For Cholesterol - Formula 108
Everybody’s worried about heart disease – and with good reason. It’s the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women, causing nearly half a million deaths in 2003. The most common kind of heart disease is coronary artery disease, the partial or complete blockage of the blood supply to the heart muscle. Should a coronary artery (a blood vessel serving the heart) become blocked, the part of the heart muscle that’s served by that blood vessel will die – we call this a heart attack. A heart attack can cause serious damage to the heart muscle and, in some cases, can even result in death.
Coronary artery disease is almost always caused by the buildup of cholesterol and other fatty substances – called plaque – on or within the inner wall of a coronary artery. As the artery becomes narrowed, the flow of blood slows. Then, at some point, the plaque and other substances that have been building up on the inner wall can suddenly explode like a volcano. Then a blood clot can form, right then and there, that chokes off a coronary artery. Another scenario involves a broken-off piece of plaque or a smaller blood clot floating “downstream” until it lodges in a smaller artery and blocks it. In either case, the result is the same: an artery supplying blood to heart muscle becomes blocked, which triggers a heart attack.
One of the most important risk factors for developing coronary artery disease is a high level of cholesterol in the blood, especially LDL “bad” cholesterol. When LDL cholesterol is exposed to oxygen, it becomes irritating to the lining of the blood vessel walls and can create a “scratch” or a wound in the lining. This wound provides a perfect place for the build-up of plaque, which is step one in the development of coronary artery disease. The higher the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood, the more likely it is to become oxidized and damage blood vessel linings.
Standard treatment for coronary artery disease begins with reducing elevated levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in the blood. While diet, exercise and weight loss may work for some people, a great many others turn to cholesterol-lowering medications. These medications work in different ways. For examplel, the “statin” drugs, such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), reduce cholesterol production in the liver. Ezetimibe (Zetia) decreases cholesterol absorption, while cholestyramine (Prevalite) binds with cholesterol in the GI tract so the excess cholesterol can be eliminated through the feces.
Nutrients Depleted
Lipitor, Prevalite and other medicines used to reduce elevated cholesterol and blood fats can rob the body of many vital substances, including coenzyme Q10, beta-carotene, calcium, folic acid, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K and zinc.
Symptoms of Nutrient Depletion
If your cholesterol-lowering medicines are robbing your body of nutrients, you may suffer from a number of symptoms, such as:
- Beta-carotene – immune system weakness, night blindness, loss of appetite
- Calcium – bone loss, muscle cramps and spasms, osteoporosis
- Coenzyme Q10 – a shortage of coenzyme Q10 has been linked to heart problems.
- Folic acid – fatigue, irritability, depression
- Iron – anemia, dizziness, shortness of breath
- Magnesium –muscle spasms, irregular heartbeat, confusion
- Melatonin – this hormone plays a key role in regulating sleep, so a deficiency may lead to sleep problems.
- Phosphorus – weakness, bone pain, fatigue
- Potassium – irregular heartbeat, vomiting, cardiac arrest
- Thiamin – depression, poor concentration, irritability
- Vitamin A – weakening of the immune system, dry eyes, scaly and rough skin,
- Vitamin B12 – anxiety, loss of appetite, fever
- Vitamin C –easy bruising, loose teeth, swollen gums
- Vitamin D – osteoporosis, muscle cramps and twitches
- Vitamin E – anemia, muscle and nerve problems, infertility
- Vitamin K – excessive bleeding, easy bruising
- Zinc –loss of taste and smell, slow wound healing, impotence
Formula
Formula 108 was designed specifically for people taking cholesterol-lowering medications. It works on two levels at once, replenishing the vital coenzyme Q10, while giving the body nutrients that help boost heart health. Besides coenzyme Q10, Formula 108 includes the amino acid arginine, the antioxidant alpha lipoic acid, L-carnitine, and piperine extract (black pepper fruits) to help keep the heart healthy.
