Part 2
"The cholesterol scare is big business for doctors, laboratories, and drug companies. It is also a powerful marketing gimmick for vegetable oil and margarine manufacturers.... In the end , cholesterol will be exonerated from its role as primary villain in cardiovascular disease. The accusing finger points at 'experts' who concocted the cholesterol theory to drum up business by spreading fear."--Udo Erasmus (Fats that Heal Fats that Kill)
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THE CHOLESTEROL THEORY — A TRAGIC BLUNDER
Cholesterol in its natural form is one of the main building blocks of healthy animal and human bodies, the solid matter of our brains for instance being over 80% composed of it. It is absurd to say that something we are largely made of would be harmful for us to eat. And it is not harmful unless it is changed from its natural state by staleness. Cattle and goats develop arteriosclerosis on hay and grain with never a bit of food containing cholesterol. People are dying by the thousands from heart attack and stroke while on "low cholesterol" diet. The cholesterol theory, now falling by the wayside, was originated in Russia by Dr. N. Anitschkow and S. Chalatow in 1913. These scientists deserve honor for their well-intentioned work, however their finding was one of those unfortunate half-truths which only served to mislead. They fed their experimental rabbits pure crystalline cholesterol dissolved in vegetable oil, resulting in the rabbits developing arteriosclerosis. Their mistake was in failing to recognize that crystalline cholesterol is an unnatural stale substance now known as oxy-cholesterol, which is not found in fresh food or in the healthy human body. Similar mistakes have been made countless times by other scientists, using various unnatural mixtures of stale processed foods in feeding trials for testing purposes, and then assuming the choked artery results were typical of cholesterol foods. The cholesterol theory for practical purposes is untrue, and its formulation was most unfortunate because it deceived the world for fifty four years and indirectly caused untold deaths and misery by delaying discovery of the true cause and cure. Many people have needlessly been deprived of meat and eggs because of diets based on the deceptive Russian theory.
The Dangers of Statin Drugs (Lipitor & Zocor)
Over 13 million Americans are prescribed a statin drug with the most common side effect being muscle pain and weakness. But the second most common side effect is rarely discussed in the literature, and not listed in the package insert of any of the commonly prescribed statin drugs. It is known as "transient global amnesia (TGA)"—the sudden and temporary loss of memory.
Big business
To give you an idea as to just how widespread the use of statin drugs are, the most popular statin drug, Lipitor (produced by Pfizer), generates $9 billion in sales annually.
Statin drugs are now prescribed to 13 million Americans creating a $20 billion market in this country alone. There are an estimated 25 million users world-wide.
Statins are referred to as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors and are designed to slow down your body’s production of cholesterol. These drugs are usually prescribed as a means of removing the "cholesterol build-up" from arteries and blood vessels. Examples of commonly prescribed statins include atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Altocor and Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor).
Adverse effects: Like all medicines, statins can cause adverse side effects. Common side effects of these cholesterol-lowering drugs that are also listed in the package insert include:
1) Diarrhea or constipation; 2) Abdominal pain, cramps, bloating or gas; 3) Nausea and/or vomiting; 4) Headache; 5) Drowsiness or dizziness; 6) Muscle aches or weakness; 7) Flushing (skin turning red and warm) and 8) Sleep problems.
More adverse reactions: But there are also other adverse reactions that have been reported by a growing number of people prescribed statins. Research has shown that use of statin drugs:
1) Depletes the ubiquinone (vitamin-like) Coenzyme Q10; 2) Changes, weakens, damages or destroys muscle (depending on dose and concomitant use of other drugs); 3) Does not slow down or reverse arteriosclerosis—the main reason for the prescription; 4) Induces sudden total memory loss; 5) Increases eye cataract risk; 6) Suppresses immune function; 7) Is linked to the development of cancer; 8) Has been linked for 10 years with rhabdomyosis (disintegration of striated muscle fibers with excretion of myoglobin in the urine) and myoglobinuria (myoglobin is the storehouse for oxygen in the muscles—this condition is due to a lack of myoglobin); 9) Has been linked with elevated transaminase (an indicator of liver and kidney damage); 10) Is linked to nerve damage; 11) Induces muscle pain; 12) Shortens normal life-span; 13) Increases serum Lp(a) concentrations which actually increases odds of a heart attack or stroke by up to 70 percent; 14) Reduces left ventricular function; 15) Elevates the lactate to pyruvate ratio; 16) Enhances LDL cholesterol oxidation; 17) Interferes with any function that depends on cholesterol or Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) (e.g. sex hormone production, hair growth, sleep, or proper brain and nervous system function.)
