Lots of us take statins: they are the drugs usually prescribed to help us get that bad cholesterol down. And they work really well. But here’s an article from the UK that questions whether we shouldn’t be focusing more on lifestyle than drugs, especially among younger people.
There’s no doubt statins have reduced the chances of heart attack and stroke. This article by Barbara Lantin quotes findings that about 7,000 lives were saved in Britain in a recent year from the use of these drugs. Side effects seem to be moderate to non-existent. So why not put them in the water supply?
The article suggests these drugs may be appropriate more for older people. The author quotes Tom Sanders, a professor of nutrition, as saying they might be prescribed for almost everyone over 60 since age is a major risk factor for heart disease. But the final word on long term side effects is not in yet (and may never be, given the nature of these issues), and there is reason to believe that people should continue to avoid needing statins by pursuing a healthy lifestyle to keep cholesterol low, beginning at a young age.
Certainly, statins have proved their worth, and no one should ignore their physician’s advice to use them. But as in most of these kinds of issues, following a healthy lifestyle aggressively is indicated as the path of prevention, which is always preferable.
Is it too late for you to avoid statins? We can’t say: talk to your doctor. But whatever, sticking to your healthy lifestyle routines will help.
May 31st, 2006
From little Peel, Ontario is a local program based on the notion that parents’ healthy lifestyles teach their kids to be the same way. The “3 pillars” of health will be familiar to you: healthly eating, physically active lifestyle and positive self esteem. They present some research (click here) that children of active parents are much more likely to be active themselves.
May 31st, 2006
This is sort of old news, based on a report released by the American Cancer Society in June 2005. But it is GOOD news for you if you have a healthy lifestyle: Your good diet, non-smoking, exercise and moderation in all things is helping prevent breast cancer (and it’s good for you guys anyway). The study is reviewed again in Prevention.com.
May 24th, 2006
A study by researchers at UCLA found that healthy lifestyle changes–including nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, and memory exercises–helped improve brain functioning. Study participants showed lower metabolism in the working memory regions of the brain as measured in before and after tests via positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Positive changes in the brain began in only 14 days. The study was reported in the American Journal for Geriatric Psychiatry, and summarized in Eurekalert online.
May 23rd, 2006
Another issue with mixed messages is whether Glucosamine HCL with Chondroitin sulfate can help to reduce chronic pain of osteoarthritis. A recent study in the New England J of Medicine was mostly reported in the press as finding that Glucosamine Chondroitin combination was not effective against joint pain (knee joint). In fact, the authors state that it may be effective among people with moderate-to-severe pain. When you look at the data, study participants who took the Glucosamine Chondroitin combination had more pain reduction than people who took Celebrex or either of the supplements alone. The combination is still a good choice to try to reduce joint pain.
–Roger Sargent
May 22nd, 2006
More research reported in the New England Journal of Medicine on whether calcium plus vitamin D supplement can help reduce bone fractures. According to the authors, the results are mixed (see abstract), but a close look at the data shows a 29% reduction in hip fractures among women who followed the supplement regimen. This study won’t be the last word, but it lends support for the continued use of calcium/vitamin D supplements.
–Roger Sargent
May 22nd, 2006
