A study published in Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology revealed that statin drugs may actually stimulateatherosclerosis and heart failure.

 

There were several physiological mechanisms discussed in the study that show how statin drugs may make your heart health worse:

 

• Inhibit vitamin K2 function:Vitamin K2 protects your arteries from calcification. Without it, plaque levels worsen. Statin drugs inhibit the function of vitamin K2 in your body.

 

• Mitochondria damage: Statins are toxic to the energy centers of your cells, called mitochondria. They impair heart muscle mitochondria function, disrupt ATP production (the energy molecules of your cells), and alter intracellular signaling proteins.

 

• Interfere with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10): Statins deplete your body of CoQ10, which accounts for many of their devastating results. Although it was proposed to add a black box warning to statins stating this, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided against it in 2014.

 

• Interfere with selenium-containing proteins:Selenoproteins such as glutathione peroxidase are crucial for preventing oxidative damage in your muscle tissue. As reported by Wellness Resources:

 

“Blocking the selenoprotein enzyme glutathione peroxidase is akin to pouring gasoline on the fire of inflammation and free radicals, which damages muscle tissue. In fact, the scientists described this blocking of the selenoproteins reminiscent of selenium deficiency induced heart failure, known as Keshan’s disease first identified in the 1930s.”

Considering the significant risks, the authors concluded: “…the epidemic of heart failure and atherosclerosis that plagues the modern world may paradoxically be aggravated by the pervasive use of statin drugs. We propose that current statin treatment guidelines be critically reevaluated.”

Source: Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology; 2015; Mar;8(2):189-99.

 

Ray’s Comments

Statin drugs work by blocking the enzyme in your liver that is responsible for making cholesterol. Yourliver makescholesterol because you need cholesterol to stay alive.Cholesterol is the major ingredient in all cell membranes.  It keeps the cytoplasm that is inside the cell fromleaking out and allows only selected molecules into the cell.All sex hormones (testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen) are made from cholesterol.Cholesterol, in combination with bile acids, enable you to digest fat.  About 25% of the cholesterol in your body is in your cranium.  Cholesterol surrounds every neuron inyour brain, insulating it from the chemo-electrical impulse from neighboring neurons. Cholesterol is needed for your brain to form new synapses.  Synapses are the connections between your neurons that enable you to think, feel emotions, lean new things, form memories, etc.