Your body needs CoQ10

[bobaxford]

The Extensive Benefits of CoQ10 drjockers.com/extensive-bene… I prefer not to take pills or supplements if not absolutely necessary, but if statins deplete CoQ10 then this is surely a good reason to not take statins. Your comments appreciated.

[bobaxford]

drjockers.com/extensive-ben...

[IanGordon]

But if there are some benefits to be derived from statins then simply supplementing with COQ10 offsets the negative effect of the statins which not only suppress collesterol production by the liver but also this important enzyme which supports muscle build/repair.

[bobaxford in reply to IanGordon]

But if it is possible to control cholesterol by lifestyle changes isn’t this a preferable strategy? Statins have some side effects, I took them for 12 years and believe it gave me muscle cramps and fatigue. Since I changed my diet to a predominately whole food plant based Mediterranean style diet my cholesterol is now under control and the final reason I stopped taking them was the concern that they cut off the metabolic pathway to CoQ10 production. I now only take aspirin plus a vitamin D supplement.

[bobaxford in reply to IanGordon]

Ian, just read your posts and learn of your pending OH surgery on 1st May. My comments above relate to general steady state long term when nothing else is happening. In your case I would just focus on the basics of getting through the surgery and then rehab and getting back to normal. In my case I had a bypass 4 years ago and I know it takes a good few months after to resume normal activities, repair of the chest bone itself is one of the main reasons you will be taking things easy. Good luck, I would just concentrate on the medical experts and their best advice at this stage.

[IanGordon]

Thanks for your response, bobaxford. Cannot disagree with anything you say. Statins are a dilemma for me. I tend to dip in and out according to the last conversation/article. And pre-op not really maintaining any objectivity about how I feel or what is psychosomatic or symptomatic. Focus is essential and recovery with hopefully some degree of rewind on exercise capacity and tolerance. Was kind of leaning towards paleo but Forks over Knives has questioned that premise. So interested to hear of your dietary preference and relatively drug free lifestyle. Many thanks for your good wishes.

[bobaxford in reply to IanGordon]

Yes, it is very confusing and lots of dilemmas. I was first diagnosed in 2004 with ‘mild atherosclerosis’ put on beta blocker, Statin and aspirin and given a one sheet NHS recommended healthy diet of low fat. Gave up all junk food, cakes, biscuits etc thought I was lucky to catch it, but 9 years later it had progressed to needing a bypass! Quite a shock. I then got serious and found Caldwell Esselstyn and immediately adopted his recommendations. But honestly I recommend just taking things very easy, take the medical experts advice and get through the surgery first, you need lots of protein after surgery to build yourself back up. I recently went to a conference and it was all about LCHF so I am still very much learning. I would try and change too much at this stage, but 6 months post surgery the perhaps you can concentrate more on lifestyle changes. Best wishes.

[stevejb1810]

And guess what DrJockers is selling.....

Always be wary of anyone extolling the virtues of one supplement, especially if it’s what they sell. The long article just describes diseases of ageing and there is liberal use of might and may - common ploy in the face of a lack of hard evidence. CoQ10 is just the latest in a long line of supplements that get pushed as miracle this that or the other.

Statins are not without side effects, there isn’t a medication out there that is, but they are taken my millions of people worldwide and the metadata analysis always comes out showing that the benefits far out way the risks. Whether you take them or not is your decision, but the evidence suggests that they do a better job of managing cholesterol levels than the majority of people tend to, so pays your money ....

[moominvalley]

My cardiologist has ordered me to take 3 large doses of Co Enzyme Q10 a day to try and improve my function while in heart failure. I figure that it won't hurt to try, but it's not being pushed as a miracle drug, just the only thing i can take for now.

[Transformerman]

Interesting - last week I asked my GP surgery for analysis of the same CoQ10 to my next blood tests because I am curious as to whether some of my musculoskeletal pains are due to some kind of myopathy. I met with fierce resistance and was told that maybe the hospital lab would not do it. I will come off my statins if I don't get this information and will rely on diet to control my cholesterol loads.

[xr1450]

I have a VERY interesting story about my experience with Q10. I am away just now, and will take me a while to type it up, so if you dont hear from me for a few days can you send me a reminder in case I forget. It's really worth knowing.

[jimmyq]

I stopped the statins years ago but have been put back on them after having an occlusion in my eye. I am taking them so far. I too have started a wholefood, plant-based diet after watching "Forks Over Knives" and reading "How Not To Die" and I am hoping to get my cholesterol level down to get off the statins and to get off all the meds eventually.

[jimmyq]

I have been taking Co Q10 for years too but don't see that as a "med".

[lilymeg]

re CoQ10 - for me it comes down to a choice of dying faster if I don't take statins or living longer by pacing myself to cope with my medical problems and associated side effects. I prefer the mental challenges of dealing with my medical problems and still managing to enjoy life.

[bobaxford in reply to lilymeg]

I agree with your philosophy, but are you able to calculate roughly how much longer you are likely to live by taking statins. I am not trying to persuade you not to take them but some cardiologists such as Dr Aseem Malhotra quote research that seem to think how much longer you love is not that much more

[lilymeg]

G'day, I am 75. Until 1993 I led a very physically active life (including bushwalking for up to 2 weeks at a time, 4 kms walking/running 4 days per week, gardening, wood chopping, caving, XCskiiing, kayaking etc) despite having had a multitude of inconvenient medical problems since the age of 21. My mother's mantra re weight was 'eat everything in moderation and if perchance you find you have put on weight then eat the same food but halve your portions'. I lived by that and found that I only put on weight when I couldn't be physically active. However in 1996 I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, and my physical limitations have decreased over the years aided by past damage to joints and further medical problems. So to answer your question "Am I able to calculate how much longer I can live by taking statins?" my answer is no. Because it would be impossible for me or anyone to evaluate due to the fact that there are many other things that may end my life. I have blood that loves to clot (3 DVTs), I have had thyroid and breast cancer (unconnected) I have AT, microvascular cerebral disease, COPD, GORD, the bl**dy list goes on. I take so many pills that taking a small dose of statin is a minor issue for me. I tried going off the statins for 6 months, I observed a careful food intake, made no difference to my weight and my HDL level went up to 7.6. It is currently 5.1. I am on a blood thinner and have been so for many years. I occasionally remember Jim Fixx and his espousal of exercise. So I hark back to my mother with a favourite word of moderation - I am alive and still enjoying it - I try not to spend to much time on thinking about my health and try to keep up to date with health discoveries, views and trends. I'm not overly impressed by young Dr Aseem Malhotra but time will tell whether he is merely a shooting star.

cebm.net/2015/04/abandon-ex...

[bobaxford in reply to lilymeg]

Thank you, for sharing your health experiences and comments. Our individual bodies seem to be very much ‘luck of the draw’ and we are not in control of how they react. I continue to research to find answers, but unlikely to find the ultimate answer. As regards Dr Aseem Malhotra I have seen him talk a few times and I know he can be seen as controversial. He voices a viewpoint that is often not heard in the mainstream medical establishment but essentially it is against unnecessary sugar and as he puts it “you can’t outrun a bad diet” - I don’t think we can disagree with this mantra.

[lilymeg]

Totally agree about a bad diet and I also agree that too much sugar is detrimental not forgetting too much carbohydrate and too much of the wrong sort of fat. Happy hunting for answers M y father and my grandfather were diabetic - not me !

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hi Bob

Dr Aseem Malhotra has a private practice at Harley St in London. He very much profits from his views charging approx £ 400 a consultation

What about genetics, pollution, environmental factors and epigenetics these all play their part.

It is not just about how long we live but the quality of those days lived