Are you taking a statin drug for high cholesterol? You will recognize the names: Zocor, Crestor, Lipitor…
Did you know that these drugs shut down the production of Co-Enzyme Q10 (CoQ10)? This is an anti-oxidant that is naturally produced by our bodies and when it is depleted, it starts a process that damages inside walls of your arteries. This causes systemic inflammationmaks it more likely that you will suffer a heart attack or stroke. I hate the fear mongering that accompanies most posts like this, so understand that this is just to convey the significance of the impact, not to tell you you are necessarily going to see these complications and you can have your doctor test your CoQ10 levels if
Depletion of CoQ10 can lead to some horrific and deadly health problems worse than high cholesterol. In fact, that is a major reason why taking a statin drug does not mean you will not die of a heart attack. Negative results of CoQ10 deficiency include:
- high blood pressure
- heart disease (congestive heart failure or hear attack
- cancer
- depression (even while taking antidepressant drugs)
- extreme fatigue
- gum disease and tooth problems
- hair loss
- memory loss
- liver damage
- and more…
Takeaway:
If you are on a statin medication, you should insist on your doctor testing your CoQ10 levels. Low CoQ10 levels are detected in a CardioION test which also tests for fatty acid imbalances, high fibrinogen, high homocysteine, fasting insulin and general antioxidant status. All of these are modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease.