- Infertility
- Various reproductive disorders
- Brain damage
The last side effect on the list- brain damage- may be one of the most disturbing side effects resulting
from long-term use of statins. A case-control study published in 2002 by the American Academy of
Neurology found that long-term exposure to statins may substantially increase the risk of polyneuropathy,
a neurological disorder that occurs when many peripheral nerves throughout the body malfunction
simultaneously.
The problem with the new statin drugs is that they don't cause immediate side effects like the older
cholesterol-lowering drugs did. The old cholesterol-reducing drugs prevented its absorption from the gut,
which led to nausea, indigestion and constipation. But their success rate was minimal and patient
compliance was very low. The new statin drugs became an overnight success story because they were
able to lower cholesterol levels by 50 points or more with no immediately known major side effects. On
the false notion that cholesterol causes heart disease, statins have become the miracle drugs of the 21st
century as well as the best-selling drugs of all time. The promise of the drug giants is that, if you keep
taking their drugs for the rest of your life, you will forever be protected against man's greatest killer
disease. This equation, however, has two major flaws in it. One, cholesterol has never been proved to
cause heart disease. Two, by lowering cholesterol with the help of statins, you can actually make your
body gravely ill. The industry is now faced with an ever-growing number of reports listing the side effects
that manifest many months after the commencement of treatment.
A 1999 study at St. Thomas' Hospital in London found that 36 percent of patients on LIPITOR's
highest dose reported side effects and 10 percent of the patients at the lowest dose also reported side
effects. The steady increase of obvious and hidden side effects (such as liver damage) isn't at all
surprising. The "benefits" of LIPITOR seen early in the approval-process study were so convincing that
the study was halted approximately two years ahead of schedule. The trial was never long enough to show
that LIPITOR had long-term side effects that could devastate people's lives. Side effects from using
LIPITOR include gas, stomach pain or cramps, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, headache, blurred
vision, dizziness, rash or itching, upset stomach, muscle pain, tenderness, muscle cramps or weakness
with or without a fever. Anything that constantly interferes with the digestion of food can practically
cause any type of illness, including, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's
disease, skin disorders, rheumatism, and so forth.
The most commonly experienced side effects are muscle pain and weakness. Dr. Beatrice Golomb of
San Diego, California is currently conducting a series of studies on statin side effects. Golomb found that
98 percent of patients taking LIPITOR and one-third of the patients taking Mevachor (a lower-dose statin)
suffered from muscle problems, such as severe calf pain and foot pain. An increasing number of long-
term patients (after three years) develop slurred speech, balance problems and severe fatigue. These side
effects often begin with restless sleep patterns. A new study (October 2007), announced by the media,
found that fat soluble statins, such Zocor and Pravachol can cause sleep deprivation, resulting in obesity
and mental disturbances. Fine motor skills can be affected and cognitive functions decline. Memory loss
is not uncommon. Usually, when patients discontinue taking the statins, the symptoms weaken or
disappear.
A more recent German study, published in the July 25, 2005 issue of The New England Journal of
Medicine, found that not only do cholesterol-lowering statin drugs fail to help patients with severe
diabetes, but statins may also double their risk of experiencing a deadly stroke.