Statins

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"Give with a free hand, but give only your own."
-- J.R.R. Tolkien The Children of Hurin
- Statins -

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Observations:

Statins

Perhaps physicians have been too enthusiastic about the use of statins, prescribed them too often, instead of telling people, "exercise more, lose weight and change what you eat."

Statins Show Dramatic Drug And Cell Dependent Effects In The Brain
ScienceDaily (Oct. 28, 2009) — Besides their tremendous value in treating high cholesterol and lowering the risk of heart disease, statins have also been reported to potentially lower the risks of other diseases, such as dementia. However, a study in the October Journal of Lipid Research finds that similar statin drugs can have profoundly different effects on brain cells -both beneficial and detrimental. These findings reinforce the idea that great care should be taken when deciding on the dosage and type of statin given to individuals, particularly the elderly...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028114017.htmPerhaps different statin drugs have different effects.

I found this article recently on ScienceDaily.com. It is about the effects of Simvastatin (Zocor?) on Parkinson's disease in a "mouse model". I did a quick search on Google for the protein mentioned in the article, "p21Ras". It seems that it is involved with several diseases.

Widely Used Cholesterol-lowering Drug May Prevent Progression Of Parkinson's Disease
ScienceDaily (Nov. 9, 2009)
Simvastatin, a commonly used, cholesterol-lowering drug, may prevent Parkinson's disease from progressing further. Neurological researchers at Rush University Medical Center conducted a study examining the use of the FDA-approved medication in mice with Parkinson's disease and found that the drug successfully reverses the biochemical, cellular and anatomical changes caused by the disease. Pahan and colleagues from Rush, along with researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha published these findings in the October 28 issue of the Journal of Neurosciences. The authors have shown that the activity of one protein called p21Ras is increased very early in the midbrain of mice with Parkinson's pathology. Simvastatin enters into the brain and blocks the activity of the p21Ras protein and other associated toxic molecules, and goes on to protect the neurons, normalize neurotransmitter levels, and improves the motor functions in the mice with Parkinson's...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211647.htm
Here's a link to another article about the same paper which was published in the Oct. 28 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/ParkinsonsDisease/16754?userid=116512&impressionId=1257229214086&utm_source=mSpoke&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_content=Group1

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Natural sources:

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References:

[Where do they get the following from???]

Statins do their work in the liver, suppressing the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which produces cholesterol.
But when you block that enzyme, you also block the production of CoQ10, say studies at Renmin Hospital in China. This is a nutrient involved in all aspects of energy production — including in the muscles. It’s also a powerful antioxidant which can penetrate every cell, including brain cells.
Cholesterol is also required to synthesise vitamin D, which protects against cancer and helps keep bones strong. It also helps boost the immune system.
RISK: Fatigue, weakness, memory loss, shortness of breath, leg cramps, frequent infections.
PROTECTION PLAN: CoQ10 or its active form ubiquinol, 50mg to 200mg once or twice daily; vitamin D, 2,000 IU (international units) to 5,000 IU a day.
http://lancastria.net/blog/tag/metformin/page/5

Statins:

Statin Drug Side Effects
by Duane Graveline MD MPH
Former NASA Astronaut, Former USAF Flight Surgeon
and Retired Family Doctor

"The fact that statin drugs are two-edged swords is known to few. It is no wonder doctors are confused about this class of drugs."

"When a statin reduces cholesterol, it is, at the same time, reducing synthesis of CoQ10, dolichols, selenoproteins, Rho, glutathione and normal phosphorylation by a similar amount. This, I believe, is the cause of the thousands of side effect reports largely unknown to the medical community."
http://www.spacedoc.net/

Statin Drugs May Lower Risk Of Alzheimer's

"Taking the cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to research presented during the American Academy of Neurology's 54th Annual Meeting in Denver, Colo., April 13-20, 2002."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/04/020417070836.htm

Intensive statin therapy may partially reverse plaque build-up in arteries

"A study presented at the American College of Cardiology's 55th Annual Scientific Session recently demonstrates, for the first time, that very intensive cholesterol lowering with a statin drug can regress (partially reverse) the buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060326223937.htm

Intensive Cholesterol Lowering With Atorvastatin Halts Progression Of Heart Disease, Cleveland Clinic-Led Study Shows

"The first head-to-head comparison of two popular cholesterol-lowering medications showed that only one of the statins successfully stopped the progression of heart disease."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/03/040309071559.htm

Study Shows Statin Use Before Or After Stroke Improves Recovery

" MIAMI BEACH -- The use of statins before or after a stroke helps improve patient recovery after an ischemic stroke, according to research presented at the American Academy of Neurology 57th Annual Meeting in Miami Beach, Fla., in April [2005]."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/06/050623003754.htm

Statins May Prevent Damage By Alzheimer's Disease Protein, USF Study Finds

"Commonly-used cholesterol-lowering drugs, known as statins, block damage by an Alzheimer's-associated protein in neurons and blood vessels, a study by University of South Florida researchers found."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/04/020403025431.htm

High-dose statins reverse heart disease

[Link seems to be broken]
http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.php?feed=Science&article=UPI-1-20060313-17384300-bc-us-heart-statin-analysis.xml

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