Statin drugs and their side effects

Scientific evidence shows that high doses of certain statins may cause side effects varies depending on the type of drug, dosage and the level of immunity of patients taking statins. Among the side effects include:

• Muscle diseases - such as myopathy, characterized by an increased sensitivity of muscle enzyme creatine kinase due to the increase caused by long-term treatment of statins.
• In particularly serious cases of myopathy leads to rhabdomyolysis - a disease in which muscle cells are destroyed, releasing the protein myoglobin, which causes irreversible damage to the kidneys. For most people, the outcome is fatal. The first symptoms of rhabdomyolysis - a dark or red urine, constant fatigue.
• Memory loss.
• Insomnia.
• Muscle weakness, leading in turn to neuropathy, accompanied by numbness or tingling in the extremities. If left untreated, it leads to complications and eventually paralysis.
• Mood swings Mood swings in women - bad character or a disease? .

If statins observed at least one of the above symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor.

The natural alternative to statins

Since the side effects of statins is facing a growing number of people, many patients suffering from heart disease or high cholesterol, prefer a natural alternative to statins - so-called natural statins, contained in a number of products.

Natural statins in food

Vitamin C: not so long ago, medical studies have shown that the level of vitamin C directly affects the risk of diseases of the cardiovascular system of the person. Ascorbic acid is vitamin C - an effective natural statin which acts as an inhibitor in the increased production of low density lipoprotein cholesterol. Vitamin C is found in many fresh fruit - for example in citrus. In particularly serious cases, the optimal dose of vitamin can be obtained by special supplements Food additives - basic classification   with vitamin C.

Vitamin B3 (niacin): water-soluble vitamin B3 - a very powerful natural statin contained in cereals, milk, meat, vegetables. Niacin normalizes cholesterol, stimulating the production of high-density lipoprotein.

Herbs: some plants are considered effective natural statins. Among them:

• Garlic: regular consumption of garlic Garlic health: almost a panacea , Known for its pungent smell and taste, helps normalize cholesterol levels. Garlic - so powerful natural statin that the first effect of its use can be seen after 4-12 weeks. Garlic inhibits the production of low-density lipoproteins and reduces the amount of cholesterol in the vessels.
• Commifora Mukul: otherwise known as guggul or Arabian myrtle, a plant is a source of healing resins maintain normal levels of low density lipoprotein and high-density lipoproteins, and lowers cholesterol. Buy Commifora can be in the form of tablets or capsules.
• Canadian goldenseal (curcumin): regular consumption of this little-known natural statin effectively solves many problems of the cardiovascular system and also helps the liver to process excess cholesterol and lowers the level of cholesterol in the blood.

The fibrous food: regular consumption of cereals - oats and barley Barley - a clear sign of impaired immunity And some fibrous fruits and vegetables such as beans, carrots, apples, avocados, berries - plays an important role in lowering cholesterol. Fibrous foods acts as a natural statins, carrying excess cholesterol in the intestines and not allowing it to circulate in the blood and thicken.

Fish oil and flax seeds: The American Heart Association recommends regular consumption of fish oil to lower cholesterol and triglycerides. Fish oil is considered one of the most effective natural statins because it contains omega-3 lipid regulating production. Flax seeds - another powerful natural statin having a similar amount of omega-3. The required amount of fish oil in the diet can be turned on by eating fatty meat fish - salmon, mackerel and other species.

The extract of red fermented rice: red rice fermentation product, an extract of the once widely used in Asian cooking as a colorant and flavoring. Later, however, it was found that a by-product of fermentation, monacolin K, helps to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels. In some countries, however, the sale of natural statin prohibited.

Polikazanol: Polikazanol - another powerful natural statin, it is gradually becoming more popular. The source polikazanola acts sugarcane. Polikazanol available in capsule form and has many advantages, preventing thrombus formation, regulating blood pressure, and reducing the level of LDL. Furthermore, polikazanol used for weight control in obese.

Product fermented soybean: fermented soybean products such as tofu, miso and tempeh also perform the role of natural and statins lower cholesterol.

What genetically modified foods and how they are produced

Genetically modified (GM) or call such transgenic organisms in which genes are present transplanted from other plant species or animals. This is to ensure that the plant failed to receive any other additional properties, such as resistance to some diseases, pests, and so on. You can improve the taste of such plants to prolong their shelf life, increase productivity and more.

Genetically modified plants are obtained in the laboratory. To do this, first isolated a gene required for the transplant of some plant or animal, and then transplanted it into a plant cell whose properties you want to improve. For example, in the United States to enhance the stability of strawberries frost in its cells transplanted genes fish living in the northern seas. All genetically modified plants are tested for biological and food safety.

In our country, the production of genetically modified foods is prohibited, but allowed them to import from abroad and selling. Therefore, the shelves can be seen a variety of products made from genetically modified soy cheese, soy milk powder, ice cream, protein products for athletes and so on. Also allowed the import of genetically-modified varieties of potatoes and two maize varieties.

Benefits and harms

The benefits of such products is obvious: they solve many of the issues on the supply of agricultural products of the world's population. The problem is that the world population is growing, while the area of ​​land used for growing vegetables and cereals, not only did not increase, but decreased. The cultivation of genetically modified plants allows, without increasing the agricultural land, significantly increase (sometimes several times) crop production. These products are easier to grow, so they are cheaper.

Despite the fact that the consumption of genetically modified foods has many enemies, some of their negative effects on the human body has not been confirmed by any serious experiment. Rather, these products are allowed to escape over time from various toxic substances (chemicals) are currently used in the cultivation of various agricultural plants. This allows today to reduce the number of chronic (especially allergic) diseases, disorders of immunity Immunity - types and characteristics in children in adults   and so on.

But biologists do not deny that no one knows how to use genetically modified products can affect the health of people in a few generations. This experiment may hold only time, and the first results will be known in a few decades.

What are genetically modified products can be seen in the store

Most often in the store can be found genetically modified (GM) soy products, potatoes, corn, rapeseed. In addition, there are meat, fish, vegetables, fruits and some other products. GM plants can be part of sausages, vegetable oil, margarine, mayonnaise, ice cream, bakery and confectionery products, candies (including chocolate), baby food.

All of these products have exactly the same taste as usual, but are cheaper. And there would be nothing wrong in selling them, provided that they have indicated that it is genetically modified products. In this case, a person could decide for himself: it is cheaper to buy GM products or expensive conventional. But despite the fact that the hygiene requirements in our country provide for the mandatory presence of this kind of information (if GM products are 0, 9% or more of the total product), it is virtually present in the GM products is not always the case.

All genetically modified foods come from abroad, mostly from the United States, where their production and sale are not restricted in any way. Genetically modified plants and organisms use to produce their products, companies such as Nestle (chocolate, coffee, baby food), Hershis (chocolate, soft drinks), Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola (sweet carbonated drinks), McDonald's (fast food restaurants) , Danone (dairy products, baby food), Similac (baby food) and a few others.

Today, it found that genetically modified foods do not cause direct harm to the human body, but this fact has not yet been tested by time.

Galina Romanenko