STATINS
STATINS
Forwarded from BypassSurgerySupportGroup on Yahoo Groups
This is some VERY INTERESTING reading. If you are not
yet taking CoQ10 and are taking any statin, it is
recommended that you do... now!
http://www.epic4health.com/coqandstatdr.html
~~~~~~~from site above~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Statin drugs have become very popular and are being
widely prescribed in recent years to lower high blood
cholesterol and thus reduce the risk for heart
disease. These drugs block cholesterol production in
the body by inhibiting the enzyme called HMG-CoA
reductase in the early steps of its synthesis in the
mevalonate pathway. This same biosynthetic pathway is
also shared by CoQ10. Therefore, one unfortunate
consequence of statin drugs is the unintentional
inhibition of CoQ10 synthesis. Thus, in the long run,
statin drugs could predispose the patients to heart
disease by lowering their CoQ10 status, the very
condition that these drugs are intended to prevent.
Dr. Emile Bliznakov, an authority on CoQ10, recently
published a scholarly review on the interaction
between statin drugs and CoQ10 (Bliznakov and Wilkins,
1998). He wrote the best-selling book "The Miracle
Nutrient Coenzyme Q10" several years ago and it is
still being hailed as the best reference book on CoQ10
(Bliznakov, 1987).
The reduction of CoQ10 levels might be associated with
myopathy, a rare adverse effect associated with statin
drugs. This metabolic myopathy is related to
ubiquinone (CoQ10) deficiency in muscle cell
mitochondria, disturbing normal cellular respiration
and causing adverse effects such as rhabdomyolysis,
exercise intolerance, and recurrent myoglobinuria.
(DiMuro S., Exercise intolerance and the mitochondrial
respiratory chain. Ital J Neurol Sci. Dec.
1999;20(6):387-393).
It is important to note that Coenzyme Q10
supplementation does not interfere with the very
important cholesterol-lowering effect of statin drugs
such as Lipitor® and Zocor®. Therefore, if you are
taking a statin drug, (especially for an extended
period of time), you may want to consider discussing
CoQ10 supplementation with your health care
professional.
The bottom line is that the popular and widely
prescribed cholesterol lowering drugs called "Statins"
can block the synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 in the body
which may lead to sub-optimal CoQ10 levels.
Supplementation with Q-Gel CoQ-10 is a prudent
approach when undergoing "statin" therapy.
But, don't just take our word for it. One of the
world's premier Pharmaceutical Companies and the
manufacturer of the 2nd largest selling statin drug
has not one but two US Patents regarding the use of
Coenzyme Q10 with HMG-COA Reductase Inhibitors
(Statins). You can read the full contents of these
patents for yourself on the official United States
Patent and Trademark Office web site (
www.uspto.gov/).
It is interesting to note that both of these patents
were issued over twelve years ago (May and June of
1990) but that no use of the patented process of
combining Coenzyme Q10 with HMG-COA Reductase
Inhibitors (Statins) has yet been made or publicized.
The Patent numbers you will want to look up are:
Patent Number: 4,933,165 Patent Number: 4,929,437
Below is a verbatim sample from Patent Number
4,933,165.
"What is claimed is:
1. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a
pharmaceutical carrier and an effective
antihypercholesterolemic amount of an HMG-CoA
reductase inhibitor and an amount of Coenzyme Q.sub.10
effective to counteract HMG-CoA reductase
inhibitor-associated skeletal muscle myopathy.
2. A composition of claim 1 in which the HMG-CoA
reductase inhibitor is selected from: lovastatin,
simvastatin, pravastatin and
sodium-3,5-dihydroxy-7-[3-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-(methylethyl)-1H-Indole-2yl]-
hept-6-enoate.
3. A method of counteracting HMG-CoA reductase
inhibitor-associated skeletal muscle myopathy in a
subject in need of such treatment which comprises the
adjunct administration of a therapeutically effective
amount of an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor and an
effective amount of Coenzyme Q.sub.10 to counteract
said myopathy.
4. A method of claim 3 in which the HMG-CoA reductase
inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of:
lovastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin and
sodium-3,5-dihydroxy-7-[3-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-(methylethyl)-1H-Indole-2yl]-
hept-6-enoate."
To access these patents: Go to the official United
States Patent and Trademark Office web site at
(
www.uspto.gov/). (We certainly hope you'll come back
to epic4health.com later!). From the Patent offices
home page "click" on the Patents button, then "click"
on "Search Patents", then click on "Patent Number
Search". Type in the patent number (4,933,165) in the
"Query Box" and "click" on the search button. The
Patent number and title will show up, then just click
on the patent number and you will be able to read the
full documentation, including who is assigned the
patent. I've probably made this whole search process
sound harder than it really is -- give it a try, you
may be surprised by what you learn.
Need More Information?
For more information on what CoQ10 is and how it
works, "click" on the "What is CoQ10?" button. For
more information on Q-Gel® CoQ10 specifically, "click"
on the "Q-Gel® CoQ10" button. Both buttons are located
on upper left hand side of the screen (you may have to
"scroll up" to see them).
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food
&Drug Administration. These products are not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Any questions? Please email, or, in the U.S., call:
1-800-866-0978
www.epic4health.com
