HIGH-DOSE CHOESTEROL & LIPID-LOWERING MEDICATIONS - Formula 109
Elevated levels of total cholesterol, LDL “bad” cholesterol and blood fats are major risk factors for heart disease.
LDL “bad” cholesterol becomes even more dangerous when it is converted to oxidized LDL. Then it’s more likely to irritate the linings of blood vessels and start a series of events leading to the clogging of the arteries, and a possible heart attack or stroke. That’s one reason why it is so important to keep LDL “bad” cholesterol as well as total cholesterol and blood fat levels within safe ranges.
Standard treatment for elevated cholesterol and blood fat levels may begin with self-health measures such as:
- Diet – reducing the amount of saturated fat and the overall level of fat in the diet, while increasing the intake of soluble fibers such as oats
- Exercise – several aerobic exercise sessions per week, coupled with strength building and stretching exercises
- Weight control – slimming down to a healthful body weight
If these self-health measures aren’t enough, physicians often prescribe medications. These include “statin” drugs such as simvastatin (Zocor), which slows the production of cholesterol in the liver; cholestyramine (Questran), which binds to cholesterol in the intestines and sweeps it out of the body; and Ezetimibe (Zetia), which interferes with the body’s ability to absorb cholesterol.
While these drugs often work well and can save lives, they can also deplete the body of important nutrients. For example, statin drugs can interfere with the body’s ability to manufacture coenzyme Q10, which is vital to heart health. CoQ10 helps to lower total cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol, steps up the flow of oxygen to the heart muscle, slows the conversion of LDL to its more dangerous oxidized form, and helps the body generate energy.In Europe and Japan, CoQ10 is used as a medicine for angina, elevated blood pressure, congestive heart failure and other heart ailments.
Unfortunately, levels of CoQ10 decrease in everybody as the body ages, and are often low in people with heart disease. Imagine what can happen when people whose CoQ10 levels are already declining take statin drugs.
Formula 109 helps protect the heart in two ways: by replacing CoQ10 lost to statin drugs, and by supplying the body with other heart-healthy substances, including L-carnitine, alpha lipoic acid, arginine and piperine extract.
L-carnitine provides energy to the heart and helps to prevent the build-up of fatty acids in the heart muscle. It also assists in keeping cholesterol levels under control.
Alpha lipoic acid aids in producing energy in the body’s cells, and helps recycle vitamin A, vitamin C and glutathione, which is one of the body’s major antioxidants.
Arginine helps increase the flow of blood through the coronary arteries, which are the arteries supplying fresh blood to the heart muscles. Arginine also reduces the pain felt with angina.
Piperine (black pepper) extract is believed to have antiinflammatory and antioxidant activity. Both inflammation and oxidation play important roles in the onset of heart disease, so keeping these processes under control is crucial to heart health.
Nutrients Depleted
Zocor, Questran 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 and blood fat-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 109 provides special, “high-dose” protection for people taking medicines to lower their cholesterol and blood fat levels. Each dose includes 150 mg of coenzyme Q10 to help restore what these medicines may steal away from the body, plus generous amounts of arginine, piperine, L-carnitine and alpha lipoic acid. These substances help combat free radical damage, improve the flow of blood through the coronary arteries, control inflammation, and otherwise assist in boosting heart health.
