In the previous blog, you can read all about cholesterol and its function in the body. The most important factor to take from the blog is that our cholesterol levels are produced by the liver, and they are only produced in response to a stimulus. For those who suffer from elevated cholesterol levels, especially elevated LDL levels, you really need to focus on your diet, because LDL's are the livers response to excess inflammation in the blood. If you use a statin drug to take away your LDLs, instead of focusing on the diet changes that are needed, you will have no organic response to fight the inflammation in the blood, and Diabetes is inevitable.
Read this blog to dive farther into your knowledge of health, and learn how The New-Start Solution will get you back on the health track you desire.
As I stated before, all cholesterol is produced in the liver. Below is a diagram of how the sequence of events takes place for the production of cholesterol.
As you can see, the big black line that has (STATINS) beside it is where statin drugs come in to inhibit the function of HMG-CoA reductase.
Blocking the function of HMG-CoA reductase inhibits the liver from continuing the step of turning HMG-CoA into Mevalonate.
When this very important step along this pathway is stopped, you can see what fails to be produced, Ubiquinone, Cholesterol, and Dclichol.
I have spent a lot of time in the last blog talking about cholesterol and why its produced, but there is one other very important factor that I am going to discuss today.
What is Ubiquinone????
You might have heard of a supplement out that is called CoQ10. Well that is the usable form of Ubiquinone in the body.
Would you be concerned if I told you that there is almost no way to produce adequate amounts of energy for our cells if you do not produce adequate Ubiquinone?
ITS TRUE. HERE IS WHY....
First, lets dive a little deeper into why the body needs Ubiquinone or CoQ10.
I often discuss how we need to properly fuel our body with the fuel that it needs to promote health and prevent illness. Well that fuel comes in three major forms, called Macronutrients. These macronutrients are based upon 3 groups, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
Each of these three macros have a basic function to fuel the body. Proteins are blocks of amino acids that are broken down and utilized throughout the body in basically ever function from muscle building, to RNA synthesis. Fats are different, they are utilized as the building blocks of cholesterol, and they help restore neurological function and provide lubrication for our joints in the body.
Carbohydrates are the most common macronutrient that you hear about. There are high carb diets, low carb diets, etc. But what are carbs exactly?
For the most part, carbohydrates are sugar. Sugar is the fuel for energy in the body. I am not going to go into the chemical compound of sugar or be technical about where the carbs we eat should come from. I am just going to discuss one derivative that comes from broken down carbohydrates.
I am in no way saying you should eat endless amounts of sugar because carbohydrates are the energy that our body needs. Vegetables are carbohydrates that we need to fuel the body not a Snickers Bar.
COFFEE, or CAFFEINE is not energy. No matter how much you think you cannot wake up or get through the day without coffee, you are wrong. Caffeine is a stimulant, that makes your body think it has energy and you are only further depriving your body of the energy that is demands.
So, lets talk about how carbohydrates become usable energy in the body.
Bear with me here, this is going to get a little boring, but I promise I will get back to the point of Ubiquinone eventually.
Carbohydrates are sugar, and the most common usable form of sugar in the body is Glucose. I am sure you have heard of this compound. You might have even had a Glucose Tolerance Test before.
Glucose is the form of sugar that is readily usable in the body for energy. The real point of what I am about to say is this. Glucose, Sugar, Caffeine, Protein, Fat, and all other things we eat are not a usable form of energy in the human body. Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) is the main thing that is really "energy" in the body. ATP is generated from Glucose, and here is how.
After we eat and digestion takes place to break down the carbs, proteins, and fats, the end result of our food either ends up in our blood stream or as poop.
When a carbohydrate is broken into glucose and your brain is telling your liver that you need some energy to be produced from this meal, the glucose enters the process called Glycolysis.
I am not going to bore you with the entire glycolysis process so here is a picture.
As you can clearly see, the glucose enters the pathway and produces some energy for the body:
So what happens next?
Well the two ATP can be used in the body wherever it need, the NADH+ are put on the back burner for future use, which you will find out shortly, and the two pyruvate compounds go on to enter the Krebs Cycle. (do you remember me talking about the Krebs Cycle in the fibromyalgia blog?)
Again, I won't bore you with the pathway of the Krebs Cycle, so here is a picture.
As you can clearly see, each of the two pyruvate gets into the Krebs Cycle and produces:
Here in the ETC is where the vast majority of you energy is produced. Out of the 30-32 ATP that is produced from each glucose molecule, 24-26 are produced by the ETC.
You are probably started to wonder, why in the world is Dr. Moz still talking about ATP and glucose and endless metabolic pathways. Well here is the kicker, Statin drugs are dangerous because they stop the production of Ubiquinone. Ubiquinone is utilized in the body as CoQ10 and CoQ10 is a vital instrument in the ETC. Considering the ETC produces 80% of our cells' usable energy, I think it is important to discuss it.
Here is the ETC pathway.
As you can see in this diagram, all of the NADH+ and FADH2 are being utilized through an oxidation/reduction reaction (requires vitamins B2 & B3) to produce ATP across the membrane of the mitochondria. And when each of these molecules are broken down, Ubiquinone, or CoQ10 is utilized to transport the hydrogen ion across the membrane.
So what happens with you do block the body from producing Ubiquinone with a common Statin Medication? You stop the production of ATP. You inhibit your body from carrying out its daily routine.
Would you be concerned if I told you that there is almost no way to produce adequate amounts of energy for our cells if you do not produce adequate Ubiquinone?
ITS TRUE. HERE IS WHY....
First, lets dive a little deeper into why the body needs Ubiquinone or CoQ10.
I often discuss how we need to properly fuel our body with the fuel that it needs to promote health and prevent illness. Well that fuel comes in three major forms, called Macronutrients. These macronutrients are based upon 3 groups, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
Each of these three macros have a basic function to fuel the body. Proteins are blocks of amino acids that are broken down and utilized throughout the body in basically ever function from muscle building, to RNA synthesis. Fats are different, they are utilized as the building blocks of cholesterol, and they help restore neurological function and provide lubrication for our joints in the body.
Carbohydrates are the most common macronutrient that you hear about. There are high carb diets, low carb diets, etc. But what are carbs exactly?
For the most part, carbohydrates are sugar. Sugar is the fuel for energy in the body. I am not going to go into the chemical compound of sugar or be technical about where the carbs we eat should come from. I am just going to discuss one derivative that comes from broken down carbohydrates.
I am in no way saying you should eat endless amounts of sugar because carbohydrates are the energy that our body needs. Vegetables are carbohydrates that we need to fuel the body not a Snickers Bar.
COFFEE, or CAFFEINE is not energy. No matter how much you think you cannot wake up or get through the day without coffee, you are wrong. Caffeine is a stimulant, that makes your body think it has energy and you are only further depriving your body of the energy that is demands.
So, lets talk about how carbohydrates become usable energy in the body.
Bear with me here, this is going to get a little boring, but I promise I will get back to the point of Ubiquinone eventually.
Carbohydrates are sugar, and the most common usable form of sugar in the body is Glucose. I am sure you have heard of this compound. You might have even had a Glucose Tolerance Test before.
Glucose is the form of sugar that is readily usable in the body for energy. The real point of what I am about to say is this. Glucose, Sugar, Caffeine, Protein, Fat, and all other things we eat are not a usable form of energy in the human body. Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) is the main thing that is really "energy" in the body. ATP is generated from Glucose, and here is how.
After we eat and digestion takes place to break down the carbs, proteins, and fats, the end result of our food either ends up in our blood stream or as poop.
When a carbohydrate is broken into glucose and your brain is telling your liver that you need some energy to be produced from this meal, the glucose enters the process called Glycolysis.
I am not going to bore you with the entire glycolysis process so here is a picture.
As you can clearly see, the glucose enters the pathway and produces some energy for the body:
- 2 ATP
- 2 NADH+
- 2 Pyruvate.
So what happens next?
Well the two ATP can be used in the body wherever it need, the NADH+ are put on the back burner for future use, which you will find out shortly, and the two pyruvate compounds go on to enter the Krebs Cycle. (do you remember me talking about the Krebs Cycle in the fibromyalgia blog?)
Again, I won't bore you with the pathway of the Krebs Cycle, so here is a picture.
- 2 ATP
- 2 FADH2
- 6 NADH+
Here in the ETC is where the vast majority of you energy is produced. Out of the 30-32 ATP that is produced from each glucose molecule, 24-26 are produced by the ETC.
You are probably started to wonder, why in the world is Dr. Moz still talking about ATP and glucose and endless metabolic pathways. Well here is the kicker, Statin drugs are dangerous because they stop the production of Ubiquinone. Ubiquinone is utilized in the body as CoQ10 and CoQ10 is a vital instrument in the ETC. Considering the ETC produces 80% of our cells' usable energy, I think it is important to discuss it.
Here is the ETC pathway.
As you can see in this diagram, all of the NADH+ and FADH2 are being utilized through an oxidation/reduction reaction (requires vitamins B2 & B3) to produce ATP across the membrane of the mitochondria. And when each of these molecules are broken down, Ubiquinone, or CoQ10 is utilized to transport the hydrogen ion across the membrane.
So what happens with you do block the body from producing Ubiquinone with a common Statin Medication? You stop the production of ATP. You inhibit your body from carrying out its daily routine.
Are There Side Effects of Statin Drugs?
Most people who take statin drugs tolerate them very well. But some people experience side effects.
The most common statin side effects include:
- Headache
- Difficulty sleeping
- Flushing of the skin
- Muscle aches, tenderness, or weakness (myalgia)
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Abdominal cramping and/or pain
- Bloating and/or gas
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Rash
All of these side effects have to do with poor cell activity and decreased overall energy levels. Think about this when your doctor tries to prescribe you a statin medication.
Dr. Moz
If you are tired of seeking pain relief with no results, call (812) 799-0668 TODAY and schedule a FREE CONSULTATION, and let's get you back to the PAIN-FREE Life you are missing.Visit www.NewStartHealthCenter.com TODAY!
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