PāNu Blog - Comments

Dr Rohen comments on The China Study - Polish a turd and find a diamond?

Dr Rohen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:07:47 +0000

I tried to read Ms Mingers article I got lost... Thanks for the precis

Tom G comments on Statins and the Cholesterol Hypothesis – Part I

Tom G — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 03:54:26 +0000

I got a fever . . . and the only prescription . . . is more PaNu!

Jamie S comments on Statins and the Cholesterol Hypothesis – Part I

Jamie S — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 04:17:44 +0000

Same experience as Emily. Female patient post-MI complaining of brain-fog, depression, low energy, peripheral neuropathy, weakness... all resolved as soon as removed from rosuvastatin. Now feels a million bucks. Funnily enough, cholesterol perfectly 'normal' (lab marked total cholesterol as high - was due to high HDL).

60y.o. Coeliac who was only diagnosed as such 10 years ago & who is gluten-free but still consumes large amounts of carbs, n-6 PUFA, low SFA, low serum vit D... Doctor joined the dots. Had MI, total cholesterol was high, therefore TC drove the MI and she should be on statin, aspirin, & fluoxetine for the rest of her (what was turning out to be a miserable) life.

Kurt G. Harris MD comments on Statins and the Cholesterol Hypothesis – Part I

Kurt G. Harris MD — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:05:13 +0000

FH to be discussed in more detail next post...

Cynthia M comments on Statins and the Cholesterol Hypothesis – Part I

Cynthia M — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:55:02 +0000

I saw Stephen's question on Jimmy Moore's site too, and pointed out a paper on FH that I think is telling. See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC31037/pdf/1019.pdf Basically, families carrying the FH gene did not show shorter lifespan or greater mortality during the 19th and early 20th centuries, not until after about 1915, and increasingly as time went on after that period. It's consistent with dietary changes such as increased sucrose consumption, carbohydrates in general, and perhaps increasing vegetable oils and trans fats. The authors only speculated that it was due to some environmental trigger.

I saw Dr. de Logeril point out that the recent statin trials have not shown efficacy and he believes that this may be due to the changes in rules regarding how the trials are to be conducted, i.e. the earlier positive results were fabricated in some way (by cherry picking patients? or excluding non-responders?). It's not clear what changes are responsible for the change. Any ideas?

Kurt G. Harris MD comments on Statins and the Cholesterol Hypothesis – Part I

Kurt G. Harris MD — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:08:59 +0000

Comments on Jupiter coming up soon. WOMEN on statins? Where are the pink ribbons when you need them?

Emily Deans MD comments on Statins and the Cholesterol Hypothesis – Part I

Emily Deans MD — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:00:05 +0000

I've had three patients over the years become psychotic on statins. The issues resolved when the statin was removed. Numerous "foggy brains" and worsening of depression. So many women on statins, everyone with diabetes... and yet such a side effect load. To see the critique of the JUPITER trial published in the Archives of Internal Medicine was heartening, to say the least.

Kurt G. Harris MD comments on Statins and the Cholesterol Hypothesis – Part I

Kurt G. Harris MD — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:25:55 +0000

My answer is that it is the saturated fat that is healthy, and the PUFAs and sucrose you have displaced with it that are unhealthy. The HDL is just a marker. Remember that the Kitavans described by Lindeberg have "low" HDL and little evidence of coronary disease. It can't be the HDL itself. Low HDL with a wheat and sucrose and excess PUFA free diet seems to be no problem.

Stephen comments on Statins and the Cholesterol Hypothesis – Part I

Stephen — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:15:41 +0000

I was surprised by how much the addition of a modest amount (200-400 mg) of magnesium changed my total cholesterol (from 240 to 200 mg/dL, both measurements while on a paleo diet).

Regarding HDL, I have to wonder if the type of saturated fat makes a difference. Vastly increasing my saturated fat intake (mostly from heavy cream) made no difference to my HDL (about 50 mg/dL). Perhaps a lauric acid rich fat source like coconut milk would have had more impact on HDL. Assuming it would, the question is does this equate to better health?

Chris K comments on Statins and the Cholesterol Hypothesis – Part I

Chris K — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:53:45 +0000

Fantastic summary of the issues. Should be on the front page of every newspaper in the world. If only.

But we all know that'll never happen. Big Pharma isn't going to give up $25 billion a year in statin profits anytime soon. And as long as the majority of doctors get their information about drugs from drug rep sales brochures (a documented fact), they'll continue handing out statins like candy.

As Chris Rock said, "the money isn't in the cure, the money's in the medicine."