Statins and vitamin D
The last post I wrote was on statin drugs and the couple before that were on the many benefits of vitamin D, one of which is the prevention of heart disease. According to a number of papers, statin drugs seem to increase levels of vitamin D in those who take them, which makes me wonder if any benefits that statins provide don’t come from this increase in vitamin D levels. If so, it would be a whole lot cheaper and a whole lot safer to simply take vitamin D3 supplements.
This issue reminds me of a talk on the mechanism of action of statins that I sat through at a medical meeting in Napa, California about 10 years ago. At that time researchers knew that along with their cholesterol-lowering capabilities statins also acted as anti-inflammatory agents. Statins increase the production of nitric oxide, an extremely short acting substance that has relaxing and anti-inflammatory effects on the lining of the arteries. The researcher giving the talk was from Harvard, and he had done a study in which he compared the nitric oxide releasing ability of l-arginine (an amino acid) and a statin drug. He found that the way that statins increased the production of nitric oxide mimicked the way l-arginine did the same thing. He proudly announced that his research showed for the first time how statins really worked to exert their anti-inflammatory effects. I wondered at the time why he didn’t just recommend that patients be given l-arginine – a natural substance with virtually no side effects – instead of statins? I would have asked the question, but this was a mainstream medical meeting, and I figured if I asked that question I might be stoned.
Thanks to this and subsequent research, we know that the anti-inflammatory benefits provided by statins can be had cheaper and more safely by taking l-arginine, available at health stores everywhere. ( Incidentally, know what the best natural source of l-arginine is? Wild game. Just another piece of evidence in favor of a Paleolithic diet.) And now we know that statins increase production of vitamin D, another heart-healthy substance.
Dr. John Aloia and his group (who did the study I posted about previously) noted that their African American subjects who were on statins had significantly higher levels of vitamin D than did those who weren’t on statins.
A total of 208 women were randomized to receive vitamin D3 (n=104) or placebo (n=104). 51 women were on statins. At baseline, the subjects on statins had a significantly higher 25-OHD level [a measure of vitamin D in the blood] than the subjects who were not on statins (51.2 ± 20.1 nmol/L versus 43.2 ± 18.0 nmol/L respectively, p=0.008). This was also true when averaging 25-OHD levels across the 3-year study period and looking at active and placebo patients separately. 185 subjects had follow-up 25-OHD levels drawn every 6 months during the study. Higher levels were seen in the statin use subgroup whether they were on placebo or active vitamin D. There was no interaction seen between vitamin D use and statin use, i.e. the impacts are additive (p=0.5502).
(Click here to read Dr. Aloia’s report, published in the American Journal of Cardiology a couple of months ago. )
It has been shown that patients on statins have fewer hip fractures as compared to those patients not on statins. Is this due to the increased levels of vitamin D? Probably, but no one knows for sure yet. And no one knows how statins increase vitamin D levels.
But I do know that I would much prefer to take a few grams of l-arginine and 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily than I would to take a statin. All of the benefits and none of the risk at a fraction of the cost. Hmmm. This isn’t rocket science – just common sense.
The cover story (very well covered, with about 15-20 pages, lots of refs) in Life Extension Foundation magazine (www.lef.org) is about Metformin, and the recommendation to try Metformin, as it has helped lots of diabetics and pre-diabetics (of which I am one) lose weight and control their blood sugar (an apparently avoid cancer?!).
I stopped a couple months ago testing my blood glucose levels, because my fasting BG was generally between 100 and 119, almost never dipping into the 90s. (In the interim after stopping: a two week cruise — not much low carb : mashed potatoes! spaghetti! ice cream with caramel sauce every night!! You know, a normal cruise! And then in the past month and a half, more than my fair share of five or six amazing frosted cakes…) When the Metformin article showed up, I decided to start tracking my BG again, and go see my diabetes specialist nurse to see about trying Metformin. (And yes, returning to a low carb way of life… finally!)
About a month ago (having read it here first!), I began taking one, 1000mg L-Arginine every day (having already been taking ashwaganda and phosphotidyl serine and cinnamon daily, when my BG was in the low hundreds). Imagine my surprise (and relief!) when my fasting BG is now in the low 90s, and occasionally high 80s! The only change (besides lots of cake lately) has been the L-Arginine.
Trying to get my sister to add it to her Type 1 son’s life too, on the theory that it can’t hurt and might help!
p.s., my beeeeutiful *blue* “adolescent” Sous Vide Supreme Demi arrived, and despite my husband remarking a bit dubiously, on seeing the two side-by-side: “It’s not much smaller” — it fits on the counter SO much better! (And it’s BLUE!) And I’m having neighbors over for dinner on Friday to teach them about it! (Steaks, and also one bison steak to compare…)
At our Halloween cul-de-sac party, I was describing how the SVS works, and my neighbor said: “Oh! That must be how they did my lamb!” He and his girlfriend were up in Kentucky and he had a 2-1/2-inch-thick lamb chop that was “cooked absolutely perfectly all the way through”! Now he knew how they did it!
Thanks, Dr, Mike for the lovely new appliance!!
Thank you. Hope you enjoy your new cobalt blue toy. Send some recipes to the website if you get the chance. We’re always on the lookout for new ones.
I was wondering if Lipitor was the reason for my vitamin d deficiency. After reading your article I wonder if my doctor should increase my 10 mg dose along with the ergocalciferol I take weekly @ 50,000 iu’s. I’ve also wondered if I shouldn’t be adding d3 to my supplements. I was tested after 3 months on the d2 and my numbers had only risen 8 points. I am currently reading 25. I have another 3 month round of d2 to go then I’m to take 4000 iu daily. Any suggestions. I’m healthy as can be in every other regard. My doctor was as surprised as I was when this deficiency showed up. I’m soon to be 55 and had a hysterectomy at 30 if that helps in any way. My cholesterol is not a dietary but a family disposition. I have been on Lipitor for many years now and my numbers are very good.
Sheila,
There aren’t any studies that I am aware of that link high cholesterol with risk for heart disease in women. All studies (which aren’t definitively conclusive either) were done on men. The true and more significant risk factor is blood glucose/A1c. The higher off normal that is, the much greater risk of cardiovascular disease.
With that in mind should you even be taking it? Then the other thing is D2 is not effective like D3. Seems like two Xs for you (sorry). Check out the “vitamin D council” website for more information on D dosage/management etc.
Do some research and it’s okay to question your doctor’s decisions because it’s your health on the line.