Statin Envy A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there were the Statin Wars… Last week I told you about the study comparing the cholesterol-lowering statin drugs Lipitor and Pravachol ("The House Always Wins" 11/24/03). According to the New York Times, that study was sponsored by Pfizer, the manufacturer of Lipitor, and - surprise! - Lipitor came out the big winner (as long as you don't scrutinize the details of the study). But don't feel too badly for Pravachol. Bristol-Myers Squibb, the makers of Pravachol, is sponsoring its own head-to-head comparison of the two drugs in a study that's due to finish up in early 2004. That study is called "Prove It" and promises to be the next big chapter of the "my statin's better than your statin" saga. Meanwhile, the question lingers: Is the need to reduce cholesterol important enough to risk the side effects of statin drugs? Obviously, millions of patients and doctors are answering "Yes" to that question every day. What most mainstream doctors overlook is the fact that there are safe, natural, and inexpensive ways to lower cholesterol levels. For instance, research shows that reduced cholesterol has been linked with a high intake of flavonoids - plant pigment molecules found in fruits and vegetables, as well as the leaves of the tea plant. The May 2003 issue of the HSI Members Alert featured an article about the specific flavonoids in both green and black teas, and how their powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities have helped reduce cholesterol. The problem with getting these nutrients through tea drinking is that you would need to drink an enormous amount of tea every day to have any effect on your cholesterol level. With this in mind, researchers developed a supplement called TheaChol, a formulation that delivers 375 mg of different tea flavonoids; that's the equivalent of 25 to 57 cups of tea. Find out how the "one-two punch" of compounds from both green and black tea may be able to reduce total cholesterol levels by more than 10 percent. Then sit back, relax, and get ready to enjoy another exciting installment of Statin Wars. I hear they might be bringing George Lucas in to direct the next episode.
To Your Good Health,
Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute
Sources:
"Doctors Divided Over Cholesterol Drugs Study" Health Day News, 11/13/03, ajc.com
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