• Chapter 31: The Importance of LDL Cholesterol
• Chapter 32: The Role of Diabetes and High Blood Sugar in the Development of Coronary Artery Disease

Chapter Excerpts

Evidence supports the theory that when a person’s total cholesterol drops below 160, the immune system is weakened. Statin drugs, i.e., cholesterol-lowering drugs, are known to suppress the immune system.

Obesity leads to diabetes through oxidation of insulin receptors, and along with the oxidation of lipids (including cholesterol) and inflammation of the arterial wall leads to heart disease, stroke, and eventually death.

Chapter References

• 74: Rauchhaus M, Clark A, Doehner W, Davos C, et al. The relationship between cholesterol and survival in patients with chronic heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003 Dec 3; 42(11):1933-1940.
• 75: Fuller C, Jialal I, et al. rrr-alpha-tocopherol acetate supplementation at pharmacologic doses decreases low-density-lipoprotein oxidative susceptibility but not protein glycation in patients with diabetes mellitus. Am J Clin Nutri. 1996 63:753-759.
• 76: Somogyi A, et al. Hypothetical connection between diabetes mellitus and free radical reactions in arteriosclerosis. Orvosi Hetilap [Hungarian] 1994 135:(33):1815-1818.
• 77: Jialal I. Effect of combined supplementation with alpha-tocopherol ascorbate and beta-carotene on low-density lipoprotein oxidation. Circulation. 1993 88:2780-2786.
• 78: Munch G, Mayer S, Michaelis J, et al. Influence of advanced glycation end-products and AGE-ingivitors on nucleation-dependent polymerization of beta-amyloid peptide. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1997 1360(1):17-29.
• 79: Hipkiss A, Michaelis J, Syrris P. Non-enzymatic glycosylation of the dipeptide L-carnosine, a potential anti-protein-cross-linking agent. FEBS Lett. 1995 371(1):81-85.
• 80: Brownson C, Hipkiss A. Carnosine reacts with a glycated protein. Free Radic Biol Med. 2000 28(10):1564-1570.
• 81: Yamano T, et al. Effect of L-carnosine on the hyperglycemia caused by intracranial injection of 2-deoxy-D-glucose in rats. Neurosci Lett 2001 Nov 2;313(1-2):78-82.
• 82: Heitzer T, et al. Beneficial effects of alpha-lipoic acid and ascorbic acid on endothelium-dependent, nitric oxide-mediated vasodilation in diabetic patients: relation to parameters of oxidative stress. Free Radic Biol Med 2001 Jul 1;31(1):53-61.
• 83: El Midaoui A, de Champlain J. Prevention of hypertension, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress by alpha-lipoic acid. Hypertension 2002 Feb;39(2):303-307.
• 84: Takaoka M, et al. Effects of alpha-lipoic acid on deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt-induced hypertension in rats. Eur J Pharmacol 2001 Jul;20;424(2):121-129.

• Chapter 30: The Combination of Antioxidant Supplements and Statin Drugs

Chapter Excerpts

The most significant risk factor for heart disease and stroke is not the level of LDL cholesterol, but the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, homocysteine and inflammation of arterial walls. If the oxidized LDL cholesterol, homocysteine and the C reactive protein had been measured in the study, the antioxidant use would most surely have shown a protective effect.

Do not be fooled by a study here or there that shows that "antioxidants are bad" because of the changes in cholesterol levels. It is only important to the pharmaceutical industry that wants to scare you from taking vitamins and minerals…

Chapter References

• 71: Brown B, Zhao X, Chait A, et al. Simvastatin and niacin, antioxidant vitamins, or the combination for the prevention of coronary disease. N Engl J Med. 2001 345(22):1583-1592.
• 72: Collins R, Peto R, Armitage J. The MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study: preliminary results. Int J Clin Pract. 2002 56(1):53-56.
• 73: Manuel-Y-Keenoy B, Vinckx M, Vertommen J, et al. Impact of Vitamin E supplementation on lipoprotein peroxidation and composition in Type 1 diabetic patients treated with Atorvastatin. Atherosclerosis 2004 Aug; 175(2):369-76.

• Chapter 28: Which Makes More Sense?
• Chapter 29: Adding Vitamins to Statin Drugs

Chapter Excerpts

Medications, even taken the way they’re prescribed, are the third leading cause of death in the United States after cardiovascular disease and cancer. Over 100,000 people die every year in the United States from taking prescription medications.

The drug manufacturers will never admit that it is the antioxidants that reduce disease and death. In order to make money, the industry needs to sell you patented drugs, …not convince you that you should be taking vitamins and minerals.

Chapter References

• 56: Rosenson RS. Statins in atherosclerosis: lipid-lowering agents with antioxidant capabilities. Atherosclerosis. 2004. Mar;173(1):1-12.
• 57: Tsimikas S, et al. High-dose atorvastatin reduces total plasma levels of oxidized phospholipids and immune complexes present on apolipoprotein B-100 in patients with acute coronary syndromes in the MIRACL trial. Circulation. 2004 Sep 14;110(11):1406-12.
• 58: Sparks DL., et al. Statin therapy in Alzheimer’s disease. Acta Neurol Scand Suppl. 2006;185:78-86.
• 59: Wolozin B., et al. Re-assessing the relationship between cholesterol, statins and Alzheimer’s disease. Acta Neurol Scand Suppl. 2006;185:63-70.
• 60: Nunomura A, et al. Involvement of oxidative stress in Alzheimer disease. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2006. Jul;65(7):631-41.
• 61: Harman D. Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis: role of aging. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2006 May;1067:454-60.
• 62: Moreira PI, et al. Therapeutic options in Alzheimer’s disease. Expert Rev Neurother. 2006 Jun;6(6):897-910.
• 63: Ono K., et al. Anti-amyloidogenic effects of antioxidants: implications for the prevention and therapeutics of Alzheimer’s disease. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2006 Jun;1762(6):575-86.
• 64: Montiel T, et al. Role of oxidative stress on beta-amyloid neurotoxicity elicited during impairment of energy metabolism in the hippocampus: Protection by antioxidants. Exp Neurol. 2006 Apr 18; [Epub ahead of print].
• 65: Ono K, Yamada M. Antioxidant compounds have potent antifibrillogenic and fibril-destabilizing effects for alpha-synuclein fibrils in vitro. J Neurochem. 2006 Apr;97(1):105-15. Epub 2006 Mar 8.
• 66: Hajieva P, Behl C. Antioxidants as a potential therapy against age-related neurodegenerative diseases: amyloid Beta toxicity and Alzheimer’s disease. Curr Pharm Des. 2006;12(6):699-704.
• 38: Langsjoen P, Langsjoen A. The clinical use of HMG CoA-reductase inhibitors and the associated depletion of coenzyme Q10. A review of animal and human publications. Biofactors. 2003 18(1-4):101-111.
• 67: Passi S, Stancato A, Aleo E, Dmitrieva A, Littarru GP. Statins lower plasma and lymphocyte ugiquinol/ubiqinone without affecting other antioxidants and PUFA. Biofactors 2003 18(1-4):113-124.
• 68: Mortensen S, Leth A, Agner E, Rohde M. Dose-related decrease of serum coenzyme Q10 during treatment with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. Mol Aspects Med. 1997 18(suppl):S137-S144.
• 69: Folkers K, Langsjoen P, Willis R, et al. Lovastatin decreases coenzyme Q10 levels in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1990 Nov; 87(22):8931-8934.
• 70: Quiles J, Farquharson A, Ramirez-Tortosa M, et al. Coenzyme Q10 differentially moderates phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathionate peroxidase gene expression and free radicals production in malignant and non-malignant prostate cancer. Biofactors 2003 18(1-4):265-270.

• Chapter 25: Statin Drugs May Cause Depression and Possibly Suicide
• Chapter 26: Statin Drugs Impair Memory and the Ability to Think
• Chapter 27: Statin Drugs may Cause Cancer

Chapter Excerpts

Fifteen percent of those taking statin drugs develop some cognitive side effects.

The pharmaceutical industry denies that statin drugs can cause amnesia; yet in many of their own studies, memory loss was reported.

Over 5 years, of the approximately 250 women taking Lipitor®, there were 12 new cases of breast cancers, compared to one new case among the placebo group. Certainly not proof that statin drugs cause breast cancer, but a 1500% increase risk of breast cancer is enough"smoke" to be worried about a fire.

Because Co-Q10 levels are decreased by statin drugs, it is easy to predict an increased risk of prostate and breast cancer.

Chapter References

• 43: King D, Wilburn A, Wofford M, et al. Cognitive impairment associated with atorvastatin and simvastatin. Pharmacotherapy 2003 Dec; 23(12):1663-1667.
• 44: Muldoon M, Barger S, Ryan C, Flory J, et al. Effects of lovastatin on cognitive function and psychological well-being. Am J Med. 2000 May; 108(7):538-546.
• 45: Eleanor Laise. The Lipitor Dilemma, Smart Money: The Wall Street Journal Magazine of Personal Business, November 2003.
• 46: Duane Graveline, MD., Lipitor: Thief of Memory, 2004, www.buybooksontheweb.com.
• 47: Lopena O, Pharm D, Pfizer, Inc., written communication, 2002. Quoted in an email communication from Duane Graveline, spacedoc@webtv.net.
• 48: Leung, B, Sattar N, Crilly A, et al. A novel anti-inflammatory role for simvastatin in inflammatory arthritis. J Immunol 2003 170:1524-1530.
• 49: Palinski, W, et al. Immunomodulation: a new role for statins? Nature Medicine, 2000 Dec 6(12):1311-1312.
• 50: Newman T, Hulley S. Carcinogenicity of lipid-lowering drugs. JAMA 1996 Jan 3; 275(1):55-60.
• 51: Folkers K, et al. Activities of Vitamin Q10 in animal models and a serious deficiency in patients with cancer. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1997 234(2):296-299.
• 52: Lockwood K, Moesgaard S, Yamamoto T, Folkers K. Progress on therapy of breast cancer with vitamin Q10 and the regression of metastases. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1995 Jul 6; 212(1):172-7.
• 53: Sacks F, Pfeffer M, Moye L, et al. The effect of pravastatin on coronary events after myocardial infarction in patients with average cholesterol levels. Cholesterol and Recurrent Events Trial investigators. N Engl J Med. 1996 Oct 3; 335(14):1001-1009.
• 54: Boudreau D, Gardner J, Malone K, et al. The association between 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl co-enzyme A inhibitor use and breast carcinoma risk among postmenopausal women: a case-control study. Cancer 2004 Jun 1; 100(11):2308-2316.
• 55: Heart Protection Study Collaborative Group. MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study of cholesterol lowering with simvastatin in 20,536 high-risk individuals: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2002 Jul 6; 360(9326):7-22.

• Chapter 20: The Effects of Lowering Co-Enzyme Q10 with Statin Drugs
• Chapter 21: Statin Drugs May Cause Muscle Weakness & Destruction
• Chapter 22: Statin Drugs May Cause Heart Disease, Heart Failure, and Death
• Chapter 23: Statin Drugs May Damage the Liver
• Chapter 24: Stain Drugs May Damage the Brain and Nerves

Chapter Excerpts

Since all organs and all cells rely on the ubiquitous Co-Q10, the depletion of it by statin drugs causes problems everywhere in the body.

Additionally, Co-Q10 was shown to increase blood levels of vitamin E and significantly increase the levels of protective HDL. As low HDL is a major risk factor for heart disease, increasing it is a definite benefit. Statin drugs were shown not to provide any benefit beyond supplementing with Co-Q10.

Co-Q10 depletion will become more and more of a problem as the pharmaceutical industry encourages doctors to lower cholesterol levels in their patients even more than ever. Is it possible that we are going to see an epidemic of congestive heart disease and cardiomyopathy, as well as cancer, among those taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs?

So much denial exists within the cholesterol conspiracy that many doctors will not associate common side-effect symptoms and resultant diseases with the use of a statin drug… physicians and patients need to be educated regarding the symptoms of a statin drug are.

Chapter References

• 35: Cullen D, Bates D, Small S, et al. The incident reporting system does not detect adverse drug events: a problem for quality improvement. Joint Commission Journal on Quality Improvement, Oct. 1995 21(10):541-548.
• 37: Singh R, Neki N, Kartikey K, et al. Effect of coenzyme Q10 on risk of atherosclerosis in patients with recent myocardial infarction. Mol Cell Biochem. 2003 Apr; 246(1-2):75-82.
• 38: Langsjoen P, Langsjoen A. The clinical use of HMG CoA-reductase inhibitors and the associated depletion of coenzyme Q10. A review of animal and human publications. Biofactors. 2003 18(1-4):101-111.
• 39: Mortensen S. Perspectives on therapy of cardiovascular diseases with coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone). Clin Investig 1993 71(8 Supp):S116-123 and S140-144.
• 40: Langsjoen P, Folkers K, Lyson K, et al. Pronounced increase of survival of patients with cardiomyopathy when treated with coenzyme Q10 and conventional therapy. Int J Tissue React 1990 12:163-168.
• 22: Schwartz G, Olsson A, et al. Effects of atorvastatin on early recurrent ischemic events in acute coronary syndromes. JAMA 2001 285:1711-1718.
• 41: Gaist D, Jeppesen U, Andersen M, et al. Statins and risk of polyneuropathy: a case-control study. Neurology 2002 May 14; 58(9):1333-1337.

• Chapter 18: How Beneficial are Cholesterol-Lowering Statin Drugs?
• Chapter 19: Cholesterol-Lowering Statin Drugs Deplete Co-Enzyme Q10

Chapter Excerpts

Conclusion: Lipitor (R) did not reduce the number of deaths from heart attack even though it lowered LDL cholesterol… In other words, lowering LDL cholesterol made NO difference in reducing the risk of death from heart disease.

…both groups receiving Pravacol (R) suffered an increased incidence of cancer. In other words, not one life saved.
…LDL cholesterol levels did not correlate to their risk of death.
Statin drugs showed no benefit in reducing the number of overall deaths.

Statin drugs can lead to unpredictable chaos on the cellular level, interfering with proper cellular functions and breakdown, as well as preventing repair of damaged cells.

Chapter References

• 22: Schwartz G, Olsson A, et al. Effects of atorvastatin on early recurrent ischemic events in acute coronary syndromes. JAMA 2001 285:1711-1718.
• 23: Arron M, member of The ALLHAT Officers and Coordinators for the ALLHAT Collaborative Research Group. Major outcomes in moderately hyper-cholesterolemic, hypertensive patients randomized to pravastatin vs. usual care: The Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT-LLT). JAMA 2002 288:2998-3007.
• 24: Heart Protection Study Collaborative Group (writing committee: Collins R, Armitage J, Parish S, Sleight P, Peto R). MRC/BHF heart protection study of cholesterol lowering in 20,536 high-risk individuals: a randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2002 360:7-22.
• 25: Medical Research Council/British Heart Foundation Heart Protection Study. Press release. Life-saver: World’s largest cholesterol-lowering trial reveals massive benefits for high-risk patients. Available at www.ctsu.ox.ac.uk/~hps/pr.shtml.
• 26: Ravnskov U. Statins as the new Aspirin. Conclusions from the heart protection study were premature. British Medical Journal 2002 324:789.
• 27: Shepherd J, Blauw G, Murphy M, et al. Pravastatin in elderly individuals at risk of vascular disease (PROSPER): a randomized controlled trial. Lancet 2002 Nov 23; 360(9346):1623-30.
• 28: Matsuzaki M, Kita T, Mabuchi H, Matsuzawa Y, Nakaya N, Oikawa S, Saito Y, Sasaki J, Shimamoto K, Itakura H; J-LIT Study Group. Japan Lipid Intervention Trial. Large scale cohort study of the relationship between serum cholesterol concentration and coronary events with low-dose simvastatin therapy in Japanese patients with hypercholesterolemia. Circ J. 2002 Dec; 66(12):1087-1095.
• 29: Newman CB, Palmer G, Silbershatz H, Szarek M. Safety of atorvastatin derived from analysis of 44 completed trials in 9,416 patients. Am J Cardiol. 2003 Sep 15; 92(6):670-676.
• 30: Hecht H, Harman S. Relation of aggressiveness of lipid-lowering treatment to changes in calcified plaque burden by electron beam tomography. Am J Cardiol. 2003 Aug 1; 92(3):334-336.
• 31: Sever P, Dahlof B, Poulter N, Wedel H, et al. Prevention of coronary and stroke events with atorvastatin in hypertensive patients who have average or lower-than-average cholesterol concentrations, in the Anglo- Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial–Lipid Lowering Arm (ASCOTLLA): a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Lancet 2003 Apr 5; 361(9364):1149-58.
• 32: Jenkins A. Might money spent on statins be better spent? BMJ. 2003 Oct 18; 327(7420):933.
• 33: Liu Y, Coresh J, Eustace J, et al. Association Between Cholesterol Level and Mortality in Dialysis Patients: Role of Inflammation and Malnutrition. JAMA 2004 291:451-459.
• 34: Moore T, Psaty B, Furberg C. Time to act on drug safety. JAMA May 20, 1998 279(19):1571-1573.

• Chapter 8: The True Cause of Heart Disease and Stroke

Chapter Excerpts

LDL cholesterol only becomes “bad” when it is damaged by oxidative free radicals. Only the damaged, or oxidized form of LDL cholesterol sticks to the arterial walls to initiate the formation of plaque.

The push is so strong by pharmaceutical companies to have doctors prescribe statin drugs, that without even a shred of evidence to support the benefits, diabetics with normal cholesterol levels are told to go on statin drugs “ just in case” they might be found to be helpful some day, and the consequences be damned!

Chapter References

• 2: Schroecksnadel K, et al. Crucial role of interferon-gamma and stimulated macrophages in cardiovascular disease. Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2006 Jul;4(3):205-13.
• 3: Gibelin P, et al. Prognostic value of homocysteinemia in patients with congestive heart failure. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2006;44(7):813-6.
• 4: Van Oijen MG, et al. Hyperhomocysteinaemia and Vitamin B12 Deficiency: The Long-Term Effects in Cardiovascular Disease. Cardiology. 2006 Jun 6;107(1):57-62 [Epub ahead of print].
• 5: Haim M, et al. Serum Homocysteine and Long-Term Risk of Myocardial Infarction and Sudden Death in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease. Cardiology. 2006 Jun 6;107(1):52-56.
• 6: Laaksonen R, et al. High oxidized LDL and elevated plasma homocysteine contribute to the early reduction of myocardial flow reserve in healthy adults. Eur J Clin Invest. 2002 Nov;32(11):795-802.
• 7: Troughton JA, et al. Homocysteine and coronary heart disease risk in the PRIME study. Atherosclerosis. 2006 Jun 13; [Epub ahead of print].
• 8: Tsimikas, S, et al. Oxidized phospholipids, Lp(a) lipoprotein, and coronary artery disease. N Engl J Med. 2005 Jul 7;353(1):9-11.
• 9: Anselmi M, et al. Plasma levels of oxidized-low-density lipoproteins are higher in patients with unstable angina and correlated with angiographic coronary complex plaques. Atherosclerosis. 2006 Mar;185(1):114-20.