Cholesterol Drugs: Benefits And Risks
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Athlyn_Green] Athlyn Green Cholesterol drugs are taken by approximately 12 million Americans. Experts believe that many more people should be seeking to bring cholesterol levels under control. More than 90 million American adults have elevated blood levels. If your doctor has mentioned the possibility of cholesterol medication for you, it is important to educate yourself about the benefits and risks of taking drugs to manage your condition. Statins are often prescribed; however, many adverse effects have been reported in patients taking them. If you are treating symptoms with cholesterol lowering drugs, remember, you are not treating the causes. What causes cholesterol imbalances? Blood Cholesterol Two types of lipoproteins and quantities of them in the blood are main factors in heart disease risk: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) can cause fatty build-up in the arteries. Higher blood levels translate into higher risk. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) carries blood cholesterol back to the liver, where it is eliminated from the body. HDL helps prevent cholesterol build-up in blood vessels. Other Factors Heredity, age, excess weight, failure to exercise regularly, smoking, and stress can all lead to high levels. One of the primary ways LDL blood levels become too high is through eating too much saturated fat (in animal products, fried foods, hydrogenated oils) and cholesterol (found in animal products). Saturated fat raises harmful LDL levels more than anything else in the diet. Because of this, your doctor will likely recommend dietary changes as a first step, before prescribing cholesterol drugs. As can be seen, causes are multi-factorial and while cholesterol medication can help, in some cases, the potential benefits may not be great enough in comparison to the risks. Patients taking statins become depleted in CoEnzyme Q10 (CoQ10). The elderly and people with heart failure, who are taking these cholesterol lowering drugs, manifest symptoms of CoQ10 deficiency rapidlyin six to twelve months. Why is CoQ10 so important? CoQ10 is a naturally occurring compound found in the body, crucial for maintaining proper functioning of the heart. A deficiency of CoQ10 can lead to serious health problemsone of which is heart disease! Cholesterol drugs known as statins inhibit the production of CoQ10, decreasing the body’s supply of it. This is why many people taking statins also supplement with CoQ10. People are increasingly turning to supplements containing natural compounds, substances that have been medically proven to act in the same fashion as [http://www.healthy-cholesterol-guide.com/lowering_cholesterol.html] cholesterol medication, but without dangerous side effects. Policosanol is derived from sugar cane and beeswax. It decreases total cholesterol and LDL and increases HDL. In studies comparing policosanol to a statin drug, policosanol had a greater impact. Plant sterols can also help. Beta-sitosterol reduces blood cholesterol levels. Another substance, oryzanol rice bran oil, contains gamma oryzanol and tocotrienols that have been found to reduce total cholesterol and triglycerides. D-limonene, found in orange peel oil, reduces cholesterol and dissolves gallstones. Supplements containing powerful natural substances offer tangible benefits, producing a total cholesterol, LDL, and triglyceride lowering effect comparable to or exceeding cholesterol drugs. These can be taken with confidence, without the risk of liver damage, memory loss, erectile dysfunction, or muscle weakness and pain associated with use of statin cholesterol medication. Dietary changes and natural substances are attractive alternatives in combating high cholesterol; however, it is always important to undertake any therapy under appropriate medical direction. In some cases, cholesterol drugs may be a viable treatment choice. Athlyn Green is an avid health enthusiast with an interest in natural remedies for treatment of health disorders. She has contributed to [http://www.healthy-cholesterol-guide.com] Cholesterol Drugs, a section of [http://www.healthy-cholesterol-guide.com] http://www.healthy-cholesterol-guide.com dedicated to natural treatments for high cholesterol and heart disease prevention. Article Source: [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Athlyn_Green ] http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Athlyn_Green [http://ezinearticles.com/?Cholesterol-Drugs:-Benefits-And-Risks&id=412110 ] http://EzineArticles.com/?Cholesterol-Drugs:-Benefits-And-Risks&id=412110 is there a generic for ambien cr ambien lowest prescription price without lorazepam onset sexual side effects of ambien
