Do Statins Make You Gain Weight Patients ‘use Drug As An Excuse To Eat More Fat’
- Research raises fear that pills give ‘false reassurance’ to those at risk
- Patients on statins eat more fat and calories, and gain weight faster
- Study of 28,000 adults found over ten years those taking statins had an unhealthier diet and more weight gain
19:09 EST, 24 April 2014 | Updated:
Adults taking statins could be using them as an excuse to put butter on their steaks, medical experts have said.
For the first time, research has shown that patients on statins eat more fat and calories, and gain weight faster, than those not taking them.
It has raised fears that a daily pill provides false reassurance to those at risk of heart attack and strokes.
Study: Research has shown that patients on statins eat more fat and calories, and gain weight faster, than those not taking them
When they see their cholesterol levels drop, they make up for it with extra helpings of butter and puddings knowing they have the fallback of drugs to keep them healthy.
Experts say some patients treat statins like an insurance policy which protects their health even if they eat junk food.
What Is Crestor And Is Generic Crestor Different
Crestor is simply the brand name for the generic medication rosuvastatin AstraZeneca sells Crestor. Both Crestor and rosuvastatin are statin drugs, also known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. This is a class of prescription drugs that aim to reduce elevated cholesterol levels in people with a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease . Heart disease is a group of conditions that may cause heart attacks, chest pain, and strokes. Other common statins include atorvastatin , lovastatin , pravastatin , and simvastatin .
Rosuvastatin is most well-known for its cholesterol-lowering abilities in people with hyperlipidemia or high cholesterol levels. Rosuvastatin blocks a liver enzyme responsible for making cholesterol, thereby lowering your cholesterol levels . It also encourages your liver to break down cholesterol thats already in the blood so your body can remove it . By lowering cholesterol, rosuvastatin decreases your risk of developing heart disease because high cholesterol is one of the key risk factors for developing CVD other risk factors include high blood pressure and smoking .
Crestor and generic Crestor are both approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for more than their cholesterol-lowering effects . Both of these medications may be prescribed to :
Muscle Pain And Weakness
The most common side effect is muscle pain and weakness, a condition called rhabdomyolysis, most likely due to the depletion of Co-Q10, a nutrient that supports muscle function. Dr. Beatrice Golomb of San Diego, California is currently conducting a series of studies on statin side effects. The industry insists that only 2-3 percent of patients get muscle aches and cramps but in one study, Golomb found that 98 percent of patients taking Lipitor and one-third of the patients taking Mevachor suffered from muscle problems.4 A message board devoted to Lipitor at forum.ditonline.com contained more than 800 posts, many detailing severe side effects. The Lipitor board at www.rxlist.com contains more than 2,600 posts .
The test for muscle wasting or rhabdomyolysis is elevated levels of a chemical called creatine kinase . But many people experience pain and fatigue even though they have normal CK levels.5
John Altrocchi took Mevacor for three years without side effects then he developed calf pain so severe he could hardly walk. He also experienced episodes of temporary memory loss.
Active people are much more likely to develop problems from statin use than those who are sedentary. In a study carried out in Austria, only six out of 22 athletes with familial hypercholesterolemia were able to endure statin treatment.9 The others discontinued treatment because of muscle pain.
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Grapefruit Juice Can Be A Problem
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“Grapefruit juice can make statins more potent, so you may get side effects,” Dr. Gotto says.
This is not true with other citrus fruits or with other cholesterol medications. But the compounds in grapefruit can affect how statins are absorbed in your GI tract, and this can increase the levels of the drug in your body to dangerous levels.
If you are taking statins, your best bet is to avoid grapefruits, any type of grapefruit juice, or juice blend that contains grapefruit juice.
Breaking News: Statins Make You Fat
Introduction:A new study highlights the false hope that consumers place in statin drugs to lower cholesterol levels. Results of the 10-year analysis showed that individuals prescribed statins for high cholesterol levels had a larger increase in body-mass index than those who werent taking the drugs. These results once again call into question the wisdom of relying on statins to both reduce heart attack risk and extend life.
About 75% of the prescriptions for statins are written for people with no clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease . Statins have not been shown to increase life expectancy in these patients.
The list of statin drugs include:
- Altoprev
- Pravachol
- Zocor .
The easy conclusion is that the majority of people on statin drugs are achieving no real benefit from them. In fact, by not focusing on effectively reducing heart disease risk through diet, lifestyle, and proper nutritional supplementation the reliance is costing many people their lives.
Background Data:Statins do produce some benefits in reducing deaths due to a heart attack, but only in people with a history of a heart attack, stroke, or current signs and symptoms of existing CVD. Large studies in people without a history of heart attack or stroke who took statin drugs and lowered their cholesterol have shown they did not live any longer than the people in the placebo group.
Table 1. Caloric and Fat Intake by Statin Use Between 1999 and 2010
| Statin users | |
| 82.0 | 79.3 |
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Ezetimibe May Cause Side Effects Tell Your Doctor If Any Of These Symptoms Are Severe Or Do Not Go Away:
- headache
- pale or fatty stools
- chest pain
Ezetimibe may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administrations MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online or by phone .
All Drugs Have Side Effects But Some Can Come With Added Pounds
by Kimberly Goad, AARP, February 18, 2022
Side effects are common with almost any medication. Whats less common are side effects that can complicate your recovery from the very condition youre looking to treat. Case in point: medications that can cause weight gain.
Often, we think of side effects that cause more symptoms dizziness, stomach problems, fatigue, says John Batsis, M.D., an associate professor in geriatric medicine and nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Weight gain, though, can creep up on you. And for patients who have other medical issues osteoarthritis or high blood pressure, for example the excess weight can potentially worsen those conditions, Batsis says.
Yet research suggests a growing number of people take drugs that cause weight gain most notably, for conditions that are exacerbated by excess weight, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Drawing on data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey , a recent study published in Obesity found that 1 in 5 U.S. adults take at least one medication that causes weight gain, the most common being some beta-blockers and diabetes drugs such as insulin and sulfonylureas.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Rosuvastatin
Do I have to take rosuvastatin at bedtime?
Rosuvastatin may be taken at any time of the day. This is different from other statins that work best when they’re taken at night. This is because some statin medications do not stay in your body for very long , and the body makes the most cholesterol at night.
Does rosuvastatin make you gain weight?
No, weight gain is not a typical side effect with rosuvastatin .
Are rosuvastatin and atorvastatin the same?
Rosuvastatin and atorvastatin are different medications, though both belong to the same class of medications known as statins. Both are strong statins that work to lower your cholesterol levels.
Does rosuvastatin make it hard to fall asleep?
Some people have reported insomnia and nightmares with rosuvastatin , but these are not common side effects.
Can I drink alcohol while taking rosuvastatin ?
Drinking alcohol while taking rosuvastatin can raise your risk of liver problems or serious side effects. Take care to avoid drinking a lot of alcohol while taking rosuvastatin .
Cholesterol Medication: Types Benefits And Side Effects
Rosuvastatin can be used to do more than lowering cholesterol. Generic Crestor was FDA-approved in 2016 for the following uses :
- Treatment of high triglycerides , along with diet modifications
- Treatment of patients with primary dysbetalipoproteinemia , a disorder where you have trouble breaking down cholesterol and triglycerides, along with diet modifications
- Treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic condition where you not only have high LDL cholesterol but your liver has a hard time removing cholesterol from the body
This list may seem limited compared to what clinical trials have shown generic Crestor can do in the body. In addition to lowering cholesterol, rosuvastatin has several off-label usesthis means that the FDA has not approved the drug for these uses. Clinical trials show that rosuvastatin can help stabilize arterial plaques, making it less likely theyll form a blood clot and, in turn, lowering your risk of heart attack . It also reduces plaque buildup in blood vessels .
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Side Effects And Interactions
Dr. Bruemmer cautions that pravastatin can cause side effects, including muscle pain called myalgia, as well as gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and an increase in liver enzymes. The potential muscular side effects occur in about 10 to 20 percent of people who take statins, but he says that “pravastatin is probably the statin with the least frequency of muscle-related side effects.”
Some people who take statins might experience an increase in blood sugar, which, over time, can lead to type 2 diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. But this side effect tends to occur more often in people who are already at a higher risk of diabetes.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, potential interactions can occur when taking pravastatin alongside the anti-inflammatory drug colchicine, the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine or certain antibiotics such as azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin and telithromycin, among others. Because of this, be sure your doctor is aware of all drugs you take, including any that have been prescribed by other physicians, if pravastatin is being considered.
It’s worth noting that it’s fine to drink moderate amounts of alcohol while taking pravastatin, but drinking in excess can increase the likelihood that you will experience the drug’s side effects, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Why No Obesity Drug Will Ever Be The Next Lipitor
Former Xenical User via Wikipedia
The next Lipitor. Thats the prediction Christopher James of investment bank MLV & Co. made for Vivus new obesity drug in a story last week. He was quoted as saying it could be given to tens of millions of patients.
Not likely.
Its not that Vivus drug, Qnexa, doesnt have potential to become the best-selling weight loss pill ever. Its that it could be many times bigger than any weight loss medicine ever and still not even come close to hitting Lipitors peak of $11 billion in global annual sales.
It seems intuitively obvious that the market for an obesity drug would be vast. But the reality is that obesity drugs have never sold in Lipitor-like numbers, and they are not likely to unless someone comes up with one that is absolutely perfect in terms of efficacy and side effects.
In the late 1990s, there was a huge fad of combining the weight loss drugs Pondimin , sold by American Home Products, and the stimulant phentermine. Doctors also started using Redux, a newer AHP weight loss drug. In 1996, its first year on the market, Redux had sales or $132 million, and Pondimin had sales of $48 million, according to a December 1997 Reuters story. In March 1997, both drugs were withdrawn because they appeared to increase the risk of heart valve defects.
Of course, that was all for naught. Acomplia raised the risk of neurological side effects, including suicidality, and was never approved in the U.S. and has been withdrawn worldwide.
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Why Statins Might Raise Diabetes Risk
Sept. 24, 2014 — Taking statins can lead to weight gain, raised blood sugar levels, and it can increase the chances of getting type 2 diabetes, say scientists who have been trying to explain why.
But the team of international researchers acknowledges the cholesterol-lowering medication taken by millions of people can help prevent heart attacks and strokes and should continue to be prescribed.
Heart specialists agree, saying the health benefits outweigh the “small” effect on the risk of getting diabetes.
Tell Your Doctor About Herbs Supplements
Many people pop multiple vitamins, minerals, or herbs to improve their health. Let your doctor know what you are taking. Some supplements may increase or decrease the effectiveness of cholesterol-lowering medication.
For example, St. John’s Wort could make some statins less effective. Many supplements, including red yeast rice and niacin, may affect cholesterol levels, so taking them could influence how well your medication works.
Taking fish oil instead of a statin? Talk to your doctor. While these supplements reduce triglycerides , there’s no proof that they lower your bad cholesterol or reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.
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What If I Miss A Dose
If you miss a dose of Lipitor, try to take it as soon as you remember. If its been 12 hours or more since you missed your dose, simply skip that dose and take your next dose at your regular time. Dont double up and take two doses of Lipitor. This can increase your risk of side effects from the medication.
To help make sure that you dont miss a dose, try using a medication reminder. This can include setting an alarm on your phone or downloading a reminder app. A kitchen timer can work, too.
Statins & Weight Loss
According to the American Heart Association, coronary heart disease accounted for one out of every 2.9 deaths in the United States in 2006. The prevalence of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure have increased among Americans, and statins have become a key tool in the fight against heart disease. While weight loss is considered the best treatment option by clinicians, research dating back to 1980 has shown statin use to be an effective pharmacological treatment for reducing elevated cholesterol in patients.
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What Is My Risk For High Cholesterol
To understand your risk of developing high cholesterol, you will need to have a blood test so your doctor can measure the amount of lipids, or fats, in your blood. This is called a complete fasting lipoprotein profile and will include measurements for your low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein and triglycerides.
The table below demonstrates what cholesterol numbers are considered healthy, borderline and high risk for developing cardiovascular disease:
| Types of Cholesterol |
|---|
Dangers Of Statin Drugs: What You Havent Been Told About Popular Cholesterol
Hypercholesterolemia is the health issue of the 21st century. It is actually an invented disease, a problem that emerged when health professionals learned how to measure cholesterol levels in the blood. High cholesterol exhibits no outward signsunlike other conditions of the blood, such as diabetes or anemia, diseases that manifest telltale symptoms like thirst or weaknesshypercholesterolemia requires the services of a physician to detect its presence. Many people who feel perfectly healthy suffer from high cholesterolin fact, feeling good is actually a symptom of high cholesterol!
Doctors who treat this new disease must first convince their patients that they are sick and need to take one or more expensive drugs for the rest of their lives, drugs that require regular checkups and blood tests. But such doctors do not work in a vacuumtheir efforts to convert healthy people into patients are bolstered by the full weight of the US government, the media and the medical establishment, agencies that have worked in concert to disseminate the cholesterol dogma and convince the population that high cholesterol is the forerunner of heart disease and possibly other diseases as well.
The drugs that doctors use to treat the new disease are called statinssold under a variety of names including Lipitor , Zocor , Mevacor and Pravachol .
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Watch For Cholesterol Med Side Effects
All drugs have side effects, and cholesterol-lowering meds are no exception. Although many side effects are more of a nuisance than anything else, some can be serious.
Statins, for example, may increase the risk of muscle-tissue damage, and there’s a rare risk of liver injury. Taking statins can also boost blood sugar levels, leading to diabetes . Taking certain antibiotics, immune-suppressing agents, antiviral medicines, antifungal medications, or other cholesterol medications along with statins can boost the risk of serious side effects.
Common cholesterol-med side effects include nausea, stomach pain, constipation, or diarrhea drowsiness and muscle aches, weakness, or facial flushing. Talk with your doctor about switching to a different medication if you experience side effects.