If I only knew...

So I am getting older, but I am not old!  This sudden realization is a daily understanding when I take my pills to stave off atherosclerosis especially my cholesterol lowering pill called “Lipitor.” 

As a physician , I am one of the many that extol the life saving benefits of this class of medication called statins.   They normalize cholesterol, but more importantly keep vulnerable plaque from rupturing and occluding a coronary artery causing a heart attack.   Most patients should probably be taking a statin to prolong their life and diminish the potential for acute coronary events.

However there are side effects, especially those nasty myalgias i.e., muscle soreness or achiness especially the calf cramps.   Other potential problems include myopathies, rhabdomyolysis (renal failure/florid muscle breakdown), gastrointestinal symptoms, liver injury, cataracts, neuropathy, and even the progression of neoplasia in some circumstances.

CoQ10 sometimes referred to as Ubiquinone or Vitamin Q is a naturally-occring compound found in every cell in the body.  Its alternate name i.e., ubiquinone, comes from the word ubiquinone, which means “found everywhere.” It plays a key role in producing energy in the mitochondria, the part of a cell responsible for the production of energy in the form of ATP.  However statins or other cholesterol lowering medication have been associated with CoQ10 depletion.  t.   Statins interfere with the Krebs cycle and deplete CoQ10.

Now thinking about Trimcare, we have lots of patients on “statins.”  The above side effects are fairly frequent amongst our cohort of patients.  The best method for identifying these nutritional deficiencies is to ask for the Spectracell Test.  This specialized testing allows us to identify multiple nutritional deficiencies and allow for earlier detection and correction of these “nutritional neuropathies.”  Thinking outside the box is a hallmark of Trimcare. 

Check us out on the web @ www.trimcare.com.   Now offering the Spectracell Comprehensive Profile for $400.00.  If you’re taking a cholesterol pill and suffering from those nasty calf cramps, ask about our special pricing on Ubiquinone or CoQ10.  Remember too that Ubiquinone or CoQ10 may help in the treatment of Fibromyalgia.   Live long enough and have a big reading list and you might know some really interesting medical facts.