Statins Save lives; no significant evidence for neurological side effects
344870
Have not yet read this book ( I will read it; want to keep an open mind) but the recent National Lipid Assn. task force on statin safety (Am J Cardiol 2006;97[suppl]:89C-94C) states : "The conclusion from these data is that the potential risk of peripheral neuropathy with statin therapy is very small, if it exists at all. Our neurology experts do not believe that such a relation exists and speculate that cases of peripheral neuropathy in patients taking statins are likely to be idiopathic in nature." "As for dementia and cognitive impairment, there is practically no evidence to support a link with statin therapy. In fact, statins may actually improve cognition."

The comment about doctors receiving our knowledge about statins through PHARMA is inaccurate and insulting. Yes we DO receive info from PHARMA, but it is a trivial amount of info compared with our years of study and learning, and the published literature and cme learning that we do.

I would urge patients to get their information through well educated and informed internists, FP's and cardiologists, the National Lipid Association [...] , and Board Certified Clinical Lipidologists (found on the NLA website), rather than the type of anecdotal evidence apparently used in this book, and quoted from individuals on this review site. Statins have been proven to save lives and reduce morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases, and have a proven track record of safety dating back to 1987. It's a fact ! I would urge patients NOT to "throw the baby out with the bathwater", because of unexplained mysterious symptoms some individuals mistakenly attribute to what they perceive as an easy target- statins.

Gregory Pokrywka MD FACP FNLA NCMP
Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Women's Menopausal Health

Diplomate American Board Clinical Lipidology and Fellow, National Lipid  Assn.
Certified Menopause Practitioner: North American Menopause Society
Director: Baltimore Lipid Center.  Board Member, South East Lipid Assn.
3240830
For those of us that have used vitamin & mineral supplements - along with excercise & a balanced diet - the ideas in this book ring untrue. Mainstream doctors and their 'big pharma' supporters rely on fear in their treatment recomendations. Without fear, who would take most prescription & OTC medicines after reading the contra indications? On a macro level: the USA ranks low for medical treatment effectiveness(for industrial countries); prescription & OTC drugs kill and cause severe reactions in an astounding number(greater than 300,000)of people. When is the last time you heard of someone dying from a vitamin overdose?
My thanks to Mr. Hurley for supporting my philosophy - When my AMA approved doctor gives me advice, I do the opposite.
4607532
This book should be read by everyone, especially doctors and especially those who specialize in cardiology.  My own heart doctor has been trying to push statins on me for two years, despite the fact that my heart "epsiode" (a very minor infarction) took place 20 years ago, my total cholesterol is just 210, and high cholesterol (250+) with *zero* heart disease runs in my family. You should see him shudder at the abnormality of that figure, warning me that yet another drop in "normal" limits is on the AHA and NHLBI horizon. In his opinion, my total cholesterol should be 160 -- or dire consequences could result!

As its subtitle states, The Cholesterol Myths exposes the fallacy that saturated fat and cholesterol cause heart disease.  Dr. Ravnskov is no "wacko"; his book is well-annotated and examines many of the major relevant studies over the past 50 years. I've checked a few of the references myself and have found them accurate.  I've checked literature available on the AHA and NHLBI websites and seen for myself how they distort the truth.

In one example, the NHLBI states flatly that "international studies find that CHD is uncommon in cultures with low levels of serum cholesterol, even when... hypertension and cigarette smoking is relatively high." A check of the footnotes cited the "Seven Countries" study and "MONICA" project, both taken to task in Dr. Ravnskov's book.  What the NHLBI did was choose only a few of the datapoints from these studies (Japan, China), where their statement was indeed true -- but they conveniently ignored all 25 or so other datapoints which clearly showed that overall there was no correlation between countries' cholesterol levels and CHD whatsoever!

A major contribution of Myths is its explanation of the way pro-cholesterol myth "scientists" and the drug companies use the "relative reduction" method of presenting their "wonder drugs'" value. If I, for example, take no drugs, my chances of a cadiac event might be 6% over the next 10 years.  If I take statins for ten years, this might go down to 3%, which the drug companies present as a reduction of 50%!  Sounds good, but the more sensible view would be to say that if I take no drugs, there's a 94% chance that nothing will happen to me, and if I take statins, there's a 97% chance -- wow, a whopping 3% gain! Would *you* take a drug (that can screw up your liver and muscles) for the rest of your life to go from 94% to 97%?  Not me! This expose of statins is another fantastic contribution to medical common sense, and there are many more.

The Cholesterol Myths is simply a must-read.

P.S. I did confront my cardiologist, and he declined comment.  I have a new one now....
1837473
Very informative and practical way to lower cholesterol.  This works and is way better than taking drugs - no side effects.  Before being talked into taking statins or something similar - try this.
1741043
Easy to understand.
So much information.
Discuss this book with your doctor. ..very important.
Make a decision regarding statins in your life.
4602978
I noticed my skin feeling more smooth and a mild to moderate energy difference after taking NAD+ with Pterostilbene. I would continue to taking this product, make purchases regularly, and recommend the NAD+ and Pterostilbene combo to family, friends, and colleagues. While it is true that the cost can add up and there's no real way of knowing if the marketed desired effects will be delivered, I am willing to take a chance based on the recent medical publications from very reputable sources.

I do think that the non FDA approved vitamin and supplement market as a whole should have some kind of randomized testing to prove that manufactures are putting in accurate and sufficient amount of what they claim on the label. For the time being, I would rather take a chance at the possibility of life extension than to be cynical and skip out on human and medical advancements.
2641713
For over 40 years we've been told that fats and protein make us fat and cause heart disease. And yet here we are: obese and diabetic, and the cholesterol lowering drug Lipitor is the bestselling drug worldwide generating $12.9 billion annually in sales. So we're told to lower the fat in our diets even more.

The USDA food pyramid encourages us to consume grains, fruits, and vegetables in large quantities, and meat, dairy, and fat in small quantities. Yet this is the opposite of what our ancestors ate prior to the agricultural revolution (excepting dairy) when we were hunter-gatherers. Has our physiology caught up with our ingenuity?

Life Without Bread demonstrates how the human body runs better on fat as an energy source than it does on sugar. Much of the information presented is based on Dr. Lutz's clinical practice over 40 years treating thousands of people with a low-carbohydrate diet. The authors debunk the conclusions of many scientific studies that are based not on the actual results but on their dogged determination to vilify fat despite the facts.

The book provides commentary, charts, and data showing how the low-carbohydrate diet:

* Lowers fasting blood sugar, blood insulin, hemoglobin, blood pressure, uric acid levels, blood cholesterol, and body weight

* Improves glucose tolerance, cardiac abnormalities, and diseases of the colon, such as constipation and diarrhea, diverticulitis, Crohn's, and ulcerative colitis

Also included are chapters on cancer, vitamins, minerals and co-factors, evolution, and how to safely switch to a low-carbohydrate diet.

One fascinating chapter discusses how high-carbohydrates cause production of insulin, an anabolic hormone. As the body seeks balance, it either increases the catabolic hormones (corticosteroids, T3, and T4), or decreases other anabolic hormones (growth factor and sex hormones). For example, decreased growth factor affects the immune system, musculature, cartilage, bones, and arteries.

My favorite chapter described how the body produces energy using either glucose or fat in the production of ATP in the mitochondria. This is the most technical chapter and exciting for those of us who like to understand exactly how things work. Based on this chapter, it's obvious the body makes much better use of fat than glucose, and all without the detrimental effects of excessive insulin production.

I highly recommend this book for those who believe the USDA food pyramid is reliable and that fat will make them ill.
2434202
I read this book

 with interest because I have been taking large doses of vitamin D
for more than 5 years. I should mention that I am a 91.5 year old male who started
taking 5000 iu's of vitamin D 5 years ago, with 25(OH)D3 level of about 45 ng/ml.
I gradually increased my D intake and have been taking 12000 iu, with a 25(OH)D3
level of 90 to 97 for the past 2 years, along with vitamin K2. My blood work has
not shown any significant changes over this period. Several things have occured in my health situation that now suspect, after reading Jeff's ebook, have been caused
by my relatively high D level:
1. My atrial fibrillation (afib) has been cured, at least for the last 8 months,
  after the third cardioversion procedure, when my D3 level was near 100 ng/ml.
  The previous two attempts,unsuccessful, where done when my D level was low.
2. After serving underhanded for the last 3 years, because of a shoulder problem,
  I can now serve a tennis ball normally with no pain. Millard Ferguson
2970000
A little preachy, which is not needed since the data speaks for itself. Twice as long as required. Still, you MUST buy and read. Get a lipid profile (trivial blood test), try what is espoused in this book for two months, obtain another lipid. Do it. THEN judge the book.
135449
Vitamin D is becoming the new wonder supplement, the more people become informed the better our lives will be. I have been on a D3 + K2  supplements for 18 months on various dosage levels - average 8-10,000 units per day.  6 months ago I stopped taking statins (7 years) after reading a lot of negative information about them. After informing my doctor that I didn't want to take statins unless there was medical need to do so we decided to do my bloods and access from the results. My doctor sent me the good news that I no longer needed statins. I put this down to D3 & K2 plus remaining active. My advise is read books like this and make up your own mind. Oh one other thing I haven't had a cold or flue for 18 months either. Cheers. Hugh Algie
1035944
Five stars from me for critical information, recipes, and value. I've gone plant based since my doc decided he wanted to put me on a statin. I told him I wanted to research statins before I agreed to take his prescription.

It didn't take much research to realize that one of the last things I would take is a statin. I suggest you do your own research concerning this scary med.

I decided to change my diet to correct the high cholesterol. My doc said that I couldn't correct the problem via diet because I can't lower my age. Mmmm. So does that mean that everyone my age who has elevated cholesterol levels needs to take a statin? I certainly hope not -- because the side effects of statins are dangerous. Again, do your own research.

Using the information in Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, I now eat a plant-based diet, which I've been on for a couple of months now. My rule of thumb is this: If it had a mother and a father (beef, chicken, turkey, fish, etc.), I don't eat it. If it came from something that had a mother and a father (eggs, cows'/goats' milk, etc), I don't eat it. Again, do your own research.

Since I've been eating plant-based foods only -- and there's a LOT to choose from -- my blood pressure has dropped, I've lost about 14 pounds, I sleep far more soundly, my thinking is clearer, I have more energy, etc. I will have to have a blood draw to check my cholesterol levels, but my guess is that it's down too.

BOTTOM LINE: Buy this book. It could improve your health.

UPDATE: I've now lost 20 pounds, and another blood draw revealed that my cholesterol level has dropped 30 points. My doc now says to keep doing whatever I'm doing. Bravo for plant-based eating!
2186235
A few anecdotes to derive highly general hypotheses, some "large-scale" studies which have never been seriously published, a co-researcher (Dr. Calvert) involved in all major studies in the book who has a vested commercial interest in reporting spectacular neuromarketing findings,
no data, no methodology.

I would not be surprised at all if most of the "seminal findings" will turn out to be not replicable by any other researcher.
3980744
This book clearly explains the endothelium and its function. There is some great advice about supplements and ways to reduce risk, i.e. exercise, stress reduction and lifestyle changes. However, I am concerned about the author's comments and warnings about saturated fats and promoting a whole grain diet. Whole grain diets can contribute to systemic inflammation which may have a significant impact on the endothelium. I significantly reduced my CRP marker and triglycerides by cutting out grains.

There is a great article about saturated fats and how we have been lead down a road full of lies. Search for "chris kresser saturated fats"

Red meat and more specifically organ meats are nutrient dense - organ meats are actually more nutrient dense than kale. Search for nutrient density charts including organ meats.

Red meat also has the required amounts of amino acids that you are advocating in your book - these are natural food-source amino acids.

I am on a high saturated fat diet with zero grains, sugars and no vegetable oils that oxidize. Saturated fat is resistant to oxidation, especially in the absence of grains. My LPPLA2 marker is normal - this is a great test for looking at the inflammation within the endothelium.

Grass fed butter, cream and cheese contains healthy amounts of butyrate which reverses IBS symptoms and reverses inflammation. Lots of studies on this.

Of course, the Mediterranean diet can work for people who have the E4 ApoE genotype, so this would need to be checked first.

So I challenge the authors to review their take on saturated fats as there is a lot of information now available that clearly shows that these fats are not bad for the vascular system, but grains and insulin-spiking foods are.
4971069
Author spent a lot of time researching his material; everyone should do that before putting out bogus information (which it seems ALL of the pharmaceutical giants did with their cholesterol drug scare tactics in order to sell, well, unnecessary pills). Sure, the statin drugs MIGHT prevent you from having heart disease, but there's no evidence that they do. So, why fill your body with medications that haven't shown to accomplish the desired result? The entire western world has been guinea pigs that have enriched the pharmaceutical industry while they experimented on us. And even now that these drugs have been shown to be worthless, they still show the commercials, but not they're filled with 'helps reduce cholesterol which MIGHT help reduce heart disease'; notice that all their commercials have the MIGHT added in, because just like it MIGHT help, it MIGHT NOT, or it MIGHT give you liver failure or MIGHT cause memory loss. They just leave out the downsides in their commercials.
2989896
Since I suspect I may have been on too high doses of statins for too long, I want the arguments to be valid, but his is a minority opinion, and reading the book doesn't place me in a position to reasonably argue with my cardiologist.  Discuss certainly, but not argue. So to me the ultimate review of the book will be written several years from now.  At the same time, I am glad to see active challenges to what might be "groupthink", and appreciate the opportunity to read a minority opinion from a distance.  Those with an anti-MD bias will love the book, perhaps many like me will fine it interesting but not know what to do with the arguments, and some simply find it irrelevant.
268574
The best I have ever read about the side effects of Statin Drugs.  Dr Graveline not only deals with the side effects. He also goes into the mode of action of the drugs and what happens on the cellular level.  What cholesterol is and why it is so important to our well being. If fact too little cholesterol and we die.
The book is written so non-medical consumers can easily understand what he is talking about.
If you are taking a statin or a Doctor is trying to put you on a statin. THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ.  It might just save your life or keep you from having severe debilitating side effects.
I have taken the book and put together a power-point presentation to present to the Rotary Club. Everyone needs to be made aware of the danger of statin drugs. No one presents this any better than Dr Graveline.
3241777
Written by two pharmacognosists at Perdue University, this book is an update to the original volume in 1994, describing the safe use of the most widely available medicinal herbs.  They address recent developments in the use of herbal medicines in a manner that is easy to read and without unnecessary jargon.  They include some updated references for most plants, encompassing the clinical literature, known chemical constituents, and the history of their use.  Introductory essays describe the basic principles of herbal medicine and problems that the regulatory authorities have had in attempting to deal with these products, especially since the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA).  The chapters are arranged by general therapeutic indication and discuss the herbs used to treat various ailments and their reported efficacy based on clinical or preclinical results.
One obvious distinction of the book is the clear message that classical pharmacognosy is the only valid scientific viewpoint.  There is still in this updated edition, the strong notion that there is a magic bullet within each plant that we only need identify and standardize.  But this is seldom as straightforward as it may appear.  For example, in the basic principles section there is praise of standardized preparations of hypericum, yet no acknowledgment that standardization based on hypericin is probably not useful, since it is no longer believed to be essential for the antidepressant activity of St. John's Wort.  Standardization and pharmacology of the currently favored constituent, hyperforin, was not mentioned.  Publication in a scientific journal does not make a particular finding (e.g. hypericin inhibition of MAO) a "fact."  Subsequent studies showed no MAO inhibition with pure hypericin.  Conclusions and extrapolations drawn from results of in vitro studies are based on the conventional wisdom, which is often incorrect.  While proposing a mechanism of action is a worthy goal, it must be remembered that true drug mechanisms (even the synthetic ones) are still beyond our medical understanding in most cases, particularly for psychotherapeutic medications.  For example, while SSRI's are known to act by blocking reuptake of serotonin, the connection between serotonin uptake and antidepressant action still remote.
Also mentioned as "pseudoscience" is the notion that whole herbs are more effective than their isolated active constituents.  The basic principles section states that for every example in support of this statement that there is at least one denying it.  While a 50:50 ratio hardly seems in itself a reasonable criterion for pseudoscience, I think one would be hard pressed to give one example of constituents being more effective than the whole herb for every example of the inverse.  While I completely agree that hyperbole and sometimes outright fabrication are seen in the marketing of herbals, we shouldn't be too quick to categorically discount what herbal practitioners have been saying for so long, but rather to weight them with the same standards as ideas that the "scientists" have generated.