

The God of Medicine

Ironically, the sun was previously known as Apollo, the God of Medicine. And yet, consumers go to great lengths to avoid it thanks to the propaganda. It’s their loss. Responsible sun exposure (minus the sun block) and the subsequent release of sunshine hormones has proven to directly ward off cancer, as well as a number of other serial killers like obesity and type II diabetes.

Vitamin D pills have never been proven to offer such vast benefits…

And if you can’t get adequate sunlight for whatever reason, Mother Nature produces “sunshine hormones” that won’t accidentally put you on a hospital gurney. Salmon, mackerel, sardines, beef/chicken liver, eggs, and select non-fortified cod liver oils are all smart choices for the “solar challenged.”

Nothing like the Real Thing

Highlighting the Vitamin D pill controversy, The New York Times recently wrote that “The excitement about their health potential is still far ahead of the science.” Amen. As long as excitement remains ahead of common sense and science, I’ll take chocolate over a Tootsie Roll, and sex over a porno…I’ll also choose sitting under the sun – over swallowing dangerous vitamin D.

#5 The Cholesterol Pill that Plummets Testosterone and Raises Cancer Rates

As an ex-drug chemist, I witnessed how drug side-effects are hidden from patients and doctors by “big Pharma.” Cholesterol-lowering drugs such as Lipitor, Crestor, Pravachol, Zocor and Mevacor serve as poignant examples.

Cholesterol-lowering drugs decrease CoQ10 levels within the heart, which is well publicized online. This essential nutrient serves as an energy producing molecule and is crucial to proper cardiovascular function. Without it, the heart fails. Congestive heart failure is the outcome. This was highlighted when Merck, makers of the first cholesterol-lowering drug, filed for a patent for its profit-pulling “Mevacor.”

Cholesterol-lowering drugs cut testosterone rates among men – I’ve seen testosterone to be as low as a 13-year old girls among men who use statin drugs! It’s not a mystery. Cholesterol serves as the backbone of this life enhancing hormone, the body uses the compound to produce the male dominant hormone. Cut cholesterol, cut testosterone – grown men start watching chick flicks and are often found cuddling more often than a West Hollywood male – some women love this.

Cholesterol-lowering drugs can also destroy memory. Cholesterol works to ensure the integrity of the “myelin sheath.” This coating within the brain is responsible for encouraging the passage of electrical messages. It is needed for memory and focus. As the cholesterol-lowering drugs deplete cholesterol the myelin sheath breaks down. Memory deteriorates.

Cholesterol-lowering drugs can increase the risk of cancer. Studies show they mimic a growth factor responsible for its proliferation. The growth factor is known as VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor). VEGF is “cancer fertilizer.” Thus, Cholesterol-lowering drug users are creating an environment within their body conducive to cancer growth.

The fact that cholesterol-lowering drugs can potentially cause cancer will never be mainstream. Drug company-funded studies are conveniently short in nature, typically 5 years or less. It takes decades for cancer to develop. Heavy smoking will not cause lung cancer within 5 years. Yet it is a well-known fact that smoking leads to lung cancer. As long as the cholesterol-lowering drug trials last only 5 years, this side-effect will continue to fly below the radar. A coincidence?

Side-effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs are discounted by medical doctors because they are usually hidden by drug companies who pay for the study. Consider: The British Medical Journal (BMJ) has reported that only 30% of statin drug trials have reported the number of participants with one or more negative side-effects caused by the drug!

According to USA Today, the U.S. Government is not sending out warnings either. They reported, “Statins have killed and injured more people than the government has acknowledged.”

Fortunately, we don’t need to rely on cholesterol-lowering drugs to prevent heart disease. Studies show that cholesterol does not play a role in the pandemic killer. In fact, cholesterol appears to increase life-span. You will have to wrestle with this; it is the antithesis of what drug companies and medical doctors promote. But true nonetheless. In 2003, the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society showed that elderly with low total cholesterol levels (<189 mg/dL) were at higher risk of dying relative to those with cholesterol levels from 276 to 417 mg/dL!

Choose the Right Pills!

Choosing the right pills, like drinking tequila, has a predictable outcome. But unlike irresponsible tequila consumption (which I don’t condone), deadly pills – no matter how much mass appeal they have – have deadly outcomes. Big Pharma will have to suffer a pay cut as this nutrient logic becomes a reality and natural vitamins stage a comeback. Pill trashing must replace pill popping.

About the Author

Shane "The People's Chemist" Ellison holds master's degree in organic chemistry and is the author of Over-The-Counter Natural Cures (SourceBooks). He's been quoted by USA Today, Shape, Woman's World, US News and World Report, as well as Women's Health and appeared on Fox and NBC as a medicine and health expert.

http://thepeopleschemist.com/chemist-exposes-5-deadly-pills/

Beta Blockers May Not Prevent Heart Attacks and Strokes

 

By SYDNEY LUPKIN

Oct. 2, 2012
 

New research suggests that beta-blocker pills don't prevent heart attacks, strokes or cardiac deaths in patients with heart disease, but doctors are torn over whether there's enough in the study to make them want to stop prescribing the drugs. Beta blockers have been a standard heart medication for decades.

The study, published in the Journal of American Medical Association, looked at nearly 45,000 patients with prior heart attacks, coronary artery disease or risk factors for coronary artery disease, and found that those on beta blockers didn't show significantly lower rates of heart attack, stroke or cardiac death than those not on the medication.

"This is a very compelling study that has the potential to shake up the conventional wisdom that exists regarding the role of beta blockers in the management of patients with cardiovascular disease," said Dr. Randal Thomas, a cardiovascular specialist at the Mayo Clinic. "At a minimum, it will lead to new studies that address this issue once again."

Beta blockers work by blocking adrenalin receptors in the brain that become activated when the body is stressed. Beta blockers are used to treat heart disease, high blood pressure, anxiety and other conditions.

Some doctors say they are glad beta blockers are being questioned because their use had been "written in stone" for so many years, but others say using a non-randomized data sample is not as reliable as a randomized drug trial.

While the authors attempted to account for differences between the patient groups that might have had an impact on their health, they did not have access to information on why some patients were prescribed these drugs and some were not, said Dr. Richard Besser, the chief heath and medical editor at ABC News.

Dr. Melvin Rubenfire, who directs cardiovascular medicine at the University of Michigan, said he'd been hoping for a study like this, but it won't change his prescribing habits because he uses beta blockers only in specific cases. Rubenfire also weans patients off the pills 18 months after they have a heart attack if they experience adverse side effects, such as fatigue and erectile dysfunction.

Rubenfire said the existing data wasn't enough to determine which patients would benefit from beta blockers, and what kinds of beta blockers are better than others. Beta blockers include at least six brand names, including Sectral, Tenormin and Zebeta.

Even study coauthor Christopher Cannon, a professor at Harvard Medical School, said he will continue to prescribe beta blockers to his patients, adding "I would not make too much of this" because the study is only observational.

"All it can do is raise up an idea for us researchers to consider for further study," he said.

Cannon said this research shows that it's unclear whether beta blockers add more benefit than the other therapies developed in the decades since beta blockers became a standard of practice for treating patients with heart disease. Since patients are often taking several drugs, it's hard to pinpoint how much one agent helps compared with another.

Dr. Steven Nissen, who chairs the department of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, said the medicine might not be ideal for all of the patients it's prescribed to, but a new randomized, controlled trial will be necessary to change guidelines for prescribing beta blockers.

"Abandonment of this type of therapy for post-MI [post-heart attack] patients based upon an observational study is not warranted," he said.

For the time being, the study raises questions, said Dr. Harlan Kumhulz, a professor of medicine, epidemiology and public health at Yale University.

"The question it raises is about how long after having a heart attack should patients remain on beta blockers?" Kumhulz said, noting that beta-blocker patients didn't have better outcomes than the other patients did after the first year. "The study cannot definitively answer that question -- but raises doubts about the need to continue to take them for the rest of a patient's life."

Dr. Lauren Hughes of the ABC News Medical Unit contributed to this report.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/beta-blockers-prevent-heart-attack-stroke-study-jama/story

--------------

 

 

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

 

Is the Mainstream Finally Catching On?

 

 

It’s like a really bad joke – the scary news about FDA-approved drugs. Seems every month a study shows that a drug either increases your risk of toxic side effects… or another disease… or even the one it’s supposed to prevent!

Or, best-case scenario, we learn the drug simply doesn’t work.

This latest and worst is about beta blockers. You’ve probably heard of them. Doctors prescribe these drugs to lower blood pressure. They are also used to treat abnormal heart rhythm and chest pain. And physicians usually prescribe them to people who have already had a heart attack to prevent another one.

Millions of people take these pills every day. They think it makes them safe from heart attack. Yet, not surprisingly, that just isn’t the case.

A study in JAMA (Journal of the American Heart Association) brings us this news from a very reliable source. It’s called REACH. It’s a worldwide registry of patients with heart disease or risk factors.

Researchers sifted through REACH data on nearly 45,000 people. They looked at four years’ worth of evidence.¹

What they discovered was shocking. Well not to us… but would be for most people.

It didn’t matter whether or not the patient had already had a heart attack. The beta-blockers did not prevent another heart attack or stroke. And the patients were no less likely to die from their heart condition.

Oh, a tiny fraction fared better. These were the people who’d had the most recent heart attacks. They were less likely to have another heart attack or hospitalization.

But overall, the beta-blockers made no difference in the patients’ outcome. That bears repeating…

The beta blockers did not help save their lives!

“Plenty of people are taking the medications who don’t need them,” says researcher Dr. Lydia Bazzano of Tulane University.²

“A lot of physicians still prescribe beta-blockers, especially in patients who have known [coronary artery disease],” says lead researcher Dr. Sripal Bangalore of the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York. “We need clinical trials to say which are the patients who would benefit from beta-blockers.” ³

Given all the evidence, it’s hard to believe that anyone would actually benefit. A few months ago, we heard that beta blockers actually spiked blood pressure levels.⁴

Apparently, there’s a lot we don’t know about these prescription medications. Problem is, the patent on beta blockers has expired. That means drug companies have no more incentive to study them. There will be no more clinical trials to address these problems.

Many people don’t like beta blockers because of the side effects – fatigue, upset stomach, dizziness, constipation, diarrhea, feeling lightheaded.⁵ Also, beta blockers can cause weight gain.⁶

Since these drugs are generic, they’re cheap. And many, many people take them for YEARS. Yet, as we see in this study, there’s no evidence they work at all!

It brings to mind the evidence against statin drugs. Doctors prescribe them to lower LDL “bad” cholesterol, and to prevent build-up of plaque in arteries.

But, we wondered, how safe are these drugs?

The evidence was clear, in one major study. Patients who took statins actually had MORE plaque in their arteries.⁷ Sad, but true.

This news about beta blockers, then, comes as no real surprise. And if you read Health Watch regularly, you know the best ways to avoid heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.⁸ I’m talking about solutions that really work. Without all the crazy side effects.

First, avoid simple carbs and grains. They raise blood sugar which releases insulin into your system. Insulin stores and builds fat – especially around the waist. That leads to inflammation and heart disease. Also, avoid vegetable oils as they contain unhealthy omega-6 fatty acids. They cause chronic inflammation.

Avoid fried foods, of course. Also, switch from grain-fed “regular” beef and chicken – and embrace organic. Eat plenty of wild, organic berries. And make sure you get plenty of exercise.
These simple changes are sure to help… without any nasty side effects.

P.S. Of course, there are many other all-natural ways to strengthen your heart. Our health research team has uncovered:

• One all-natural supplement that’s more effective than statin drugs (and without the risks)…
• One specific food group – backed by findings from the National Institutes of Health – that reduces heart disease risk by 15 percent in just three months…
• And a Harvard study that shows how one type of exercise drastically slashes heart disease risk.

Find out how you can learn these safe, effective methods for combating heart disease by reading the short letter here.

References:
¹http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1367524
²http://health.yahoo.net/news/s/nm/common-heart-drugs-may-be-less-helpful-than-thought
³http://health.yahoo.net/news/s/nm/common-heart-drugs-may-be-less-helpful-than-thought
⁴http://naturalhealthdossier.com/2012/05/why-blood-pressure-drugs-can-make-the-problem-worse-and-how-to-beet-this-common-condition-with-a-delicious-food/
⁵http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForWomen/ucm118594.htm”>http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForWomen/ucm118594.htm
⁶http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21304487
⁷http://naturalhealthdossier.com/2012/09/new-research-shows-this-deadly-drug-is-even-worse-than-we-knew/
⁸http://naturalhealthdossier.com/2010/10/slash-heart-disease-risk-by-81-percent/

 

http://naturalhealthdossier.com/2012/10/is-the-mainstream-finally-catching-on/

Beetroot Juice lowers Blood Pressure

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

 

Why Blood Pressure Drugs Can Make the Problem Worse… and How to “Beet” this Common Condition with a Delicious Food

Most of us have heard one shocking story or another about the dangerous side effects of pharmaceutical drugs. But many people are not aware that some of these drugs can actually worsen or even cause the same disease they are designed to treat.

Tamoxifen is one example. This drug is generally prescribed to high-risk women to prevent breast cancer. But according to a study published in the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer,¹ tamoxifen can actually cause uterine cancer and increase the mortality rate from the disease.

Or consider diabetes drugs, like Avandia. Results from the ACCORD trial (Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes) showed that aggressive blood sugar management with these drugs resulted in a 22% increased risk of death in diabetic patients.²

And now, new research shows that the most commonly used drugs for lowering blood pressure actually raise it. That’s right: the drugs that most hypertension patients count on are putting them in harm’s way.

But not to worry, because another recent study confirms that one safe, natural remedy can drastically lower your blood pressure in just three hours.

Blood Pressure Meds Elevate Blood Pressure

The study, which was published in the American Journal of Hypertension, followed the progress of 945 patients over 17 years.

These patients took one of two anti-hypertensive drugs. One was a calcium channel blocker which lowers blood volume. The other was a beta blocker, or ACE inhibitor. These are often called “R” drugs, because they lower the levels of an enzyme called renin. This enzyme is secreted by the kidneys and plays a key role in maintaining blood pressure.

The study showed that the drugs actually spiked blood pressure. And the highest spikes were found in patients with low renin levels.

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University say doctors are too quick to use a one-drug-treats-all option.

“Every clinician knows that there’s a variation in response to antihypertensive treatment,” says study author Michael Alderman, MD. Dr. Alderman is the former president of the American Society of Hypertension. “Some patients will have an elevation in blood pressure.”

Until now, this has been blamed on patients not taking their drugs. Other times doctors put it down to random events.

“But this data shows that it’s not a random event,” he says. “It’s due to a mismatch between the patients’ renin status and the drug.”

Root Remedy Offers Hope

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says one in three Americans over the age of 20 have hypertension. And it lands over 40 million people in the hospital each year.

According to the American Heart Association, elevated blood pressure increases the risk for:

• Heart attack
• Angina
• Stroke
• Kidney failure
• Peripheral artery disease

And while doctors are prescribing drugs that make the problem worse, one simple root can make it better.

A recent UK study – published in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension – says that beetroot juice can significantly lower high blood pressure.

The study was conducted by the famous Queen Mary’s William Harvey Research Institute and headed up by Professor Amrita Ahluwalia.

Researchers gave beetroot juice to healthy volunteers. They compared their blood pressure responses and the biochemical changes in their circulation.

They found that not only does beetroot juice lower blood pressure… it does so quickly.

Professor Ahluwalia found that patients lowered their blood pressure within three hours of drinking their daily dose… and the effects lasted for 24 hours!

And the best thing is that consuming beets works best for those who need it most. The researchers found that “the higher the blood pressure, the greater the decrease.”

Researchers also tested a second group of patients with daily nitrate tablets. They too were able to lower their blood pressure. The high nitrate content in beetroot may be one of the reasons it’s so effective in lowering blood pressure. And why the research group has called it an essential “superfood.”

“Beeting” Out the Competition

Beetroot is rich in iron, boron, and folic acid. It also contains betanene, which is why it has such a deep purple color. Betanene is a powerful antioxidant. In fact, it’s even more potent than polyphenols which are believed to be the reason that diets rich in leafy vegetables also lower blood pressure.

Research member Professor Ben Benjamin says that beetroot absorbs and stores super high levels of nitrate. These are found in soil and our bodies use them to control blood pressure.

“When nitrate is present in saliva, bacteria on the tongue converts it into nitrite,” he says. “When the nitrite is swallowed, it’s converted into nitric oxide.”

Nitric oxide is a chemical produced by our blood vessels to help them relax and lower blood pressure.
“Increasing the levels of nitrate with beetroot juice increases this effect,” Professor Benjamin says.

True Stories of Success

“Currently, treatment for high blood pressure involves a cocktail of aspirin, statins, beta blockers, and angiotensin converting enzyme [ACE] inhibitors,” says Professor Benjamin. “People don’t like taking all the tablets. They don’t feel well and the treatment is lifelong.”

But he says beetroot is a healthy and safe alternative. The study also found that, like aspirin, beetroot juice prevents blood clots and protects the lining of blood vessels.

People are already putting this superfood to the test.

Sixty-year-old David Kelsall, from Stoke-on-Trent, England, was amazed by the results.

“I discovered my blood pressure was high when my doctor was testing for something else,” he says. “It was not life-threatening but I was anxious to do something about it.”

He was considering drugs when he read the reports about beetroot juice.

“I drank three bottles of it a week,” he says. “Less than four weeks later, my blood pressure had already leveled out. Now, a few months later, it is under control and normal. I am still drinking the juice, and I’m going to continue doing so. It may not help everyone, but it’s helped me.”

Getting Beetroot into Your Diet

Beetroot has a medium glycemic index score of 64… but this doesn’t need to be a problem. That’s because you only need a small amount of beetroot juice to lower your blood pressure.

“We found that only a small amount of juice is needed – just 250ml – to have this effect,” says Professor Ahluwalia. That’s about one cup.

We recommend Biotta Organic Beetroot Juice. Not only does it taste delicious, but it’s also inexpensive, especially when you consider the positive benefits.

You can also blend raw beets into a morning smoothie or roast them in the oven and slice and serve over salads.

References:
¹ http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1525-1438.2007.01025.x/abstract;jsessionid
² http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0802743#t=articleDiscussion


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