ConsumerLab's answer explains. By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. I exercise and eat healthy. Several dietary supplement regimens can help protect muscles. Bought the 2nd edition today. It has been suggested by a March 2011 review of the medical literature, that Vitamin D could be tried as a supplement to statins, to be used with patients who have reduced Vitamin D levels. Suggestions for Therapeutic Drug … The best time to take statins depends on the specific drug. I think you will be shocked. On the other hand, CoQ10 and fish oil may offer particular benefits to people on statin drugs. How, when and where do I get the COVID-19 vaccine? There is a lot of research that shows some patients get profound muscle weakness after taking statins. However, taking niacin (vitamin B3) supplements along with … Red rice yeast extract is often the first choice that doctors recommend with a homeopathic approach, but there can be a lot of variation with this product in the actual dosage that is in a … Learn more about how probiotics like Cardioviva can affect cholesterol. ConsumerLab.com's answer explains. Taking cinnamon supplements could potentially be dangerous, especially for the millions of people who take statin drugs to lower their cholesterol, a new case report suggests. While statins generally work well, some people can’t tolerate them. I did this under my doctor's supervision and she felt it was more important to take simvastatin. In patients with heart failure this is more than a laboratory observation. ConsumerLab's answer explains. Learn more about combining phytosterols and other cholesterol-lowering supplements like red yeast rice or fish oil. ConsumerLab.com name and flask logo are both registered trademarks of ConsumerLab.com, LLC. This is encouraging, he plans on continue to take the reishi pills. In other words, most if not all facets of cholesterol metrics are not linked to causing CHD unless certain pre-conditions exist. You can’t take a statin. Turmeric can be used as an adjuvant in statin therapy to reduce the dosage of drugs. Everybody reacts individually to lifestyle changes, and you will need to have your doctor monitor how your body responds and then go from there. When on Statins, if you have a deficiency of Vitamin D, this has been linked to some myopathy (disease of the muscle tissue), as well as myalgia (pain in a muscle), however the studies are few in number. In 2015 I started to notice I was hurting. There is rapidly developing, new scientific information about the reduction and management of cholesterol. In the evening I plan to take two out of three caps of Magtein (Magnesium L-Threonate. Reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D. In the 80's I was told to take statin drugs. There's no point in allowing the food you eat to fight the medication you take. So, we have to be advocates and get the information for ourselves and bring it to doctors who will work with us. ConsumerLab's answer explains. My total was 360 and my LDL over 200 but my good one was around 80. Share this page: The Berberine article does not clarify. The scientific evidence against statins is accumulating rapidly not only with respect to the lack of positive evidence that they lower the incidence of CHD but, more importantly, with respect to the hard evidence that they produce many negative side effects. Please see the Niacin section of B Vitamins Review ( https://www.consumerlab.com/reviews/review-best-b-vitamins-and-complexes-energy-b6-b12-biotin-niacin-folic-acid/bvitamins/#niacin) for more information. Vitamin D can drastically reduce the classic muscle pain often associated with statin drugs according to a trial conducted at the Jewish Hospital of Cincinnati. Once they establish a new lower baseline, their doctor can make a decision as to whether they recommend lowering the statin dose (this happened to my father for example – he drove down his cholesterol with lifestyle and his doctor then halved his dose). Taking turmeric together with statins to lower cholesterol levels does not cause any adverse health effects. Join now to add comments and get all member benefits, including over 1,300 reviews. Thank you,Claudia Ayon, R.N. Eating grapefruit can have the same effect as grapefruit juice. Niacin is available as both a supplement and a prescription drug and has been shown to enhance the beneficial effects of statins on blood vessels. I would love to know which supplements as well. I tested it by stopping simvastatin for 1 month and my blood sugar dropped below 100. 2 results found for Statin-Induced+Myopathy Treatment name Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a vitamin-like substance made naturally by the body that is involved in energy production in all your cells. The use of herbal supplements has a long history - dating back thousands of years. Because coenzyme Q10 plays a role in muscle cell energy production, some researchers have proposed that taking a coenzyme Q10 supplement might reduce the risk of muscle-related side effects. I believe that everyone deserves to experience how incredible it feels when we fuel our bodies optimally. Embrace vanity to get healthier, On fire with desire! Instead, work with your doctor to find a program that's effective. ConsumerLab's answer explains. I had a heart attack in the 60's. Well, Carol has not responded so I will comment hoping to help somebody.About 30 years ago I was diagnosed with Hypercholesterolmia. I appreciate all the information you have on your website and how comprehensive it is. I recently found a 3 x strength fish oil on the market and started taking that. I would recommend asking this of your lipid specialist, cardiologist or healthcare professional. Ravishing red peppers are better than botox! Thank you. / Im not over weight and im now eating a diet that consists of staying under 15gms of sat fat. Supplements to avoid when taking statins include antioxidants, red yeast rice and grapefruit seed extract. High-dose omega-3 (derived from fish oil) has been shown to reduce triglycerides, a component of total cholesterol. When I stopped my statin drug after reading how bad it was in general, even though I have had no side effects from it, and switched to red yeast rice, my cholesterol shot up to 300. Yeast Extract: One of the most effective natural statin alternatives is also one of the most controversial. In some cases, patients can drive their cholesterol down to a very low level where their doctor feels comfortable recommending that they stop taking statins. As you say, statins have lots of undesirable side effects so if you take them, you should certainly take some supplements (like CoQ10). A ridiculously easy snack for firm clear skin, Get beautiful skin from regular Omega 3 consumption, The one minute habit for silky skin: dry brushing, The amazing 4 step beautiful skin routine, How to feed your skin to combat 8 common problems, My story: from genetically high cholesterol to heart health, The cholesterol lowering shopping list part 1, In addition to Vitamin C, Vitamin E also requires selenium and Coenzyme Q10 to work efficiently, 1 in 3 people over 45 taking Statins to lower your cholesterol, you will benefit by knowing the specific mechanism, depletion of your body’s Coenzyme Q10 levels, this one outlining the dangers of statins, March 2011 review of the medical literature, significant proportion of the population have a Vitamin D deficiency in general, Cambridge Heart Antioxidant Study of 1996, it is also apparent that most Americans do not consume dietary amounts adequate to meet established vitamin E requirements, does not give you the excuse to eat whatever you want, Metabolic syndrome: Why food and movement beats drugs. Is the concern that cholesterol might be lowered too much? If you take statins to improve your blood cholesterol levels, some supplements may interfere with the effectiveness of statins or increase your risk of side effects, some potentially life-threatening. Loss of strength in my legs, and arms, etc., thinking slower, and pretty soon I began talking with my MD. Try coenzyme Q10 supplements. Also I take 1000mg Vit C, 60mg Vit D, and a multi vit daily. From my own experience, I talked with my doctor about lowering my cholesterol - genetically based. ( https://www.consumerlab.com/answers/which-supplements-can-help-keep-my-heart-healthy/supplements-for-heart-health/. CYP3A4 inhibitors, such as grapefruit, can interact with certain medications by inhibiting the liver enzyme that metabolizes many drugs. What regimen a person follows is a very individual thing. To reduce the risk of problems, take the supplement at least 2 hours before or after the antibiotic. Learn more about the effects of curcumin (turmeric) and ubiquinol (CoQ10), including their shared antioxidant properties and many differences. Learn how a daily supplement can help. Can supplements improve symptoms of dry eye? The first supplement widely publicized to reduce muscle soreness caused by taking statins was coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). At the last testing my A1C was .1 over what is considered ok. Why does the doctor think you should take symvastatin? why does she assume that genetic cholesterol is necessarily bad? You can check out ubiquinol here on Consumer Labs and see what they say. Sometimes, taking a combination of cholesterol drugs can provide the same result with lower doses of statins. There are only two things I control and that is sugar and inflammation and these can be controlled easy with herbs and supplements. I did not want to chance the side effects, nor did I have faith in the research that the drugs, especially with side effects, were actually helpful in reducing the kinds of health risks I was concerned about. Hi Carole - You stated "My doctor sent me to a cardiologist who suggested supplement alternatives" Which "alternatives" did your cardiologist suggest? My recommendation would be to discuss thoroughly with your physician the scientific rationale for recommending that you take statins. Does eating a half grapefruit have the same effect? When I faced a health crisis a few years ago, I found astonishing research on natural solutions that allowed me to reduce my disease markers by 56%. Is magnesium citrate safe? Be careful for long term side effects of Statins. It can also alleviate several side effects associated with statin … ConsumerLab's answer explains. Coenzyme Q10 supplements may help prevent statin side effects in some people, though more studies are needed to determine any benefits of taking it. While there arent enough studies to confirm how well it works to do this, it may … However, we are aware of one study suggesting high "bad" LDL is associated with poorer working memory https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27869302. It is my understanding that your liver makes cholesterol at night and might be a better idea to take the red rice yeast before going to be and the Mg in the am. Some people notice that lifestyle changes really drive down their LDL. Good doctors no longer have the time necessary to stay up to date and do the research! Above all, remember that even statins finish second behind lifestyle therapy. Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs. Can you give me the reason why with Berberine used with Mevacor or Crestor? Coenzyme Q10, Vitamin D and C among key supplements needed to protect against the side effects of statin drugs that are taken to lower cholesterol but often have other damaging consequences, If you, or someone you know, are one of the 1 in 3 people over 45 taking Statins to lower your cholesterol, then you will benefit by knowing the specific mechanism that statin drugs interrupt in the body – this is the mechanism that reduces cholesterol production, but it also reduces other important biochemical reactions that you need. It would be wiser to use Crestor with appropriate dietary management, including a high-fiber, low-fat diet, to manage your cholesterol. If you make a positive or negative comment about a product, note whether or not you have a financial interest in the product or in a competing product. And don't forget about food . ConsumerLab's answer explains. My doctor sent me to a cardiologist who suggested supplement alternatives .... and they are working with no side effects!! Spill the guts and tell your doctor about every single medication and supplement you take. Supplements that may interact adversely with common oral antibiotics include calcium, iron, magnesium, psyllium and zinc. I quickly realised that knowing what to do is one thing, but doing it is another. Grapefruit juice can interact with other types of medications, though, so be sure to check each medication you might be taking, or if you start a new one. When taking a statin drug like Lipitor or Crestor, are there supplements I should avoid or take? One size does not fit all! ConsumerLab.com's answer explains. Why don’t you recommend vitamin k2 when it’s been proven that statins significantly inhibit its production in the body? I am at my wits end. Find out if CholestOff and other sterol supplements can block vitamin absorption in the body and other safety concerns. Im 46 with high ldl while the rest of my blood work is awesome. 10 years ago I had had a bilateral mastectomy and my oncologist did not like the fact that my liver enzymes were above normal.My oncologist wanted me to stop taking the statin but my primary care physician did not like that idea. This is the kind of info that needs to be given and not the accidental misinformation that’s at the other blogs. Considering that a significant proportion of the population have a Vitamin D deficiency in general, with the Vitamin D council estimating that is it the most common medical condition in the world with  50% of the global population suffering from a deficiency, then it seems like a wise supplement to take for heart health in general, and definitely if you are on Statins. Is encouraging, he plans on continue to take the reishi pills to them Statin-Induced+Myopathy... 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