Miracle Drugs and Reality

This is for those who want a balanced point of view. Pharmaceutical companies promote their drugs as “the miracle drug you cannot live without” and sometimes this is the case. However, this is only part of the picture. The picture should include the side effects of drugs. In the past, medical reports gave us hope and expectations that, for example, horse estrogens, progestins, etc. were the answer to hot flashes, osteoporosis, heart disease, and even Alzheimer's disease; now more studies confirm what was evident early on—that they can increase a woman's risk of cancer and heart disease.  This information was known about some 25 years ago!

The drug companies entice us with their reports about “miracle” drugs, but no one explains the downside, the potentially harmful side effects. People should be apprised of the potential downside. The statin drug Baycol was eventually banned because it caused so many cases of liver failure. Other similar statin-type cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as Zocor, Lipitor, Mevacor, and Pravachol are still being widely used. These are still on the market. Heavy use of Tylenol (acetaminophen) shows a risk of kidney failure. Many people are at risk on medical drugs—unbeknown to them.

The Journal of the American Medical Association says there are more than 100,000 deaths annually from prescription drugs. That's more than died in Vietnam! Obviously this is not a small problem.

The basic question is— do we put all our emphasis and hope on drugs, or do we look for better ways to increase our health? Disease prevention is one of the goals of Abundant Living Information Services. A healthy diet and lifestyle are key influences on heart disease, degenerative diseases, and other health risks. These are practically ignored by the medical field. Cholesterol can be lowered by eating more vegetables and less sugar, fewer simple carbohydrates, and bad fats. There are also cholesterol-lowering supplements, such as garlic, chromium, niacin, and phytosterols.

Statin-type drugs have a down side. The way they lower cholesterol is by choking off the body's production of HMG-CoA Reductase, an action that can lower cholesterol, but which also suppresses the production of CoQ-10. CoQ-10 is important to the body—it keeps your heart healthy, neutralizes free-radial damage to cells, and reduces cancer risk. Decreased CoQ-10 is a reason why liver disease and heart failure can both be side effects of statins.

Is this really all true? Yes. The drug companies have known all about these things for at least 15 years. One of the world's largest companies, Merck, owns patents with CoQ-10 being an ingredient in their drug Zocor. You can find CoQ10 in your health food store plus additional information on health maintenance.

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