Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
You’ve probably heard about the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, but what do you know about DHA? Learn all about why this nutrient is important for brain development from Amanda Williams, MPH.
As we age, our muscles can begin to lose strength, leading to issues such as frailty syndrome. HMB is a powerful nutrient that has been shown for its ability to support muscle mass in people as they age, as well as in athletes.
statin drugs
InViteⓇ Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Jerry Hickey, Ph.
Subscribe Today!
Clogged arteries in the heart are very dangerous. It’s called coronary heart disease and it’s a really scary condition. They give statin drugs in an attempt to prevent this and it is helpful.†
Statin drugs are cholesterol-lowering therapy. They’re used in patients with a history of heart disease, but they’re also used in people with clean arteries to help prevent it. When you lower a type of cholesterol called LDL, there’s a relationship to not building up plaque in the arteries. This plaque leads to horrible things like strokes and heart attacks.†
What exactly is the plaque and what is it doing? It’s thickening and stiffening the blood vessels in the heart. It is made out of cholesterol, mostly LDL. Arteries are bigger blood vessels that take the oxygen-rich blood from the lungs and the heart and deliver it all over the body. This allows oxygen to reach the brain, muscles, organs and tissues. Even though the heart is pumping blood, it also needs its own blood supply. The heart also has its own arteries that are actually smaller and like veins. When they get thickened and stiffened with deposits of cholesterol, it’s very dangerous. This is where statin drugs come to the rescue, to a certain degree.†
The problem with statin drugs is that they tend to interfere with a number of really important nutritional supplements. Most of the symptoms of problems with using a statin are related to the lowering level of important nutrients.†
One thing that happens with statin drugs, and it’s dose-dependent, is problems with your mitochondria. In other words, statins can short-circuit energy production. There are a number of studies showing that statins can lead to fatigue, muscle cramps and a drop in endurance and stamina. One reason why statins can affect your muscles and your nerves is if you lower your cholesterol too much. You need cholesterol for the health of your muscles and nerves.†
This also occurs because you are disrupting energy formation. It seems to block the ability to recycle energy. Every day, we recycle our energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). It is recycled by something called creatine monohydrate, which is a very safe nutritional supplement that’s been used by bodybuilders and athletes for decades, as well as in patients with heart failure and for memory and brain energy in elderly people. Studies have shown that creatine also helps to make the body’s shuttle for energy function properly to allow for energy recycling. Statin drugs can inhibit an enzyme that prevents the body from recycling energy properly and this leads to muscle pain. I mix beta-hydroxy-beta methylbutyrate (HMB) with creatine and whey protein in elderly to help support muscle strength, balance, coordination and mobility.†
ATP: THE ENERGY ATM MACHINE OF THE BODY – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 255. Listen Now>>
Vitamin D is also involved. There are a number of studies now that show if the Vitamin D in your blood is below 30, you have a much higher risk of having muscle pain and muscle inflammation when on a statin. If you’re using a statin or know someone who is, you want to get your Vitamin D levels above 30. This is also important for supporting your immune defenses and respiratory health.†
There is also evidence that statin drugs reduce the level of many nutrients in your body and that’s not a good thing. You don’t have to stop the statin, but you do have to replete the nutrients that you’re losing. For instance, statins deplete lutein, an orange-red pigment from vegetables that is needed for vision and memory. Statins also lower Vitamin K, which is needed for your heart health and bone strength, as well as ubiquinol, which is needed for the power of your heart and muscles and your energy in general. There is evidence that statins lower fish oils, so I tell people on statins to take Krill Oil.†
In this episode, Jerry Hickey, Ph. discusses statin drugs, a commonly-prescribed medication often used for heart health and cholesterol levels. He explains that while these drugs are important, they can also negatively impact other important nutrients in the body.†
Key Topics:
Thank you for tuning in to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast. You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at InViteⓇ Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the InViteⓇ Health Podcast.
Many people deal with obsessive compulsive thoughts and behaviors that impact their everyday lives. This may be related to OCD. Learn more about this condition and nutrients that may help from Amanda Williams, MPH.
Do you know which nutrients your body needs before and after you exercise? It can depend on the person. Learn about some important nutrients for energy production and muscle recovery from Amanda Williams, MPH.
iron
InViteⓇ Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Amanda Williams, MPH
Subscribe Today!
You’ve probably heard of iron deficient anemia, but are you as familiar with iron overload, also known as hemochromatosis? This is certainly a problematic condition that is actually genetic. It is the most common autosomal recessive disease in the world. It’s estimated that 1 out of every 300 people have hemochromatosis. I want to talk about this in some detail and what you can be doing if you happen to have iron overload.†
Hemochromatosis is an abnormal accumulation of iron that goes to other organs, including the brain and liver, and creates a toxicity. One of the biggest problems is that roughly 75% of people who have hemochromatosis are generally asymptomatic and they don’t even know that they have this issue.†
Some of the early symptoms that many people can experience are things like fatigue. Generally, when we think about fatigue, we think about iron deficient anemia, but the same thing can happen when we have iron overload. We can also look at some arthritic symptoms that occur with constant pain in the joints. In men, you may also see issues with sexual health and being impotent. Hemochromatosis is more common in men than it is in women. It affects men about two to three times more often as it does women. Women who have iron overload often become symptomatic later in life than men.†
We know that there are many different nutrients that have been shown to help regulate iron levels. Vitamin C is an iron binder, so if someone has hemochromatosis, they have to be careful with how much Vitamin C they’re actually supplementing with or taking in through their diet.†
Things like lactoferrin are really, really helpful when it comes to binding and removing excess iron. Where do we find lactoferrin in a very high amount? In colostrum. We carry colostrum, so if someone is known to have this problem with high iron stores, then it would be advantageous to include colostrum into your daily routine.†
There have also been studies looking at green tea, as well as grape seed extract, to help with the prevention of iron overload. One study at Georgia State University looked at these nutrients in relation to hereditary hemochromatosis. They found that when they looked at utilizing the polyphenols from green tea and grape seed extract, the bioactive components did a really great job in terms of being able to mitigate the impact of the intestinal absorption of iron.†
In this episode, Amanda Williams, MPH discusses hemochromatosis and how this can impact the body. She also provides recommendations for nutrients that can help regulate the amount of iron stored in the body.†
Key Topics:
Thank you for tuning in to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast. You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at InViteⓇ Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the InViteⓇ Health Podcast.
