Phytosterols are beneficial for hair loss due to their anti-inflammatory properties, which can help prevent inflammation in the alopecic scalp. These sterols indirectly promote stronger and more vibrant hair by creating a healthier scalp environment. They also inhibit the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, which converts testosterone.
Beta sitosterol, part of the phytosterol group, is believed to be a natural 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor that converts testosterone. While its effects on BPH symptoms and hair growth data are interesting, there is not enough evidence to call it an effective supplement for treating male pattern baldness yet. Sterol intermediates of cholesterol biosynthesis trigger an inflammatory response in hair follicle cells, affecting both inflammatory and immune responses.
Phytosterols may promote hair growth by improving the health of hair follicles and the scalp. Some research suggests that beta-sitosterol could potentially improve hair growth in men with signs of male pattern baldness. There is promising research indicating phytosterols from saw, palmetto, and pumpkin seed oil can impact hair growth in people with male and female patterned hair.
Phytosterols exhibit anti-inflammatory properties by modulating immune responses and reducing the production of inflammatory cytokines. They fortify hair follicles by enhancing the scalp’s lipid barrier, retaining moisture and protecting them from damage. They also nourish and strengthen hair follicles and hair strands, preventing hair loss.
Phytosterols may also help reduce cholesterol levels by limiting the amount of cholesterol that can enter the body. Beta sitosterol is thought to prevent hair loss by inhibiting the production of the androgen DHT, which is responsible for male pattern baldness.
📹 Beta Sitosterol Hair Loss – Can It Help???
In this video we go through beta sitosterol hair loss – can it help, the treatment, and the benefits. Full transcript: Beta Sitosterol is a …
What are the negative side effects of plant sterols?
Plant sterols/stanols are generally safe for most healthy people, but they can cause diarrhea or stool fat. High plant sterol levels in people with sitosterolemia may increase the risk of premature atherosclerosis. NCCIH Clinical Digest, a monthly e-newsletter, provides evidence-based information on complementary health approaches, including scientific literature searches, summaries of NCCIH-funded research, and fact sheets for patients.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health is dedicated to exploring complementary health products and practices, training researchers, and disseminating authoritative information to the public and professionals.
For more information, call NCCIH’s Clearinghouse or visit the NCCIH website. NCCIH is one of 27 institutes and centers at the National Institutes of Health, the Federal focal point for medical research in the United States.
Which herb is the king of hair growth?
Bhringraj, also known as “false daisy”, is a plant known for its vitamins, calcium, magnesium, and iron content. It is considered the “King of hair” due to its hair nourishment benefits. Bhringraj contains flavonoids, phytosterols, and essential nutrients that help reduce hair loss and promote growth. It also increases blood circulation in the scalp and hair roots, activating follicles for natural hair growth. Its anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties prevent infections and control dandruff.
Fenugreek or Methi seeds, also known as Trigonella Foenum-Graecum, are a common culinary ingredient in Indian kitchens. They are rich in iron, protein, and essential nutrients that nourish hair and promote growth. Nicotinic acid in methi is effective against dandruff and hair fall, resolving various hair problems.
Do plant sterols really work?
Plant stanols and sterols can lower LDL cholesterol by 7. 5 to 12 per cent when consumed regularly as part of a healthy diet. There is no difference in the effect between stanols and sterols. If combined with statins, stanols or sterols can further lower non-HDL cholesterol, up to 30 per cent. However, there is insufficient long-term evidence to suggest they reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes. In the UK, key guidelines do not recommend these supplements for cardiovascular disease prevention, and a healthy, balanced diet remains the recommended approach.
How quickly do plant sterols work?
The effectiveness of sterols and stanols in fortified food is not affected by the type of food. It takes 2 to 3 weeks for fortified food to work, and if stopped, blood cholesterol levels may return. Consistent consumption is crucial for their effectiveness. Fortified food should be included in a main meal for maximum benefit. Research suggests effective portion sizes for plant sterols and stanols.
What stimulates hair growth speed?
Hair growth is not guaranteed to increase faster, but deficiencies in certain nutrients can affect hair health. Low iron levels can lead to anemia, while vitamins B and D, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and biotin are crucial for healthy hair. Consult a doctor to determine the appropriate multivitamin or supplement intake. For fragile hair, satin linens may not be the best choice, but they can reduce friction, frizz, and breakage.
Regular head massages may help hair grow thicker, but more research is needed. These massages can ease stress, which can contribute to hair loss. Alternatively, try using a scalp massaging tool or gently pressing, stretching, and pinching your scalp for several minutes daily.
Do plant sterols help hair growth?
Phytosterols, plant-derived substances, can help treat hair loss by improving scalp health and promoting hair development. They have moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties, which are essential for hair growth. Phytosterols also help in hydration and moisture retention within the hair shaft, reducing the risk of breakage and damage. They also strengthen the hair shaft, reducing the risk of breakage and split ends, making hair thicker and more resilient.
However, they are not a cure-all for all hair loss types. Overall, phytosterols can indirectly support hair growth by maintaining scalp health, promoting hydration and moisture retention, and enhancing hair shaft strength and elasticity.
Are plant sterols bad for the liver?
Plant sterols are a type of plant oil that can be used to treat various health conditions. They are particularly beneficial for those with sitosterolemia, a rare inherited fat storage disease, who may have a buildup of plant sterols and related fats in their blood and tissues. In addition, they can be used cautiously in individuals with short bowel syndrome, a condition involving the removal of part of the gut, as they may affect liver function. Adults typically take 1. 6-3 grams of plant sterols daily for up to 1 year, while children take 1. 6-2. 3 grams daily for up to 6 months.
Do plant sterols increase estrogen?
The available evidence from studies on plant sterols or stanols in mammals, such as rats, indicates that these compounds do not exert an estrogenic effect, whether in vivo or in vitro. The results of these studies indicate that plant sterols do not bind to estrogen receptors and do not affect the uterine wet weight of immature rats. The research is based on the use of cookies and is protected by copyright © 2024 Elsevier B. V., its licensors, and contributors.
Are plant sterols like steroids?
Plant sterols and stanols are plant steroids similar to human cholesterol and are recommended as dietary modifiers of serum lipids. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted to compare the effect of plant sterols vs plant stanols on serum lipid levels in healthy patients and those with hypercholesterolemia. The study included trials evaluating the effect of plant sterols vs plant stanols on total, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterols or triglycerides. The weighted mean difference (WMD) of the change from baseline was calculated using a random-effects model, comparing the means in the plant sterol and plant stanol groups.
What plant stimulates hair growth?
Lavender, a well-known herb, is known for its ability to boost hair growth and reduce baldness. Its oil is anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and antiseptic, stimulating scalp circulation, strengthening new hair growth, and balancing natural oil production. Lavender oil also serves as a natural insect repellent, warding off disease-carrying parasites like fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and head lice. Its antibacterial properties help soothe and heal scalp irritations and infections, making it effective in treating dandruff and dry scalp.
Lavender is also effective in treating hair loss and preventing hair loss, as it acts as a natural insect repellent against fleas and head lice. Regular use of lavender hair oil can help prevent hair loss and promote hair re-growth.
📹 Study Confirms What Many Patients Taking Statins Have Said for Years | NBC Nightly News
NBC News is a leading source of global news and information. Here you will find clips from NBC Nightly News, Meet The Press, …
My mother had the same complaints and reported them to her doctor who brushed her off. She discontinued use when the pain and weakness made it dangerous for her to walk and saw an immediate improvement. They called me and threatened to knock her off disability (shortly after a major stroke) for “non-compliance”. We got it all straightened out after multiple discussions – none of which included my mother, the actual patient! Now imagine if I didn’t have a good relationship with her and hadn’t known what was going on. What if she was a patient without any family?
I am a retired physician. I was on statins for high cholesterol, and everything hurt. Then I was diagnosed with cancer, so I decided I wasn’t going to need to prevent heart disease, so I quit my statin. Also, I love grapefruit, which you can’t have if you are on a statin drug. I feel better. So far my cancer treatment is going well. I told my doctor that I would rather die suddenly from a heart attack than a slow lingering death from cancer.
My husband took statins for years and had a cholesterol level of around 11. Doctors thought that was wonderful. Sure. He has muscle and nerve damage, partly due to the statins, and had to go on disability. He hasn’t taken the medication for a number of years, but the damage is done, and his condition is getting worse. I’m glad to hear that there’s proof of their damage.
My doctor put me on a statin almost a year ago. Every visit, I tell her I’m fatigued all the time, muscle cramps, stomach pain my A1c is going up. She has no answer. Now she says I’m diabetic.my diet is fine and no one in my family is diabetic. Without telling her I’m going to stop taking the statin and use Berberine or Bergamot. Then I’m gonna look into switching to a DO doctor. Most dictors today prescibe medicine for a problem and then the medication causes a another problem so the doctor prescribes another medicine. We’re all getting sicker and big pharmaceuticals are getting rich from it. Im 55 and need to look for a doctor who is invested in a patients health and explain conditions not just prescribe a pill.
Took them for 10 years. When training to run a 5k ( hard for a non-runner), I began to get massive cramping and total body pain. Taking the max daily dose of acetaminophen in conjunction with the max daily dose of ibuprofen still left me lying on my bed crying in pain. Did a quick search and saw the info on the issue with statins. Told my doctor I was stopping the medication…within 2 weeks and in the 6 years since stopping…NO BODY PAIN. Now living outside of the USA, my current doctors tell me that I have only a 4% chance of death due to high cholesterol and I NEVER NEEDED TO TAKE STATINS.
My doctor called me and wanted to put me on statins because of a slightly high cholesterol. She had never met me (she is new to the practice). Did not ask any questions about lifestyle, BMI, resting pulse rate, etc. I asked her “So because of this one biomarker you want to put me on a drug with known side effects?”. Yes, she said. She got quite upset when I resisted. I’ve done some research and these drugs are bad. 25% of patients get side effects, and that’s just theones identified. God knows if they are contributing to dementia, Parkinson’s and the epidemic of Type 2 diabetes. Don’t take them. Go on a plant-based diet and get some exercise.
doctor told me to go on statin didn’t really want to but did for 9 days on lipitor and felt like my wrist was sprained a number 8 on pain scale so doc said to take another statin crestor i said NO! doc said why? i said my brother is on crestor and out of bed in morning half way to bath room he’s crawling legs hurt i tell my bro its the crestor and 6 months he’s on da chit he gets diabetes so this i told doc and doc still insists on crestor and iam ready to tell himm you take and ill watch what happens to you! Wow some of these docs must be getting a hefty kickback on sales of statins.My wifes chloestoral was a little elevated and her doc said he ordered lipitor for her, well didn’t pick it up, so went to another doc two days later and chloestoral was not elevated! go figure!
I was on 20 mg of lipitor and the side effects were horrendous. The doctor reduced it to 10 mg and it didn’t make any difference. I started taking aswagandha and red yeast rice extract. I am extremely pleased with the results. There are alternatives to statins. How we live is far more important than how long we live.
been a nurse since 1975—— my husband was given statins for high cholesterol in the late 80’s. They tried zocor then lipitor and when they didn’t work they upped the dose. My hubby kept saying he was in pain. He was told he was imagining it. Finally he was walking on a dock at work and his legs gave out. I took him off statins and he was well in a few days. Do you know that SOB doctor threatened to tell the insurance company that he was non compliant so that if he had a heart attack they wouldn’t cover it?
I told my doctor multiple times I was getting horrific cramping under my ribs in my sides (especially my right side where my liver is located). I would also get cramps in my feet and back and sometimes across my chest. He just blew me off, saying I was getting older. The last time he blew me off when I said I thought I had arterial blockage, I had to have quad bypass. Very glad I came across this report.
Went to my doctor yesterday told her the statin I have been taking ( Lipitor ) should be banned and classed as a dangerous drug it almost destroyed my life severe muscle pain, weakness, cramps, no energy, she just smiled at me.there should be a class action against this medication, was prescribed it after a major operation almost kept me in bed for twelve months and took 3 months to come good after throwing it in the bin spoke to three different Doctors and they all just give you a vague look when you try to discuss it with them, hope this helps somebody else ..
My M.D. 20 years ago on live radio: “I teach med school at OSU and I told my students in a lecture last week that I wouldn’t prescribe a statin drug to a dead rat!” I’ve followed his wisdom, and so have many others. The local hospital board lost their mind when he said this. But history has proven him right.
Anyone thinking about taking statins should read the book “The Great Cholesterol Myth”. A family member (woman) was taking statins. She went to see her doctor on a Monday and he was so happy to see her “great numbers” – meaning how low her cholesterol was. Less that 36 hours later, she had a heart attack.
Statins wrecked my husbands memory. He can remember his childhood and up to him being put on this awful drug. He has problems with his short term memory. He had double vision, ie., whilst perusal football, he could see two centre circles, one was about 4 feet above the other. Cramps and headaches are just a few of the side effects he had. He stopped taking them and, but for the memory loss, he is fine. It has been called, THE THIEF OF MEMORY. DON’T TAKE IT!
I took stains and repatha for a time. Statins were a nightmare with weight gain, leg pain, weakness and mental fog. Repatha was a chore to deal with and the expense became prohibitive. Dropped them and I feel much better. Drastically reduced sugar, lost 50 pounds, ignoring LDL and pleased that my HDL is equal to or grater than triglycerides. Life is better for me over the past two years though I have scandalized the general practitioner.
I took a statin and was not warned about the muscle pain. It was debilitating. Unbelievable that they have framed this as “we thought it was all in their heads.” The pain was so severe I could barely stand. I thought I was having some kind of attack, or maybe had blood clots in my legs. I was furious when the doctor was nonchalant and said no problem, it’s just a statin side effect. No surprise that the big drug companies finally publicize this and play like they just discovered these side effects when they have brought new, extremely expensive substitutes to market. Hey, if there weren’t any side effects to the old statins (which had outlived their lucrative patents), why spend millions and years getting new ones with fewer side effects approved?
Statins caused me to have disturbing dreams and nightmares, on an almost nightly basis. Ten years of thinking there was something going wrong with me psychologically. Then I found out this can be a side effect of taking statins. Stopped taking them last December, and the horrible dream life was gone within six weeks.
I’m so pleased to see this, and not a little relieved as well. This happened to me 5 years ago. Just because of my age and the drive to keep everyone’s cholesterol levels down, I was prescribed a course of these silly little pills. As soon as I started taking them I noticed that when walking along a regular totally flat route, it felt as if I was walking up a hill! No pain or aches, just a tingling sensation I recall. I told the doc straight away that I was going to stop taking them. I feel fine 5 years later, and I’m still here! Do the doctors get any sort of “referral fee” or incentives from the myriad of pharmaceutical companies producing these pills? Peter
My dad had COPD but was managing it very well with diet, exercise, and, moderate meds (when needed). Being a heavy smoker in his youth he had to undergo heart surgery and was immediately, put on statins. When his whole personality changed and the pain and induced diabetes took over, I intervened. He was afraid to say anything to me about the meds believing doctors know best (yeah, right) but I got him off everything except the one heart med that was needed. So, from 10 meds to 1. Sadly, the damage was done and he died a couple of years after that. I’ll see a doctor if I have to but, they’ll never get me on these drugs or, any drugs for that matter. So much for the Hippocratic Oath.
You do not need medication, start intermittent fasting eat only once a day, eliminate sugar and processed carbohydrates such as breads, start eating vegetables, reduce animal products, start fasting 72hrs once a month and you will reverse many medical problems. God bless you all eat what Mother Nature made for us and you will be amazed by your health improvements 🥰
Wouldn’t you know that big pharma has got you covered with another one of their concoctions, plus it costs a LOT more money. THE most important thing is a healthy diet. After doing keto, ALL of my labs are normal, including type 2. Plus, they make you think ‘cholesterol’ is a bad thing. I have my yearly visit with my cardiologist tomorrow. I had a single by-pass in early 2000, and have been under the care of a cardiologist since then. The last time I saw him, he was going over my chart and said, ‘I see you haven’t been getting your simavastain filled.’ I told him that was right, that I had been doing a lot of research and didn’t like what I read, plus, I told him about all of the side effects I’d had over a decade. He just gave me that ‘look’ and said I’m going to call you some in. I took them for a few days and stopped again. He’ll probably confront me again tomorrow, but I’m telling him that I have to advocate for myself, since no one else will and if he wants to drop me as a patient, that will be fine too. Plus, I’ve known him since he was a child. Our families went to church together and he was friends with my sons in school, so it’s not like we’re strangers. I have a list of symptoms if he wants to go ‘there.’ Since the ‘plandemic’ I don’t trust anyone in health care anymore.
For several years I took that stuff. I was so debilitated in movement, it was hard to do work. Finally, I took myself off and within a few days, I was feeling my old self again. My doctor was not happy but, I was and still am. Stay away from all prepackaged food and always read the ingredients. Educate yourself on those ingredients and avoid them. Exercise and stay active. Heart disease does not run in my family. No more statins for me.
I had a grandfather who doctors told him his neck pain was “all in his head”. This went on for a year. Eventually X-rays revealed lung cancer that had spread to his spinal cord. I think if a doctor told me a pain is psychosomatic, I would immediately get a new doctor. This is so common it is becoming a cliche.
I was on Statins for a couple of years. My knees hurt and a shoulder was almost locked up. I was diagnosed with arthritis in both. I stopped taking the Statin and within a month the pain in my knees was gone. My shoulder pain and stiffness went away. I have tried a few different Statins and it is always the same problems.
That is right. Doctors state I am not in pain. I am so sick of how people are put down for chronic pains caused by health issues or medications. Hence why I seldom go to the doctor. Yet, today, I am going to go and fight for my health. Hopefully this new doctor will listen. I will not take a medication that was prescribed without my consult in February. It is a Statin and I refuse to have more side effects bothering me. Doctors listen to your patients!
My father took Lipitor for a cholesterol level that was only 110 which is ridiculous! Within months, he developed rhabdomyolysis and was hospitalized for three months. He was sent to hospice care and he decided he wanted to come home. It is now 23 years later and he’s 84 years old, yes he lost a lot of muscle mass and long term memory but he’s able-bodied and is just showing signs of short term memory loss.
Have had a life-long high ratio of HDL to LDL… 10 years ago my GP proscribed a popular statin and it brought the ratios way down but after a few months I had terrible muscular/tendon pain. Could not climb stairs. Blood work indicated liver damage. Quit the drug and slowly recovered. Next year tried another statin; essentially the same results. These findings are no surprise to me….
I had muscle weakness and memory loss. The memory loss was much worse than the muscle weakness. I started doing research and when I found out about what side effects statins have, (I was on Lipitor) I stopped using it the same day, 6 December 2006. Took more than a decade for my memory loss to improve.
I have been saying no to statins for years to my doctor. Went keto 3 yrs ago and stopped eating grains and starchy vege and anything that was processed in a factory. Cholesterol dropped 7.9 to 6.9, triglyceride plummeted from 4.7 to 0.8, total/HDL Chol Ratio 3.1 all in 6 months. Doctor still insisting I take statins. Studies are showing that post menopausal women (me) who have high LDL have less cancer, CVD, less autoimmune disease and live longer. It’s just a money making scheme for pharmaceutical companies and lets not forget cigarette companies insisted that their product was safe and we all know how that went.
I had an initial physical upon entering VA Healthcare where I was in good condition and not experiencing any problems. The blood test showed that I had a lower than average level of vitamin D and an elevated cholesterol level, for which I was prescribed Atorvastatin(Lipitor) 40 mg/day. Another blood test in about 3 months showed my cholesterol and vitamin D level normal but that I was in stage 2 renal failure. At this time I was also experiencing painful leg cramps and problems with urination, color and odor. I also noticed that my short-term memory was deteriorating with trouble in my cognitive skills. I immediately stopped the medication, limited my salt and protein intake and subsequently noticed a partial remission in my symptoms over time. The taking of the Lipitor was the only thing that I had changed in my life since the two blood tests, and so I attributed the kidney damage to the Lipitor.
I chose to get off statins due to leg muscle cramps so severe i would scream in pain. Meanwhile i developed neuropathy with tingling and and numbness in my feet. It was my DENTIST, casually asking how my overall health was doing, who believed me about the symptoms that my DOCTORS told me were “psychological” and “idiopathic.” They also said that “less than 1% of patients” could not tolerate statins. They also said i “could die of a heart attack within two years” if i didn’t stay on statins. I took my DENTIST’S advice, got off statins, and the muscle cramps stopped within a few days. It took two years before my feet stopped tingling. TWELVE YEARS LATER and i have not had a heart attack, i can feel my feet, and my legs don’t cramp every night — and now the doctors admit that 20% of people have muscle weakness or cramps from statins. The lesson i learned was: Don’t wait for “permission” to stand up against intolerable side-effects. And how did my DENTIST know that statins cause these side-effects? They had caused the same side-effects in him. He had gone off statins and his leg cramps went away, he had talked to other people who shared similar anecdotes, and he kindly decided to share that information with me,. Final takeaway — share your experiences, join patient advocacy groups, and think your yourself. My doctors have NEVER admitted my symptoms were real, nor have they apologized for insisting that i stay on statins.
Years ago, following suggestions in a health newsletter to which I subscribed, I started taking niacinamide for pain in my joints. Several years later, I had a physical and saw that while my LDL was a bit high, my HDL was quite high by comparison, and reading up on that, saw that the high levels of HDL protected against the LDL; also, that niacinamide tends to raise the HDL levels. When I went back to the doctor to discuss the results of my physical, he started off talking about my LDL level, and pulled up his prescription pad. I then countered with the levels of the HDL; he looked again at the test results and said; “Oh”, and put his pad away. I also know people who claim that taking statins have negatively affected them, so I’m glad I did some research. Still use niacinamide!
I was taking a Statin for my LDL I complained to my doctor and told him I wasn’t going to take them after three days the first time he switched and gave me another Staten it worked for a little while and then all of a sudden I started getting the same pains my legs start swelling up my neuropathy in my legs started hurting ten times worse my muscles in my leg I was not happy so I told him can I stop for a while to see what was going on it’s been a week now that I’ve been off of them and I can tell the difference already
This is so typical of doctors. I, and millions of other breast cancer survivors, have to take a hormone suppressing pill for 5-10 years after we finish cancer treatment. This medication causes debilitating side effects of joint pain and muscle stiffness. Although there are thousands of blogs and support groups for women like us, most oncologists just don’t get it. They dismiss us as though it’s all in our heads. My oncologist, and I truly believe this man saved my life, still makes me feel like I’m just whining. I wish for one day he could feel what I live with and will have to live with for seven more years.
I don’t understand why it took a scientific study to prove what patients have been telling us for years! I’ve always listened to my patients. If they tell me something is causing a symptom, especially when so severe, I take them off the medication.I don’t know what is so hard about that. There’s nothing psychosomatic about having severe muscle aches and pain, and my husband is one of those people who couldn’t tolerate statins. Maybe now doctors will start listening to patients. I certainly hope so as it would improve our medical care by leaps and bounds.
I reduced sugar and carbohydrates considerably after I became pre diabetic 2 yrs ago, twelve yrs of crestor, didn’t know it elevates glucose level Only yesterday found that out, today I will skip my low dose of 5mg and by next month wean myself off statins forever Lowering carbs and sugar to a minimum, increasing veggies, peas, beans, fish/meat, last 2 yrs, my cholesterol dropped to 169 from 200 I asked my Dr if I should take meds on alternative days, but he said no I was very concerned about my brain fog, dreading dimentia But I didn’t know that it could cause on set diabetes Lowering carbs, sugar considerably, keeping very active and changing to a healthier lifestyle is the best way to 🚶♀️
In 1986 I was diagnosed with lupus and the docs were happy to put me on long term drugs and ignore me. After a year and a half I stopped the drugs, went with alternative healing and started having an immediate “spontaneous remission.” A fairly recent 20 year study proved that the majority of damage was caused by the drugs and not the disease. I stayed away from doctors for 30 years and now when I bring it up I am dismissed as ever having it exactly because I don’t have the damage caused by long term drug use. I still have all the various symptoms but maybe it’s because I didn’t take the drugs that I have always thought that I must simply have a milder case than most.
I have congenital hyperlipidemia. In other words, without Lipitor or other statins, my cholesterol level is over 600. My father had the same thing. His first heart attack was at the age of 50. He died much younger than he should have or would have if statins had been available earlier. I have been on statins for 25 years, since the age of 40 and have never had a heart attack or even a stent or bypass. Statins saved my life. Just saying.
The muscle pain is real. I felt as if my muscles were detaching from my bones. I was only on statin for about six months. I stopped eating bacon, breakfast sausage and some other foods, waited a few month went back to see my doctor, labs showed my cholesterol numbers were within normal range. In reading the side effects, purpose brochure that comes with each prescription, not all medication are as effective or recommended for use in some race of people…African Americans…this was a surprise to me.
2023. Tinnitus. Lack of balance. Magnesium calcium imbalance enormous fatigue. Stopped 3 days. No tinnitus. Back swimming 1 HR. Regular bowel movements no muscle cramps. Balance better. Dry eyes and dry mouth but better than all the side effects. Read research from mayo clinic and nih in UK. Suggest related to pancreatic cancer. Sister gained 30 lbs in 1 month aic levels awful and explosive diarrhea.both were on Atorvastatin. Please research and talk to your doctor. This was horrible
The problem with the medical community is they would rather prescribe medication like they were taught in school instead of naturally reducing problems like cholesterol. There is no money or profit when a patient heals themselves naturally. Many health issues are caused by bad diet and poor nutrition. The medical community will hardly address this. The most they will ever say if anything is try to eat healthy.
My Dr didn’t believe statins caused muscle cramps. With the excruciating muscle cramps I experienced, especially when in the groin area, I howled liked a dog in pain once and another time it was so bad I was lying on the floor vomiting and peeing myself with pain. I took myself off it and told her what I had done…….No drug is worth that amount of pain.
I have genetically high cholesterol so have been on statins or some sort of medication for it since high school. I’ve been unable to tolerate any of the meds and have always ended up with severe side effects and even have a full, single-spaced page that lists everything they’ve tried and all of the problems I’ve had with nearly every medication for this. If a med didn’t give me side effects, then it didn’t move my numbers. If it moved the numbers, I had such terrible side effects that I had no quality of life anyway. But the doctor fear mongers at every appointment and tells me I won’t be around to raise my kids if I don’t take a statin. Well, I was talking to an uncle last week and learned that he has taken statins for over 20 years and STILL had a heart attack, so they clearly did nothing to prevent that for him. His siblings have also all taken something for it and all still had to have valve replacements or other surgeries for heart troubles. A cousin is of the opinion that statins are useless when it comes to genetically high cholesterol and I’m starting to agree.
Was on statins and got knee pain and could suddenly not walk up a hill when I was a daily jogger. Stopped statins but lowered my bp to normal with low gluten, sugar, salt and replacing A1 dairy with lower amounts of A2 dairy. Added brocolli, flax seed and tumeric to omelette each morning(1 egg). My doctor is facinated, but we don’t know which dietary change did it, just that this diet works for me instead of statins. Knee fine, stamina returning.
My cardiologist is flabbergasted at my refusal to take statins. Had muscle pain and MY HAIR STARTED FALLING OUT 15 years ago. My pharmacist looked it up as he had not heard of statins causing hair loss. He found it! 1% of people taking statins get ALOPECIA. (I think I spelled it wrong. ) I haven’t taken them since. 15 years.
My mothers legs are screwed up because they had her on such high statins she could barely walk. She has 2 stints and is on a very low dose statin and blood thinner. She says if she has gotta go she would rather have a stroke or heart attack than sit in a Dementia care unit for years. Edit: I forgot to mention how a MD friend of hers is also anti statin- liver issues.
I lowered my cholesterol by giving up my morning eggs replacing it with out meal raisons cinnamon hempseed walnut chia seeds. The other thing i also do when i wake up is drink water with fresh squeezed lemons way before i drink any coffee. This has worked but it took about 4 month to work and you have to incorporate it into your life because your high cholesterol will come back if you stop.
I was on rosuvastatin for over a year. it controlled my cholesterol but made my joints achy and I had lower back pain. I asked the doctor to stop the drug and she refused. So I quit it cold turkey. After I quit the drug she agreed to prescribe a different drug. The lower back pain stopped and the joint pain is better.
I had an angioplasty procedure 6 years ago where 3 stents were implanted to unblock my artery. These worked and I was prescribed anti clotting, blood thinner and atorvastatin, amlodipine. A health guru advised me to go with her to a health clinic for IV chelation. This would work better to unclog my arteries and was advised to stop taking Atorvastatin. After 18 months I began experiencing angina pain whenever I exerted great efforts during exercise mostly walking. I dopped out of chelation and came back to taking Atorvastatin, within a few weeks my angina began to dissipate and now I no longer get pain in my chest. I am a type 2 diabetic and watch my diet and take metformin. I am content with the outcome. I will be 73 years old next month.
My brother has terrible side effects from blood pressure meds…so much so that after taking 7 or more distinct meds…he now refuses to try any new ones. I read a study that 70 percent of patients stop taking blood pressure meds…bet it has to do with side effects but big pharma and the media still want to tell us these meds are safe and effective…
I was prescribed statins and I went from being a very mobile 70year old, to a 90+ year old wracked with joint, muscle and kidney pain. I could barely role over in bed without pain, and felt like I had been kicked around a foot ball field for a week. It was horrendous. I took myself off and I am a new women. I only hope my body hasn’t suffered any long term effects.
Cholesterol is not a problem, it has been vindicated, but statins are still being pushed, statins also do not help against heart disease, as chilesterol is not the problem. Low cholesterol is as bad as extremely high cholesterol. 220 seems to be the statistical sweetspot, but what is best on an individual basis can very a lot. Our bodies makes cholesterol for a reason, and our brains needs a ton of it.
I have kidney damage from chronic statin use without any therapeutic benefit and 5 hospitalizations for Rhabdomyolysis. They increased my dosage to 5x the recommended dose. They never got the memo that Repatha was available. After I retired as a result of the two perioperative strokes I suffered during CAPG surgery, my new cardiologist asked why I was not on Repatha. In 6 weeks my LDL dropped 99 percentile points. But I still have my kidney damage and maybe a few years left.
New study: Comparing individual patients to their own results, placebo actually looked more than twice as bad for symptoms as statins due to some outliers among the patients, reported James Howard, PhD, of Imperial College London, at the virtual American Heart Association (AHA) virtual meeting and online in the New England Journal of Medicine. Pooling the results across patients, 90% of the symptoms could be attributed to the so-called nocebo effect (0.90 ratio of placebo symptoms beyond those on no treatment to statin symptoms beyond those of no treatment). Once provided the data, 30 of the 60 patients — all of whom had previously quit taking a statin due to side effects that emerged within 2 weeks of starting it — successfully restarted a statin and were on it 6 months later.
I know someone who has neuropathy in her legs. She told me she took statins and that they cost weakness in her legs. She became unable to walk. She stopped taking statins and did get back some of her walking, but she made me promise if I ever found out someone was taking statins to tell them to stop.
I took statins over 10 years, then began to have very sore feet when walking, sore knees, legs, etc. I had no idea that the statins were causing this. It took 2-3 weeks for my body to return to normal after quitting the statins. Suddenly, I had none of that pain, it was wonderful. Now I’m at a crossroads wondering whether to get the injection therapy, which also has side effects.
Nothing said about the many who were prescribed statins who suffered memory loss, though their memories improved when they went off the prescription. Does this replacement medication cause memory loss? Cholesterol is a VITAL component of the brain, and the insulatory material surrounding neurons. People taking statins don’t prolong their lives by doing so.
I recall reading about doctors telling their female patients who were complaining of having “hot flashes” while going through menopause that “It’s all in your head”. We both take statins and wake up with leg cramps almost every night. We’re drinking water like it’s going out of style and I plan to bring this information to the attention of our primary doctor on our next visit.
This is nothing new, and has been a known adverse event since the advent of statins. Atorvastatin seems to be the worst at causing myalgia. If you want to take a good statin, take rosuvastatin. I’ve been taking it for years with no apparent side effects, and a small 10 mg dose keeps my cholesterol levels below guideline levels.
There’s are no such things as “good” and “bad” cholesterol. This kind of black and thinking has no place in medicine? Your body isn’t that simple. It goes through extremely dynamic and complicated processes to accomplish homeostasis. It is not,at the time, too stupid to figure out how much cholesterol to create and distribute in the blood. Trying to second guess your bodys functions is foolish, especially if you don’t hnow how it’s supposed to work in first place.
Most people, including myself, tolerate statins well and they’re saving my life. I know of only one friend who discontinued them because of side effects. Any doctor I’ve ever spoken to acknowledges that some people will not be able to tolerate statins, and they don’t say it’s ‘all in your head’. They will then propose alternative therapies. Maybe we just have more enlightened doctors in Canada.
I took Atorvastatin for 5 weeks. I developed incredibly sore calf muscles, so sore that I could barely touch my skin. My walking slowed right down as it was painful and my fatigue increased. It dawned on me that it all started after I started the statin. Took myself off and slowly the symptoms disappeared. GP agreed with my assumption, I am now taking Pravastatin, perusal carefully this time.
My GP keeps trying to put me on statins and both lots have made me ill, the worst aspect being “brain fog”. It also seems to have come to light that the stats touted by big pharma have been misreported to seem more effective and less harmful than they are. No more for me. It doesn’t help that GPs get a bonus for every patient they can force onto a long term medication. I wonder why? My monthly prescription goes into the bin, especially when an eye test shows I am clear on both cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
I had terrible joint and bone pain for over 5 years. Doctor kept telling me I must have a touch of arthritis because of my age. After losing my husband (ironically because of a drug side effect) I lost my health insurance. I quit taking everything. All my pain disappeared along with other issues that were being caused by medications. Prophet before patients, that’s the name of the game. ❤️✌️
And, dementia. My father’s memory is gone. He was diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder about the same time he started taking a statin. He can no longer understand language. Now he can’t drive, he don’t remember close friends, and he sits and does nothing because his brain is gone. My mother won’t listen when I tell her it’s probably the statins, and it always ends up in a huge argument. I miss my Dad, he’s always been such a kind and sweet person. I just wish I could sit and have a nice conversation with him about the past.
There are other effects too, that people around you are more likely to notice – or to attribute to statins – than you. The ones I took affected my short term memory, but I didn’t realise. I was getting older and the deterioration was gradual so I thought it was age, or maybe something worse like Alzheimer’s. It was so bad that one day I sat at my desk with a form to fill in and I couldn’t even start it. I couldn’t remember my name. It was horrible and it was terrifying. One, a couple of months later, I met up with a friend for coffee and somehow the subject came up. She was horrified and begged me to stop taking them. She said, “If you never listen to me again, please listen to me now and come off them.” I was seeing my doctor the following week so I told her I was going to stop them and she said I could take a temporary break. I stopped the next day. Within three days my memory began to return. Not all of it, there are still empty black holes that will never be filled, but I got back to about 90%. When I told my doctor, she said it wasn’t the statins because no such effects had been reported, so I suggested she google it. I never took them again and saw a different doctor after that.
Red Yeast Rice. The OG statin. Works like a charm!! I was looking for alternatives. I went from 259 overall to 190 in 4 months. I did alter my diet by cutting out dairy, beef and pork but I’ve tried that before and it would drop to 215-220. Give it a shot! You can get it at most vitamin shops or Amazon.
So sore, what was continous shoulder and neck aches,and muscle knots is now almost debilitating in the morning since 10mg of statin. I cannot imagine what a higher dose does. I refuse to take them, gave raken up rebounding,drink tumeric and cayenne,and olive oil with honey,take niacin and watch out for creamy pastas,ice cream. Also a way higher beef i take as well as eggs for choline.
I had what was considered a “widow maker” event, with what they consider total blockage of a coronary artery. Doctor cleaned artery and placed a stent, the main heart doctor that no longer practiced but saw patients after procedures or gave advice before prescribed the worst statin on the market for me at the time. After investigating it and finding it was on the verge of being pulled from the market, I had a not to good meeting with the doctor and explained to him his job was to take care of the patient and not big pharma. He assured me I would die shortly if I didn’t take his advice, I have taken nothing but small dose aspirin since then, 7 years ago and my skin and health have both improved. I’m not suggesting anyone not follow their physicians advice, I still believe there are good ones out there, I was just unfortunate to find this one.
In 2017, my cardiologist urged me to take Aspirin 81 and statins for my high cholesterol and “heart disease” diagnosis. I refused to listen because I’ve never had a heart attack before that and even after. I am so glad I didn’t listen to him because both pieces of advice have been proven to be wrong and I’m 99.9% sure my problem is with indigestion, not my heart.
There was a time when people wanted to add statins to municipal drinking water like they do with fluoride. Thank goodness that didn’t happen. There are side-effects other than just muscle pain. Yes, statins do save lives, but they cause or enhance multiple symptoms of aging for some patients and this led to explosive growth for companies that market CoQ10 and other supplements. The majority of patients don’t experience substantial issues, though, so that is why doctors often suspect psychosomatic effects.
I stopped taking statins over 10 years ago due to debilitating back pain. My doctor scoffed at the idea. Within 48 hours after stopping the statin my back pain was completely gone! The drug documentation stated clearly muscle and back pain was a known side effect. Of course now they are pushing a new high priced drug in its place. How wonderful! My cholesterol levels were strange in that my good cholesterol is extremely low while my bad cholesterol is normal. The ratio triggered the Rx of statins.
Im on atorvastatin, and Im really suffering from muscle pain, and from the ribcage charlie horse described in another comment. Doc said it was a blockage. I also feel like nails are being driven through my veins, can barely walk from my foot pain, and they put me on gabapentin which was damaging my eyesight. I quit gabapentin and im quitting atorvastatin.
I take Atorvastatin. The pains are true but i have discovered that i can control it by exercising the parts that ache. Just ten repetitions and only as many sets as i can stand per each direction of movement of the aching body part which for me is my left shoulder joint. Also, drink one to two liters of water daily. For leg cramps, i take vitamin B12 supplement daily without skipping.
I took Rosuvastatin for about 9 months before the muscle and joint pain started. It got so bad I was using a walker and at physical therapy to relieve my pain. My doctor said, “Your symptoms are either Fibromyalgia or the statin. Stop taking them and if you feel better in two weeks…its the statin.” I felt better in 5 DAYS!!
I had slightly high cholesterol. My doctor prescribed a 90 mg pill. It was huge. I was naive, so i just kept taking them. I just happen to read an article about statins causing shoulder pain. I was suffering for months with left shoulder and shoulder blade pain. The doc then put me on 10 mg, and the aches and pains went away.
I HAD to stop taking mine (due to the debilitating pain and weakness) and has such a fight over it with my doctor I changed to another one. I’m OLD and honestly probably will only live 3 to 5 years (and that’s a doctors prognosis), so I should be worried about buildup in blood vessels that takes a decade or more? And FYI, tests show I DON’T have any significant buildup so it’s not a current problem anyway. I have just borderline high cholesterol and I’m convinced from reading a lot of medical research that practicing doctors probably haven’t read that the levels they say are unsafe are wrong and need to be raised to conform to that newer research.
Wow! Glad to know it’s not just me! I know it’s statin because every time I have a stop for a few days or a start a few days later, I get pain. While on it, foot and leg cramping at night is not uncommon. I eliminated my meds one by one until I found which one was doing it. It was the statin. I still take it because it does lower my cholesterol. The interesting thing is on Pravastatin’s accompanying data sheet, it says that joint/muscle pain could be a side effect.
I stopped taking statins completely & found the pain was awful & stopped now…no pain anymore…found people taking pain breaks in shopping malls! Walking was not pleasant when taking statins… changed to different once’s & then just dropped them! None of them worked for me. Now I can play pickle 3 to 4 days a week with absolutely no pain! Regular Exercise is the best medicine for me.
I see that this is from seven years ago. I’ve been on statins for many years and I have the same issues. Inexplicable muscle pain. General bodyaches. It sucks and I hate it. I went off the Statin for a while, but my cholesterol went way back up, so I had to get back on it. but I’ll have to look into this other drug. This is the first I’ve heard of it.
When I was first put on statins I got really sick and could hardly move. I called my doctors office and told them what the problem was and that I thought is was the statin they prescribed. When it was all said and done I went to get the prescription and they had prescribed the same statin again. I changed to a new cardiologist.
After open-heart surgery (valve replacement) in 2013, and a lousy heart history of all my family in early death, after the surgery, I was put on Lipitor. Used it for maybe 2 years. I noticed no detrimental side effects. After about 3 years after my surgery, it showed I was at the top end of “normal” range, not really needing to take statins, but with a lousy family history, I was moved to pravastatin, which the Cardiologist told me was “less harsh” than Lipitor. Now 7 years after that, I in my mind think I might not need cholesterol meds any longer, but still take pravastatin, and I cannot notice any real pain in joints, cramping, or weakness. I’m 65, and maybe neuropathy in my feet, might be the only thing, but not sure it’s because of a statin.
I used to play cards with someone who went on Lipitor. It made him not remember whose deal it was. This went on for maybe a year and he worried it was the beginning of dementia. It was the Lipitor. As soon as he stopped taking it his memory came back completely. And the Lipitor never was needed in the first place.
Of course they have to do an actual STUDY instead of listening to the actual patients!! Do no harm!!! Are they even taught this anymore??? The US is soooo far behind other counties in medical it’s ridiculous. Paying the highest in $$$ and dying younger plus sicker. 😞😡 I know it has to do with diet as well but that’s an entire different story. Students are not taught actual nutrition in schools in the US so. 🤷🏼♀️ Do better US.
I was put on statins and had severe side effects. I refused to take them any more so they put me on a cholesterol blocker. No reactions but not happy about being on any kind of statin so did some research. I decided to take Nattokinase. My last check was 46 (46 whats, I don’t know). My orevious cholesterol was 67. I asked my doctor what the optimum level should be and he told me 44. So I’m pretty close to optimum levels after six months of Nattokinase. I will never take a statin again, there are other better options.
All patients need to take their doctor’s “advice” under advisement, do your own research in conjunction with that advice, and make your own choice. You don’t work for the doctor, your doctor works for you (if you are ever confused, just pay attention who is paying whom). Doctor’s can’t give “orders”…only suggestions and advice. It is up to you whether you take that advice or not.
For me it caused severe reflux to the point they were going to do lower esophageal surgery on me. I demanded to be taken off of the statin. When I did, the reflux stopped within 2 days. My doctor refused to report it as an adverse reaction. My personal opinion is that that is the nastiest drug out there and it’s continues as a moneymaker for the corporations that manufacture it. I have convinced several of my friends to discontinue it.
My cholesterol was about 8.5. This time inwas 34 year old 117kg, I change my life completely i managed to drop 35kg, stay with 85kg, after eating healthy, after 1 yera i had a heart 2 stents fitted attack, my cholesterol was 4.5, I cant believe this is the true gealty life doesn’t not wlrk is genetics high cholesterol and need tk be control by statins or repatha, now I am on repatha, statins was killing be horrible pain and I am young so doctor offered me repatha i am very happy with the results my life changed
I just spoke with a pharmacist since I recently was prescribed a statin. She said ‘they are very effective and side are very low’. I asked about the number to treat. She then said ‘your talking about research’. Yes, that’s what I wanted to know. She seemed to just stick with what seemed to be her opinion. I think I’ll pass on it for now. In fact she initially said side effects per 1 in 1000…. Then back away from that and said 1 in 100.