Are you worried about your cholesterol levels? What is high cholesterol? Have you had to change your diet because you’ve been advised to lower your high cholesterol?
Have you been prescribed a statin drug to lower your cholesterol? Have you been taking one of these drugs for a while now? Do you know what this drug is and how it works in your body? Do you have regular tests to check your liver function? Do you suffer with any muscle aches or pains? Have you actually got heart disease? If the answer to the last question is no, you may want to stop taking statins.
Dyslipidemia
Research has discovered that there are different kinds of cholesterol which the public has now catagorized into ‘good’ cholesterol and ‘bad’ cholesterol. Abnormally low or high fatty complexes in the blood is generally referred to as ‘dyslipidemia’. It is more to do with the balance of these different lipids rather than just high cholesterol. To put it simply, dyslipidemia is having too little HDL (high density lipoproteins) or good cholesterol against having too high levels of LDL (low density lipoproteins), VLDL (very low density lipoproteins) and TG (triglycerides) or bad cholesterol.
A threat for decades
The threat of high cholesterol has troubled us for decades. We’ve been told time and time again to reduce our fat intake and stop eating certain foods, such as eggs and butter, or else! The thing is, all these cholesterols which I mentioned above, are naturally inside the body. The unwanted type is cholesterol that is oxidized. It is not normal for cholesterol to be bound with oxygen. This oxidization comes from eating unhealthy processed foods. Pesticides, fluoride and other pollutants will also cause oxidation of cholesterol in the body.
How cholesterol increases
Cholesterol increases insidiously. You can’t feel it and there are no visible signs, but you will increase oxidized cholesterol with a junk diet, smoking, too much alcohol, no exercise and worst of all stress. Now stress is something we all have to suffer in this modern day but we do have control over what we put into our bodies and how much exercise we take. As for the stress, we can control that too, to a certain extent.
When did it all start?
So when did this preoccupation with cholesterol all start. Well supposedly, way back in the early 20th century when two Russian researchers experimented with cholesterol. They gave it to a batch of rabbits to see what would happen. The rabbits soon became sick with yellow sticky grot that clogged up their arteries. This was the beginning of a misleading and deceptive saga, all because there was one important fact that was ignored.
What was missed?
Because of this omission, it was assumed that cholesterol was the cause of coronary artery disease. But the cholesterol they fed the rabbits was in fact pure crystalline cholesterol that was dissolved in vegetable oil. This crystalline cholesterol is a substance that the body cannot use. It is now known as oxycholesterol and is not found in fresh food or in a healthy human body.
Cholesterol is not the problem.
Prof. Fred A Kummerow, emeritus professor of comparative biosciences at the University of Illinois (USA). Kummerow has spent over six decades studying lipid biochemistry trying to explain the primary causes of heart disease. He says: “The research conducted in my laboratory, demonstrated that cholesterol is not a problem unless it is oxidized. The reason for cholesterol being such a risk factor in heart disease is based on studies that used oxidized cholesterol”
Oxidized cholesterol is the problem
Dr Diana Schwarzbein MD, an endocrinologist of 25 years standing says: “It is interesting to note that only oxidized fats and oxidized cholesterol are found in arterial plaque. Non-oxidized fats and cholesterol do not accumulate in plaque………..Oxidized fats are abundant in our modern diet. Processed vegetable oils are particularly bad. These refined oils have been stripped of the natural antioxidants that protect them from oxidation and free-radical generation.”
Blame the research!
Researching with oxycholesterol is what has led to the misconception that cholesterol causes coronary heart disease. The cholesterol scare has put the wind up the general public especially when doctors concur the threat. This is now big business for the medical profession and of course, Big Pharma who are gaining massive profits from all the drugs produced to reduce cholesterol. Then there are the food companies touting their margarines, vegetable oils and cholesterol lowering products.
Consider yourself hoodwinked!
I think we can all feel well and truly hoodwinked. We have been led to believe that cholesterol is bad for your health. Millions of patients are now on these cholesterol reducing statin drugs. What do these drugs do? They target a specific enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase. This enzyme is necessary to produce cholesterol and is naturally regulated by the body using Magnesium (Mg) in conjunction with ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Mg is necessary to produce ATP and with adequate Mg in the body, the inhibition of this enzyme takes place when necessary, stopping or reducing production in accordance with bodily needs. If there is a deficiency of Mg, then the enzyme is not controlled and cholesterol will be increased. So in effect, Mg is a natural statin.
With statins, however, the whole process is blocked and cholesterol is lowered. The problem is, the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase is necessary for other bodily processes, so stopping it completely, has far reaching repercussions. Statins are known to disturb liver function and those on the drug have to have regular check-ups to test for liver damage. Another side effect is statin myopathy, a condition that damages muscles. This can lead to muscle cell death called rhabdomyolysis.
Another problem is that some statins contain fluoride molecules which are toxic. These molecules bind to Mg which will contribute to the muscle pain as Mg levels get depleted further because of the drug. Statins also inhibit the production of Coenzyme Q10. This is found in considerable proportions in the mitochondria and is an important fat-soluble antioxident. Lowering both CoQ10 and Mg in the mitochondria exacerbate muscle damage (myopathy) and also produce nerve damage (neuropathy).
What does a cardiologist say?
Dr Stephen Sinatra, an eminent cardiologist says: “Statin drugs can have horrific side effects. I’ve seen side effects across the board. I’ve seen weakness of the limbs, weakness of the hands. I’ve seen almost like a pre-Alzheimer’s condition where people literally forget who they are. We call it, “total global amnesia.” I’ve seen difficulty with vision, I’ve seen liver problems, I’ve seen kidney problems, polyneuropathy-I’ve seen it all. Why? Because I’m a cardiologist and I see the side effects of statins that other physicians give patients and they come to me to get them off statins and they use lifestyle changes instead.”
It’s money driven madness!
Cholesterol is essential for our existance. We could not procreate without it. Sex hormones and stress hormones are made from cholesterol. It creates cell membranes and protects and insulates nerves. This fatty insulation makes up the majority of our brain tissue. It is essential for our digestive process and helps us absorb fat. Without it our bones would turn to pulp because you would be unable to produce vitamin D from sunshine and thus could not absorb calcium. Cholesterol is absolutely essential for life, so why do we want to get rid of it. It’s madness!
This is the science
I want to finish this article by comparing what statin drugs do versus what magnesium does, specifically in relation to controlling cholesterol: This is a table taken from ‘The Magnesium Factor’ a book by Mildred S Seelig MD and Andrea Rosanoff Ph.D.
A Comparison of the Physiological Effects of Magnesium and Statin Drugs
Effect Statin Drugs Magnesium
Target Enzyme HMG-CoA reductase only HMG-CoA reductase and LCAT*
Effect on enzyme Inhibits or poisons Regulates and controls
Lowers ‘bad’ cholesterol Yes Yes
Raises ‘good’ cholesterol Sometimes Yes
Prevents clot formation Yes Yes
Reduces Inflammation Yes Yes
Slows and prevents
atherosclerotic plaques Yes Yes
Raises liver enzymes
above normal Yes No
Can cause myopathy Yes Prevents myopathy
Many side effects Yes No
*LCAT (Lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase) – an enzyme that converts LDL into HDL
which magnesium activates.
Scare tactics
The claims that natural cholesterol will kill you are scare tactics and plain bad science, or shall I say, biochemistry. Our biochemistry and how it works is science based, it has been proven. All that Big Pharma has proven is that there is no proof that statins do anything for cholesterol, other than fill their coffers and give you side effects.
Get off your bum!
By the way, if you are consuming margarines or other products supposedly good for your health and reducing cholesterol, ditch them now! If you want to be healthy start eating healthily. Go for healthy fresh foods and unadulterated fats and you will be fine. Don’t eat rubbish, get off the sofa and take the dog for a walk. Ditch the junk food, dump the sodas and give yourself a break!
Postscript
In June of 2015, the FDA confirmed that they were giving trans fats a designation of NOT “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) and that all trans fats were to be removed from processed foods within three years ie. 2018. You can thank Prof Kummerow for this move as he has been working tirelessly since 1957 to get the law changed regarding trans fats and oxycholesterols. He is now 101 years old and still working!
Check your food labels
Look out for hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils on your food labels. Even if it says trans fats are zero, the FDA has kept a loophole for the manufacturers by saying any amount under half a gram per serving can be classed as zero trans fats. Here is a typical label showing what I mean.
Free Sample
Calling all those living in the UK – I am giving free samples of Mg to those who want to try it. I’m sorry but I can only afford to do this for those in the UK.
Email me at ches@psmicrographs.co.uk with your name and address and I will forward you a sample gratis. It will take a few days to get to you because I will use 2nd class post to reduce costs. Here’s an opportunity to test Mg for yourself. If you suffer from any of these magnesium deficiency symptoms then this could be for you. Ches
Thank you for your well-researches article about high cholesterol! I have always been concerned with the vegetable oils and fats that we ate as a kid. I was determined to not let those same eating habits continue in my adult life.
Your information about magnesium is interesting. I knew that magnesium is linked to so many body function issues that arise, but did not realize the role it truly plays in helping with high cholesterol.
Thanks for dropping by and giving us your input. Yes, Mg plays an important part in cholesterol which I don’t think too many people realise, not even our medics! Ches
Thanks for your in-depth article about high cholesterol. I’ve been telling my friends and family about the dangers of hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils for years. They don’t listen.
I remember as a kid everyone used Crisco which promoted itself as healthy vegetable oil. We ate it by the tub and cans of it were stacked to the ceiling in the grocery store.
We now know Crisco is pure hydrogenated vegetable oil. I’m surprised I’m still alive.
Hi Gary and thanks for reading the article about high cholesterol. Isn’t it amazing how people will not take any notice of something that is really obvious when you look at the science. I don’t know why it is, all I know is that these kinds of oils are lethal. As you now know the dangers, I’m sure your health can only go from strength to strength. Hopefully, you will be able to persuade your friends and family not to consume these noxious oils.
I have been trying to convince one of my close relatives about the effects of taking statins when he has not had any heart events. He just won’t listen and insists that his doctor must know best. Trouble is, doctors listen and take notice of peruasive pharmaceutical companies who have profits in mind rather than health. What more can I do? What’s the saying ‘you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink’! Ches
I would never have thought that there were so many things behind cholesterol. I’m so happy that I came across your article. It has helped me learn a lot. I will also be forwarding this article on to some of my friends and co-workers who suffer from Cholesterol so they can also learn about the facts.
I’m so pleased Reyhana that you found the article informative and useful. Your friends will definitely benefit from knowing these scientifically proved facts. Knowledge is power! Ches
For myself, I have zero use for the drug companies as they want your money, and they’re willing to kill you slowly for it with bad drugs.
Mother nature has everything balanced and in proper proportions. If you take natural cures, your body can deal with it but when they produce the drugs they use extractions that are no longer balanced and these cause many side effects as the body can not deal with them.
It’s like when you need calcium your body it also requires about 33% magnesium to help break it down in the body or your body will not absorb it. Our natural foods are balanced, but the drugs are not.
Thank you for your comments and input Travis. I’m with your about the drug companies and the sooner they’re put in their place the better. As for calcium, it really is a dangerous mineral to take without enough magnesium to keep it in check. A 1:1 ratio Ca:Mg, is a balance to aim for, but with the amount of Ca in our food, as apposed to the meagre amount of Mg, this is a difficult ask. Ches
This is a fantastic article which has opened up my eyes. I have always suspected the big pharma companies as they often produce drugs which have a detrimental effect on our bodies.
My grandma is using prescription pills which are causing her more harm than good.
If we were only more aware of magnesium then fewer people would have to suffer.
Thanks for sharing this information
Ryan
Thanks for your comments and input Ryan. Perhaps you can persuade your grandma to look again at her prescription drugs. She could very well be Mg deficient and a supplement may be of great benefit to her. Have a look at Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms. and see if she has any of the conditions mentioned here. Ches
Hi Ches,
This is such a great well-informed article. My husband had a blood test which showed higher than normal cholesterol levels and he freaked right out until I was able to explain to him about good cholesterol. I think people are too often prescribed medications to lower blood pressure, or cholesterol for example which tend to then exacerbate the original problem which was caused by magnesium deficiency in the first place. This can be fixed so easily by a simple over the counter magnesium supplement.
I am not in the UK unfortunately, but just curiously, what sort of magnesium do you promote with your samples?
Thanks for the awesome article, Kris
Hi there Kris and thanks for the positive comments and your input. Your husband may be comforted to know that as many people with ‘normal’ cholesterol die of heart disease than those with ‘higher’ cholesterol levels. You are so right about over prescribed medications, when a natural nutrient will do the job better and with no side effects. Be wary of your OTC supplements because many use low quality and low bioavailability minerals. Mg Oxide is a prime example which is at most 4% bioavailable. As for Calcium Carbonate, you’d be better off going in the garden and eating a rock than taking this supplement. Don’t take Ca supplements at all, you should get enough Ca from your food as it is abundant. The most bioavailable Mg is Chloride taken in solution or in tablet form. I personally prefer the solution because it can be put in your drinking water throughout the day and it has the advantage of keeping you hydrated as well! Dr Dean’s ReMag or Ionic Magnesium are two good quality supplements. As for our samples, we produce these here in the UK. We supply the local community but we do not sell it as a brand, although the ingredients are very much identical to ReMag and Ionic Magnesium. Ches
This is the sort of information I have been looking for. Both my husband and I have been diagnosed with High Cholesterol and high blood pressure and diabetes. I am not taking any meds for these but my husband is. He does take statins too. He suffers really badly from sore aching muscles in his legs feet and hands and arms and well I could say his whole body. I have previously told him about him being deficient in Magnesium and started making sure that I gave him a multivitamin every day that has helped a little bit. But armed with this information from your article, I am now convinced that the both of us would benefit from taking Magnesium. Thanks.
Andi.
Hi there Andi and thanks for your input. I’m sorry to hear of your husband’s health problems. Has your husband got heart disease? If not, he needs to come off statins. If he is getting these muscle side effects, a good magnesium supplement will reduce his pain and rid him of these symptoms. Take Mg Chloride solution such as ReMag or Ionic Magnesium. This is the most bio available supplement. If you’re in the UK, I can send you a free sample to get you going. Has your husband got any memory problems? This is another symptom of statins. Multi vits. often have poor quality Mg in them like Mg oxide which is very poorly absorbed. Mg is also a natural calcium channel blocker and will reduce hypertension. It will also help with diabetes symptoms. You are both going to be very Mg deficient with diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. My email is ches@psmicrographs.co.uk if you want to write to me for some free Mg Chloride. Ches
Great and really helpful article! Adding to the conversation, I think that we should be educate ourselves on the sources of both bad and good cholesterol. On the same topic, I was also wondering if a low cholesterol diet is really healthy, as we do need the good ones to be healthy too.
Hi Lily and thanks for the comment. If you eat fresh healthy food and ditch the junk and sodas, you won’t need to worry about your cholesterol. Your body needs cholesterol, so if your cholesterol is too low, that’s as bad as it being too high. The trick is balancing the different kinds of cholesterol and this will be done by your body naturally, if you give it good nutrition and healthy fresh foods. Ches
This is fantastic information.
I remember just assuming all cholesterol was bad until I had it checked and was told that it was the ratio of good to bad cholesterol that mattered and mine was fine (both were high but the ratio was good).
The fact that so many people take drugs unnecessarily is tragic – especially when those drugs have worse side effects than they are fixing.
I think this is the case with more prescirption drugs than we care to admit. But it makes pharmaceutical companies billions so it’s hard to get the right information when so much mis-information is being circulated.
Posts like this are great in informing people of the dangers of unnecessary prescription medicine.
Thanks for your comments Nathan and your overall input. You are so right about getting this kind of information out to the general population. They can then make their own informed choice regarding their own health. Because of widespread corruption, depending on the medical profession and mistakingly thinking that Big Pharma have your best interests at heart, is not good for your health. Be in control, I say and use the medics as backups for when you really do need a prescription drug. Ches
Hello there Ches,
Wow what a great article! I know that processed foods are super unhealthy. I’ve taken steps to eliminate these from my diet. You did point out something that I did not know about. That the fluoride contributes to the oxidation of cholesterol. Very interesting. Good to know that I’ve eliminated all of these factors from my diet including fluoride. I knew that fluoride is very toxic and inhibits function of the pineal gland.
It’s also very surprising to see that they actually put fluoride molecules in the statin drugs! Big pharma seems to be only concerned with making money while they are killing people. Wow. I know this article will help lots of people make a more natural and holistic choice over choosing to take a drug that can affect you like this. Thank you so much for this informative article!
Sincerely,
Jeanette
Thank you for your kind comments Jeanette and your input. I feel really upbeat when someone like yourself, writes a comment telling of how they have changed their diet and dumped the junk. You’ve obviously been doing some research about fluoride too! Well done you and I hope you’re spreading the word. I suspect your family are also getting the benefit of your knowledge, so you are securing their health for their future too. Great stuff!
You are right to be concerned about Big Pharma’s money orientated policies. The public are just their means of increasing their bank balance. Ches