Statin is a term used to describe a category of drugs used to lower cholesterol levels. They are made to block the production of cholesterol in the liver.

There are many statin drugs on the market today. Statins are easy to identify because the ending of each of their names is “statin”. Hence, the category name.

Here is a list of the ones you may come across:

•    atorvastatin (Lipitor and Torvast),
•    fluvastatin (Lescol),
•    lovastatin (Mevacor, Altocor, Altoprev),
•    pitavastatin (Livalo, Pitava),
•    pravastatin (Pravachol, Selektine, Lipostat),
•    rosuvastatin (Crestor)
•    simvastatin (Zocor, Lipex)The best known drug in this class is atorvastatin (trade name: Lipitor). Sales of this drug alone amount to over $12 billion a year (2008 figure).

Statin drugs are relatively new, first identified by a Japanese biochemist in 1971. By then, a link between cholesterol and cardiovascular disease, known as the lipid hypothesis, had already been suggested. Note that this is referred to as the LIPID HYPOTHESIS.Modern medical practice operates under the belief that this hypothesis of over 40 years is true. It remains little more than an hypothesis today, but that doesn’t stop the practice of acting as if it describes something true.

The evidence is everywhere proving that cholesterol itself is not a cause for concern, and lowering levels in the blood can result in devastating side effects, including pain, mental disorder, hormone imbalance, and death. Yet, the rush to use statin drugs to lower cholesterol persists, and is on the rise.

It would be helpful if the drugs we consumed “knew” exactly what they were designed to do, and where in the body they should do it. It would be better still if the drug could be completely inactivated before being excreted back into the environment. The facts are that drugs are usually indiscriminate in their actions and many of the end up in our drinking water even after being processed in water treatment plants.

Statin drugs are known to be toxic to the liver, causing hepatic disease as well as muscle pain/weakness. In addition, statins block the formation of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Ninety percent of a body’s energy is produced through the action of CoQ10. Statins block the formation of this vital substance, thus seriously dampening energy levels.

Organs with the highest energy requirements include the heart, liver and kidney. They have the highest amount of CoQ10. Using a drug to lower cholesterol that also lowers CoQ10 is irrational. If the intent is to improve heart health, it is surely unwise to cause a situation in which the heart can suffer from lack of energy. There are numerous other side effects associated with statins. This is one of the most serious – and it is ironic that more people aren’t concerned about the effects.

Low cholesterol levels are also associated with low levels of other hormones, and vitamin D.

Did you know that death rates are nearly the same in groups of people with high AND low cholesterol?

If you’re taking a statin to avoid death, and it’s proven that you’re going to die no matter your cholesterol level, why take a statin and put up with all of those side effects?