This is the conclusion of a 4 part article on blood pressure : what drugs are you on?  Renin Inhibitors is the last BP drug to discuss.  Click here if you want to catch up on: Part 1 for Diuretics, Part 2 for CCBs & ACEIs and Part 3 for ARBs and Beta Blockers.

And lastly – Renin inhibitors

Renin inhibitors are a group of pharmaceutical drugs used primarily in the treatment of hypertension.  These drugs decrease blood pressure (BP) by preventing the formation of both angiotensin I and angiotensin II.

Angiotensin causes vasoconstriction and a subsequent increase in blood pressure. It is part of the renin-angiotensin system.  Angiotensin also stimulates the release of aldosterone, from the adrenal cortex.  Aldosterone increases sodium retention in the distal nephron, in the kidney, with the consequence of driving blood pressure up.

Renin inhibitors contain ‘aliskiren’ which is causing some controversy. The FDA issued a warning which has been in operation since 2012.

FDA warning!

Concomitant use of aliskiren with ARBs or ACEs in patients with diabetes is contraindicated because of the risk of renal impairment, hypotension, and hyperkalemia.

Aliskiren-containing Medications  by Drugs.com

• Amturnide (aliskiren hemifumarate, amlodipine besylate, and hydrochlorothiazide)
• Tekturna (aliskiren hemifumarate)
• Tekturna HCT (aliskiren hemifumarate and hydrochlorothiazide)
• Tekamlo (aliskiren hemifumarate and amlodipine besylate)
• Valturna (aliskiren hemifumarate and valsartan). Since 2012 Valturna has not longer been marketed.

Side effects of Aliskiren (Renin Inhibitors) by Drugs.com

Most common

• Body aches or pain

  

• chills & fever
• cough
• diarrhoea
• breathing difficulties
• nasal congestion
• runny nose & sneezing
• sore throat
• fatigue

  

• ear congestion
• headache
• loss of voice

Rare

• joint pain in knees, ankles and feet
• blood in the urine
• joint pain, stiffness or swelling
• Angioedema – swelling on face, tongue, throat etc.
• incontinence
• losing consciousness

  

• lower back or side pain
• feeling sick and vomiting
• groin or genitals pain
• sharp back pain below the ribs
• odema of the feet or lower legs

Others reported:

• Blistering or peeling of the skin
• itching
• joint or muscle pain
• skin lesions
• irritated eyes
• sores and/or ulcers, in the mouth or the lips
• tingling of feet and hands
• Sudden weight gain/loss

Conclusions:

Do you know which of the drugs I have covered in this 4 part article you are on for your hypertension?  If not, perhaps it would be a good idea to take a look at the leaflet that comes with your medication.  This should give you the type of drug it is and the possible side effects.  Are you suffering from any of them?

Decreased libido in women and ED in men

It is just not acceptable if you have to put up with this side effect.  If you are suffering from sexual dysfunction ie. decreased libido and/or ED, then ask you doctor to change your medication.  This particular side effect is often passed off by medics as something you just have to put up with.  In fact, you shouldn’t have to put up with ANY side effects.  These medications are supposed to make you feel better, not worse.  Who was it who said “Drugs make a well person sick. Why would they make a sick person well?” I think it was Dr Abram Hoffer.

Blocking Drugs

Drugs that actually block an enzyme or other natural processes within the body, cannot be good for you.  These processes are in your makeup for a reason.  For instance, the enzyme that controls the production of cholesterol is a good example.

Take statins for example

Statins are commonly prescribed to those with hypertension.  These drugs completely knock out the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase associated with cholesterol production.  This will decrease your cholesterol levels for sure, but at what cost!  HMG-CoA reductase is naturally controlled and regulated by Magnesium.

Shutting down the production of cholesterol is ludicrous. How about giving a Mg supplement instead of a statin.  This will control the cholesterol production without side effects along with another enzyme which Mg activates called LCAT (Lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase).  This enzyme converts LDL into HDL.

The brain needs cholesterol

25% of the cholesterol in the body is in the brain and a recent study observed that the best memory function was in those with the highest levels of cholesterol. Prescribing statins to all and sundry is a real concern for brain health, apart from other side effects.  This needs investigation especially with respect to brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s, depression and other brain problems.

Lifestyle factors deplete Magnesium

Two major lifestyle factors that deplete your body of Mg are stress and prescription drugs. It is inevitable that the medical paradigms of always prescribing a drug over a natural approach, will lead to a Mg deficiency and without addressing this deficiency, further medical complications such as cardiovascular diseases will ensue.

“Diabetes is a Mg deficiency state”

Mg deficiency is also a common symptom in diabetes, so drugs will contribute to diabetes simply by depleting the body of Mg.  Renowned diabetes researcher Dr Jerry Nadler says: “diabetes is a magnesium deficiency state”. Dr David Williams – A medical researcher, biochemist, and chiropractor says: Because the “average” diet provides barely enough of this precious mineral, you may need a magnesium supplement, especially if you have high blood pressure. I recommend 500 mg per day.

Work with your Doctor

If you are on hypertension drugs, try to work with your doctor to reduce them slowly and at the same time start taking a good quality Mg supplement.  You may have to educate your medic because vitamins, minerals and nutrients are not on the curriculum of most allopathic medical schools, maybe that’s because most medical education is controlled by pharmaceutical companies.

Mg and other supplements?

There are a plethora of vitamins and minerals that would be beneficial.  Choosing just a few to get you on the road to health is the key.  IMHO Mg is the king of all nutrients because it is necessary for every one of the  37.2 trillion cells in your body and the majority of the population is deficient in this vital mineral.  It will calm your state of mind, ease your depression, soothe your muscle aches and spasms, aid restful sleep and that’s just for starters!  This will give you the impetus to get your health back on track.

Vitamin K2 (MK7)

Other helpful natural supplements to take with Mg is vitamin K2 (MK7) which will help move excess Ca you have in your tissues from a continual lack of Mg.  Mg is necessary to keep Ca dissolved in the blood.  Being replete in Mg will stop further calcification and the K2 will help move Ca out of your tissues and into the bones.

Krill oil , Vitamin D3 and Vitamin C

Krill is a superior supplement providing omega-3 fatty acids, essential for the heart, brain and body.  Other considerations are vitamin D3, if you are lacking in sunshine where you live.  Don’t forget though, Mg is necessary to activate the stored version of vitamin D.  Try Mg first, you may find your vitamin D levels will stabilize once you are replete in Mg.  Vitamin C is always a good choice, it aids numerous functions in the body but I think being a powerful antioxidant is its greatest attribute, so necessary with all the rubbish food we eat, the artificial sweetened sodas we drink and the pharmaceutical drugs we ingest.

Have you had a Mg deficiency test?

If your doctor offers you a Mg test, it will probably be the inaccurate total Mg serum test which is likely the reason why most medics think everyone has plenty of Mg!  This test is out of the ark and should be abolished for the more accurate but not ideal, RBC test or even better the Buccal Smear test which is, at the moment, mostly unavailable.

We are pristine at birth

If a baby is born healthy from a healthy mother, that infant will have all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals in its body ready for life.  All that has to be done to keep the child healthy is to keeps those nutrients in balance.  This is achieved by consuming mother’s milk initially and eating good wholesome non processed foods with no additives and nothing artificial or genetically modified.  Yes, this is a hard task especially in these times of plastic foods and artificially sweetened drinks but nature has given you the tools to counteract the toxins we consume, by way of our natural life giving nutrients.  Use them to keep you and your family healthy against all the odds!

As for your blood pressure

Before you find you have high BP, get yourself a good blood pressure monitor and check your BP regularly.  If you see it is going up then find out the reason why.  Are you eating junk food and drinking sodas?  Are you watching TV for too long and not get enough exercise?  Is your job a sedentary one, on a computer all day?  How often do you walk?  Are you getting enough sleep?  Do you have digestive problems?  Are you always taking antacids like ‘Tums’ or worse ‘Nexium’?

What to do

Try and do 10,000 steps per day.  Your first plan of attack is to take a Mg supplement because a pound to a penny, you will be deficient in this vital mineral and Mg will stabilize your BP before it gets out of hand.  Make sure you get plenty of exercise and eat unprocessed foods and do your own cooking when you can.  Take the dog for a walk, if you haven’t got a dog, perhaps you should adopt one and give him a home and you your life back.

No aspartame please!

Don’t consume artificial sweeteners like aspartame, don’t eat junk foods, plastic margarines and kick the sodas to the kerb!  Eat organic eggs, extra virgin olive oil (not for cooking), organic coconut oil or avocado oil which are better oils for cooking because they have a higher smoke point.  Avocado oil has a high smoke point of  271°C/520°F.

Don’t like avocado?

Many people don’t like avocados including me.  Luckily, this oil has a very pleasant aroma but seems to be pretty tasteless and I wouldn’t use anything else.

Start asking questions

I hope you have gained a little insight and are now starting to ask questions. Don’t leave your health to someone else.  They may be doctors but they can’t know everything. The medical professionals are also under strict rules.  If they go against protocol, they will be reprimanded. Those that buck the trend or don’t follow procedure, can actually lose their licence.  They are under a lot of pressure to conform, even if they know that what they have prescribed is not in your best interests.

Do your own research

The very best thing you can do to keep yourself healthy is to DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH! You know how you feel much more than any health professional.  Research your particular disease or condition and make an educated judgement on what and how you should be medicated.  Take pharmaceutical research and studies with a pinch of salt.  It is a known fact that much of it is fake, false or well massaged.  Seek independent research and make sure the researchers have no conflicts of interest.

Don’t be afraid

Don’t be afraid to question something you’re not sure of.  This is your body we’re talking about and you need to be very sure that what you put into it will not make you worse. Work with your medic and be sure you get the treatment that you know is right for you. Try and find nutritional methods that will not be toxic to your body.  Drugs should be a last resort when all else natural fails.

Spread the word!