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Author:
Don Ford, M.D.

Epidemiological studies such as The Framingham Heart Study and landmark clinical trials using cholesterol medications have demonstrated that patients have fewer serious cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes when their LDL cholesterol is low. As a result of these findings, over the last 15 years the national guidelines for treating patients with heart disease, diabetes or even patients with multiple risk factors such as smoking history, diabetes, age, or hypertension have become more stringent. Guidelines now point to the fact that lower LDL is better, yet LDL is still only one part of lowering patients overall cardiovascular risks.

Because of these more stringent national guidelines, and increased number of patients that are being put on drugs to lower their LDL cholesterol, along with diet and exercise, to lower their risk of having a heart attack or stroke. In most cases, patients will be expected to remain on a medication for the rest of their life in order to help control this chronic condition called hyperlipidemia. It is so important to be aware of some of the potential nutritional side effects that many of these medications may have. The most effective drugs at lowering cholesterol belong to a class of drugs called statins. This class includes drugs such as Zocor (Simvastatin), Lipitor (Atorvastatin), Vytorin (Simvastatin + Ezetimibe), Pravachol (Pravastatin) Crestor (Rosuvastatin), Mevacor (Lovastatin), or Lescol (Fluvastatin),. These drugs have shown to be very effective at lowering cholesterol and they tend to have relatively few side effects in most people, although you should be sure to do the recommended blood tests for liver monitoring.

One important thing to know about this class of drugs is that as you continue to take this type of medication over time, it tends to deplete important nutrients your body needs, like Coenzyme Q-10 and possibly vitamin D. Coenzyme Q-10 is a very important compound that your body needs and if your medication is reducing your body’s levels of Coenzyme Q-10 you may experience side effects that are caused indirectly by having low levels of Coenzyme Q-10. Your physician can monitor these levels, or you can simple take a daily supplement that will be prevent the levels of these important nutrients from getting too low.

To learn more about the side effects you may experience due to low levels nutrients please visit: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/vitamins_minerals.htm

To learn more about other cholesterol medications and the nutrient depleting side effects please visit: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/high-cholesterol.htm

To learn more about any of the over the counter or prescription medications and how they can deplete your body of vitamins and minerals please visit: http://www.essential-nutrients.net/

Dr. Ford has practiced general internal medicine for the past 22 years. He is a native Texan and trained at Baylor University, the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and Scott and White in Temple. He is a Clinical Assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine. In addition to general Internal Medicine, his practice includes travel medicine, vascular disease prevention, and Integrative Medicine with nutrients.

| Article Keywords: Nutrients

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Nutrients... Vitamin B1 and Its Importance to Mental Health Vitamin B1 also called as thiamine is one of the eight vitamins that make up the powerful group called as the Vitamin B complex. Like all of the B vitamins this nutrient plays a great role in the good health of the body as well as a sound mental health. Proper care and caution should always be considered when it comes to taking in these nutrients especially when it comes to dosages as some may tend to overdose which is never really a good thing and is actually quite as bad as not having any at all. Vitamin B1 serves many purposes in the body. It is an essential part of converting carbohydrates to energy and necessary to the proper functioning of the nervous system, the heart and the musculature system of the body. Thiamine is very important to the brain particularly in terms of emotional health and well being as well as being useful for focus and concentration. There are a variety of physical conditions and diseases associated with deficiencies in Vitamin B1. Symptoms include pain, numbness and tingling in the extremities, muscle weakness and a lack of physical coordination particularly in the larger muscle masses that make up the leg muscles. A deficiency in thiamine can cause enlargement of the heart which can itself lead to congestive heart failure and lung congestion. A severe deficiency in Vitamin B1 can lead to nerve damage, brain damage and even death. Mental symptoms associated with a serious lack of Vitamin B include fatigue, psychosis and confusion. These are a few serious diseases specifically associated with a deficiency of Vitamin B1 including the notorious beriberi disease. There are also two specific types of brain damage associated with severely low levels of Vitamin B1. One is the Korsakoff syndrome which results in confusion and short term...