Below is the transcript of the review from the Caduceus Journal (Issue 93 Page 26).
Statins Toxic Side Effects - Evidence
from 500 scientific papers by David Evans
Grosvenor House Publishing, Guildford ,
2015. Pb, 504pp, £14.99 (Amazon). ISBN 978 1781483909
Reviewed by Rajendra Sharma
David Evans’
first two books on the hazards of low cholesterol and benefits of saturated
fats (see article, issue 90) have yet to make the impact they should have.
These reference books on the truth behind cholesterol and the risks of lowering
it did more than enough to provide ample evidence to guide every prescribing
doctor to think long and hard about their training in the treatment of arterial
and cardiovascular disease.
As before,
Evans’ clear and concise presentation of unequivocal facts highlights the enormous
amount of evidence illustrating the failing of the world’s best-selling drugs,
statins. Here, more so than in his previous two books, he emphasises the actual
damage to our health that these cholesterol-lowering drugs do. His 21 chapters,
all easy to read even by the non-scientifically trained, question the current modus operandi of statin prescribing in
the face of the illness that these drugs are proven to cause.
Muscle
disease, kidney and liver dysfunction, pancreatitis, neurological conditions,
autoimmune disease, inflammatory problems along with the bowel, urinary tract,
bone structure and fertility are all cited through published, peer-reviewed
references. Evans has even highlighted that statins can be associated with
depression, suicide, ‘foggy’ brain, reduced exercise performance and antisocial
behaviour.
I have been
confused over what to advise those with fears of dementia when asked about
cholesterol-lowering drugs but Statin
Toxic Side Effects records evidence of the production of abnormally
phosphorylated Tau proteins, those associated with Alzheimer’s. Herein may lie
why some studies suggest benefit while others increased incidence.
These diseases
might all be acceptable if we were benefiting from lower cholesterol but unfortunately,
normal or even high levels of cholesterol, increase life-span, avoid many
lethal conditions and are even associated with lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths. The book reminds us of
the importance of cholesterol for production of vitamin D, sex hormones, the
stress-coping cortisol and other hormones and pathways.
Evans
emphasises once again how statins reduce the availability of essential
nutrients such as vitamins A and E, the minerals zinc and copper and interferes
with selenium activity. I learned of statins’ effect on pathways influenced by
dolichols, protein-binding molecules, and Heme A.
To me, as a
front-line physician, to read of many under-publicised research papers
suggesting that 17-63.5% of those taking statins suffer side-effects is a
relief as it reflects my practice experience. Fortunately, working as I do in
integrated medicine and within the private sector, I have the time to deal with
the lifestyle, nutrition, exercise, psycho-spiritual and traditional health
systems that make an appreciable and real difference to arterial and CV disease.
My conventional colleagues are not afforded this time by current medical
practice, nor are they or our medical students taught about the alternative
options.
The 500
scientific papers indicate that statins do not save lives. Even when taken for
years there is little appreciable difference in the CVD mortality. Chapters
illustrate how high cholesterol reduces the risk of many other diseases and one
worrying chapter specifically highlights how most of those who decide on what
are considered to be healthy levels of cholesterol are directly or indirectly
in the pay of the statin manufacturers. These Pharma giants also, it appears,
fund the majority of the research in this field. Statin sales are now $34bn
annually.
Evans cites
how the regulators had systematically produced, or been provided with, evidence
supporting why lower and lower levels of cholesterol need to be achieved. Those
accepting these figures could justify drugging up 35% of an asymptomatic adult male
population, most of whom have a low risk of CVD.
The concept of a ‘typical modern day drug trial’ is already itself
questionable. Wikipedia currently lists 173 commonly prescribed drugs that have
been withdrawn in the last 50 years - all of which had passed conventional
efficacy and safety trails. The EU has passed and withdrawn 19 drugs between
2002 and 2011. The deaths attributed to these run into the hundreds of
thousands. These are not unusual drugs used in rare diseases but include
medication used by millions of people worldwide. Statin withdrawal has, suggests Evans,
to follow surely.
Present this book to your doctor.
Truly, it will be a gift from the heart to the heart of others.
