Wow Starshar -- thank you so much -- this is something that I can forward to my brother and his wife -- something they can relate to immediately. Thank you. Mary Ann
----- Original Message ---- > From: starshar [email protected] > From my files: > > 5/5/2009 Your Brain on Statins > By James LaValle, R.Ph, ND, CCN > May 5, 2009 > > I was recently made aware of huge news on statin drugs from the labs at > Iowa State University, where a researcher has confirmed something I have > long suspected regarding cholesterol-lowering drugs -- that they could > seriously harm brain health. > > The concern comes from simply knowing that brain cells, like liver > cells, also manufacture cholesterol. Brain cells need cholesterol for a > variety of functions. For instance, cholesterol is a primary component > of the protective nerve coating called myelin. If your brain cells > didn't need cholesterol, they wouldn't make it. > > In the past it was assumed that statins primarily affect the production > of cholesterol in the liver. However, as a pharmacist I have always > thought it was naïve to think that a drug (statins) that circulates > throughout the whole body would not affect other cholesterol-producing > cells at all. My fears have now been proven correct. > > Yeon-Kyun Shin, a biophysics professor in the Department of > Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology at Iowa State, says his > research shows that statins do indeed slow the production of cholesterol > in the brain which then interferes with efficient brain function.1 His > study will soon be published in the Journal of the National Academy of > Sciences. > > Shin found that too little cholesterol in brain cells significantly > affected a protein that is needed for the release of neurotransmitters. > Cholesterol is needed to change the shape of this critical protein, and > in his words, "to stimulate thinking and memory." > > I cannot overstate how important this information is, and how big a > ripple this news will cause as it is more widely reported. At least, I > hope it will be widely reported. > > If you deprive the brain of cholesterol, you "directly affect the > machinery that triggers the release of neurotransmitters," said Shin. > "Neurotransmitters affect the brain's data-processing and memory > functions. In other words -- how smart you are and how well you remember > things." > > As you probably already know, statins lower LDL, and while it is often > reported that they can also help raise HDL somewhat, I frequently see > people who cannot raise their HDL levels while they are on statin drugs, > especially when they are on higher dosages. And other studies have > shown that low HDL cholesterol is linked with memory loss.2 > > Ever since statin drugs entered the marketplace, some users have > experienced severe memory problems from them. Some of us have been > watching closely to see how wider usage of statins will end up affecting > the cognitive function of people using them. > > Dr. Shin's research conclusively confirms our suspicion that statins can > be harmful to cognitive functioning. "Our study shows there is a direct > link between cholesterol and the neurotransmitter release," he said > definitively. > > The trend in medicine has been to get more and more people on statins, > but this could have dire consequences when it comes to long-term > cognitive health. One group I am particularly concerned about is > people with diabetes. > > A person with diabetes is in the high-risk category for heart disease, > therefore s(he) will be targeted for more aggressive cholesterol > lowering. This group is already at high risk for cognitive decline due > to blood sugar elevation. To add further insult to a diabetic's > cognitive function from statins could be very risky. > > A study out of UCLA recently found that many people are having heart > attacks even though their cholesterol is at or below the 100 mg/dL > target. There is no doubt in my mind that this study will be used as > fodder to encourage increased use of statins. This will be despite the > fact that 21% of the people in the study were using statins, and still > had heart attacks.4 > > The bottom line is this: In addition to their CoQ10 lowering effects, we > can add this newest discovery to our growing list of concerns about > statin drugs. Kudos to Dr. Shin for this much-needed research and > thanks to Ross Pelton, my friend and the co-author of my books on > drug-induced nutrient depletion for the information on this very > important discovery. > > References > 1. Iowa State University press release, Feb. 23 2008; > http://www.public.iastate.edu/~nscentral/news/2009/feb/shin.shtml. > 2. Singh-Manoux et al. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular > Biology. 2008;28:1556; > http://atvb.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/28/8/1556?maxtoshow=&HI > TS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=HDL+memory&searchid= > 1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCITv. > 3. http://docnews.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/1/2/1. > 4. > http://seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Health/2009/20091012-MeetingCholesterol. > > [James s LaValle is the founding Director of the LaValle Metabolic > Institute, one of the largest integrative medicine practices in the > country.] > > > -- > The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. > Rules and Instructions: http://www.silverlist.org > > Unsubscribe: > <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe> > Archives: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html > > Off-Topic c discussions: <mailto:[email protected]> > List Owner: Mike Devour <mailto:[email protected]> > > > -- The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. Rules and Instructions: http://www.silverlist.org Unsubscribe: <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe> Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html Off-Topic discussions: <mailto:[email protected]> List Owner: Mike Devour <mailto:[email protected]>
