The Cholesterol Scare: Are You One Of Millions Of Victims?

By Dr. David Tanton

Every year, millions of people fall victim to the very deceptive, highly profitable cholesterol scam … are you one of them? If you are taking a cholesterol lowering medication, also called statins, the answer is an astounding yes! It’s time to take action: Get off them immediately, before they do any more damage.

According to findings released by a Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) in May, 2008, “The number of persons purchasing a statin increased 88 percent from 2000 to 2005, rising from 15.8 million people to 29.7 million people.”  The pharmaceutical companies producing statins have successfully convinced many doctors, and their patients, that cholesterol, our very best friend, is instead our worst enemy.

The truth is Low Density cholesterol (LDL) plays many critical roles in both the body and brain. It forms the very basis of our hormones, and vitamin D, which provides many benefits. The majority of cholesterol is found in the brain, where it serves as an insulator for neurons. Cholesterol even removes toxins from the blood stream, preventing potential damage to the arteries. Cholesterol is part of every cell wall, and plays a critical role in sealing and stabilizing damaged or weakened arteries. Approximately 20 percent comes from the diet, and the liver produces the remaining 80 percent in order to meet the body’s demands. Our body produces only what it needs, thus we should allow our bodies to regulate it. The problem is actually when our cholesterol is too low – that can be serious! Many studies have proven that just as many people with too low of cholesterol experience a heart attack, as those with elevated cholesterol!

When our LDL is excessively elevated, it’s an indicator that we need to address the underlying problem that our cholesterol is attempting to deal with – not take a cholesterol-lowering medication. The most likely contributors to elevated LDL are: low vitamin C, toxins, low thyroid, elevated homocysteine (the rogue amino acid that damages the arteries), and even stress, as the actually body uses LDL to produce stress hormones!

Unfortunately, blood tests to determine cholesterol levels can be inconclusive and a total waste of time and money, as our levels will vary daily. Then as usual, our bodies will manage the details.

Following is a fact you’ll find interesting. In 1966, following Harvard’s famous Framingham cholesterol study, the public was told that a total cholesterol count of 300 was good. According to current guidelines, the recommended LDL Cholesterol level is 70 or less, combined with a 40 or higher high density cholesterol (HDL) level, which gives a total cholesterol count of approximately 130. Was Harvard’s prior study somehow seriously flawed? I think not. Unfortunately, those are the guidelines most doctors today are following. Even more interesting, according to the Annals of Internal Medicine (April 20, 2004; 140: 644-649), the American College of Physicians released a report stating new proposed guidelines, recommending that diabetics take cholesterol-lowering drugs, regardless of whether they have good cholesterol levels or not!  Why have the recommended dosages changed so drastically? And why are diabetics now pressured into taking a statin, although they weren’t in the past? Profit potential is the obvious answer.

Our body also knows how to eliminate any excess cholesterol by converting it into another critical substance, known as bile, which the liver uses to metabolize fats and fat-soluble vitamins, as well as escorting toxins into the intestinal tract for removal. Our body is very efficient at regulating and utilizing all its resources, including cholesterol.

Unfortunately, when taken, statins target the LDL cholesterol, which our bodies depend upon the very most!  HDL cholesterol’s role is basically to remove any excess cholesterol from the arteries once the LDL has repaired the damage to the artery.  

You’d think someone would have discovered this long ago. However, because statins have provided huge profits for many years, someone did benefit!  Unfortunately, millions of their victims are unknowingly paying the ultimate price.

Now that you know what your body does with excess cholesterol, we’ll take a look at how the LDL cholesterol ends up in our arteries, and why we would be in trouble if it weren’t there. For instance, one of LDL cholesterol’s many functions is to maintain the integrity of our arteries, and prevent any potential leakage or blood loss, which is critical to our survival.

The epitheal cells that line the arteries are basically held together by collagen. Vitamin C plays a critical role in the production of collagen, necessary for the integrity of our vascular system. When someone is deficient in Vitamin C, the body will naturally produce LDL in order to fill the Vitamin C void.  A few things are responsible for contributing to the vitamin C deficiency, and weakened leaky arteries, such as:

• Microwave cooking, which destroys from 60 to 90 percent of vitamin C, vitamin E and all B vitamins!

• Of the 180 most prescribed medications, 114 (over 63 percent) depleted vitamin C, along with many other vitamins and minerals.

• Many seniors especially are experiencing a serious nutritional deficiency, often due to a poor diet, and too many medications.

Most importantly, vitamin C is readily available, and very affordable (although unlike statin medications, not covered by your insurance)!

Another Contributor To Elevated Cholesterol – Low Thyroid: Two symptoms associated with a hypothyroid (low thyroid) condition are leaky blood vessels and elevated cholesterol. Most doctors would prescribe a statin to resolve this problem. The solution, again, is resolving the underlying problem, the hypothyroid condition. Once your thyroid function has been normalized, your cholesterol level will soon stabilize.

What Are Some Of the “Benefits” Of Taking Cholesterol Lowering Statins?

• Congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy (Dr. Langsjoen, Life Extension magazine, 2004 February, p. 14).

• Calcification of the arteries – basically turning you into a cardiac invalid (Life Extension magazine, March 2004, p. 67).

• Then, increasing your risk of experiencing kidney failure is just an added benefit (Journal of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, 2003;13:13-22).

So, the question remains: What “true benefits” do cholesterol-lowering medications really provide? To date, none. 

Dr. David Tanton graduated with honors from Clayton College of Natural Healing with a Ph.D. in Holistic Nutrition, and is the founder and research director or the Soaring Heights Longevity Research Center. He is the author of the award-winning book, “A Drug-Free Approach to Healthcare” as well as, “Antidepressants, Antipsychotics and Stimulants – Dangerous Drugs on Trial.” At the age of 74, Dr. Tanton is 100 percent drug free, and is in optimal health. For more information, visit www.DrTanton.com or e-mail longevitycntr@peoplepc.com.

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