Statin Medication Considerations
Recently I gave a presentation discussing the intricate role of pharmaceuticals in modern healthcare, offering my functional medicine perspective about their benefits, limitations, potential interactions, and side effects. As more medications come to be prescribed for longer and longer, unexpected consequences may emerge. Certainly, I believe in using medicine when appropriate. There can be a synergy between traditional medicine and functional medicine approaches. But managing medication use should be done with more care than is commonly used by traditional medical practices. In our Denver functional medicine office, we take a deeper look at the potential interactions of medications, their long-term necessity, and many other factors.
But back to the talk: As I prepared my presentation, I found myself taking a trip through history beginning with the advent of drug development in 1928, with the accidental discovery of the antibiotic Penicillin. Fast forward to 2023 (almost 2024), and prescription medication use has skyrocketed especially among older adults. The median number of prescription medications used among adults aged 65 and older doubled from 2 to 4, and the proportion taking ≥5 medications tripled to 12.8%. Taking a functional medicine approach, it is important to take a pause and consider whether all of this activity is being managed properly and is not causing more harm than good.
To take one example of the types of considerations we bring to bear in our integrative medicine practice, let’s discuss the case of atorvastatin calcium or Lipitor. This was the most prescribed drug in 2022. Atorvastatin is a statin medication used to treat abnormal lipid levels and prevent cardiovascular disease. It blocks an enzyme that helps make cholesterol and causes an increase in the breakdown of cholesterol. My own family members have taken this medication for decades. As a good holistic practitioner will tell you, however, you need to look at potential side effects and interactions. Some of these include:
An increase in muscle issues–including severe rhabdomyolysis.
Increased blood sugar levels and increased risk for diabetes.
Statins deplete CoQ10, something we need for mitochondrial health and cellular energy production.
Some research suggests that statins reduce vitamin D levels in the body. Vitamin D is essential for bone health, brain health, mood, energy, immune function and a multitude of other bodily functions.
Statins can interfere with vitamin K metabolism. Vitamin K is important for blood clotting and bone health.
Statins might reduce selenium levels in the body. Selenium is an essential mineral with antioxidant properties that is essential for thyroid hormone production.
Traditional medicine may ignore many of these considerations, but in functional medicine, we take a long hard look. The great news is that we can test these things and, if a problem is emerging, we can intervene to replace vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that may be suffering due to statin use.
Here are some specific steps we take at Tendwell to deal with this kind of issue:
Fully assess cardiac risk–does she really need to be on a statin full time? Can we reduce the dose? What is their coronary calcium score? How have their lipids been running? Get an advanced lipid profile.
Help people focus on the nutrients right for them.
Focus on movement: strength training and cardio.
Increase fiber with whole foods and fiber supplementation.
Test for micronutrient deficiencies.
Replace missing nutrients.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Schedule a free consultation today to see whether our Denver medical office or our online functional healthcare approach is right for you.
