Die gefährlichsten Medikamente der Welt? Welche Nebenwirkungen & Gefahren haben Cholesterinsenker?

It is best to start as early as possible or rather be reserved. You really get a lot of muscle pain and some even diabetes. And that's why, as I just said in the video, the intake period is really so important, so important. If you listen to some doctors, you could really believe that each of us needs cholesterol reducers. It is clear that our body needs the natural substance cholesterol. Cholesterol is important for our body, because this fat is, among other things, an important component of the outer coverage of our cells, the cell membrane. We also need cholesterol for the formation of cortisol, for testosterone. So, little cholesterol equals little testosterone? Also a very interesting question. But, and that is definitely clear, like monastery broth, too much cholesterol, permanently, over the years, in the wrong places, i.e. in the blood and on the walls of the vessels, leads to serious health damage due to so-called atherosclerosis, i.e. vessel calcification, and thus to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, i.e. heart attack, blood clots, but also in the brain, key word stroke. And therefore, of course, the question is whether statins and co. are now good and life savers, or is the populist title of the cholesterol reducer fraud true? Because for years, and you have to say that, the limit values ​​were increasingly lowered. Rightly so? Hello, my name is Dr. Tobias Weigel and with my YouTube channel I would like to make a contribution to clarify medically understandable and correct about diseases, causes of these diseases and what we can do about it ourselves. And if you don't want to miss anything, feel free to subscribe to my channel now. High cholesterol levels can affect everyone, regardless of whether thin or fat, whether young or old. But of course, first of all, with increasing age and, above all, with increasing weight, the risk of too high cholesterol levels increases. So overweight is really a risk factor for high cholesterol levels. The mouse doesn't bite off a string. And not uncommonly, the doctor then assigns the doctors, in addition to measures such as movement and diet change, I will go into this in detail in a moment, because that is important, doctors also prescribe a drug that should lower the cholesterol level. Simvastatin, Atorvastatin are well-known examples. And I'll say it here too, I've been taking Atorvastatin since 2023. More on why I'm doing this in a moment. Nevertheless, many patients are insecure and ask themselves, are these drugs even necessary for me? What about the side effects and what risks are there? Of course, there is always the package note that you can read through. Of course, I can absolutely understand this insecurity. There is a lot in this package note. And the crucial question that you are certainly asking yourself, I have also asked myself and answered for myself, maybe you are choosing against drug-induced cholesterol reduction. And there are good reasons for that too. I'll mention the side effects in a moment. That's what it's about right now. But before we continue with that, once in my own business, a reference to my advisor. It is precisely about what role healthy nutrition, micronutrients, macronutrients, play for our health, for our cardiovascular system, for our immune system, for people with a lack of nutrients, but also on the subject of losing weight, muscle build-up. So feel free to take a look at my shop. What to do with too high cholesterol? So your doctor, your doctors, at a blood test, at their routine examination, maybe too high cholesterol levels. And I have also written down the limits here. Then the doctor will first recommend a, what is called basic therapy, to lower the value. That means, with basic therapy, that means, or is part of it, regular exercise. It is said that two to three times a week, 30 to 45 minutes of adequate or moderate endurance training. And a healthy diet, for example a Mediterranean diet. But here is the crux for many, and you really have to say that. Many do not want or cannot move more. And healthy and balanced to eat, many may believe that they do it, but do not do it de facto. Remember, and that's why my tips once, and what is completely overridden, and I have already made many videos about it, first, good carbohydrates from now on, that is, completely and utterly. I always say, everything you can buy at the train station bakery, these are the bad carbohydrates. Simply put, donuts, croissants, normal rolls, etc. Second, you do not have to do without fat, but it should be the right fats, in the right amount. That means, a lot of unsaturated fatty acids, and above all, omega-3 fatty acids whenever possible. And these can be found in fish, I love some, for example, in algae, in linseed oil. And third, a more protein-rich diet, because proteins saturate longer and positively affect their body formation, that is, the distribution of muscles versus fat. That was once very close, now the nutrition. Just as important, however, is, and I just said something about it, the movement, and they say three to four times a week, 30 to 45 minutes of moderate endurance training. That is also the recommendation of the high-pressure league, so a kind of association guideline for us too. And these measures together, they can lower their cholesterol value, more precisely, the LDL value, the bad value, by 5 to 15 percent, and then you already notice, that's not that much. At the same time, the HDL value can also increase, but that's not much. And please avoid these foods, to lower your cholesterol value by 5 to 15 percent. Avoid sausages with normal or high fat content. Avoid cheese and dairy products with high or even very high fat content. Avoid hard or hardened fats, such as butter, lard, coconut fat, baked, deep-fried fats, especially these trans fats are very dangerous. Reduce fruit juices and cans with sufficiently added sugar or fruit sugar to a minimum. The end of cholesterol cosmetics? But back to this question. Do many, perhaps driven by financial interests, operate a kind of cholesterol cosmetics? That was also discussed once. In fact, you could really get the impression in the past 50 years, 60 years, that the recommended threshold for cholesterol, ultimately, with every decade, was automatically lowered further. And yes, as a result, more drugs were prescribed, and the industry, the pharma, earned more money as a result. From 260 to 240 and 220 to 200 mg per deciliter, the specialist creams reduced the target value in the blood. Meanwhile, however, you are, and this is important, more differentiated and do not only consider, for example, the total cholesterol, that is, 200 mg per deciliter, but there are differences between the well-known bad cholesterol, the LDL, and the good cholesterol, which should be high, the HDL. In addition, nowadays, the so-called lipoprotein A should still be taken in the blood test. And of course, it is also important to consider the risk factors, additional risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases. And all of this basically flows into the target value setting. That means, you don't say in general that the value should be below 200, but you look, so to speak, what are the other parameters? And there are now many studies, which also prove the connection between high LDL value and high lipoprotein a, like this study from 2017, and then there were many more in recent years. That means, the target values for good LDL values, i.e. for low LDL values, are different from person to person. I, for example, have no further risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. I don't smoke, I don't drink alcohol, I eat healthy, I do a lot of sports, but I have a slightly increased cholesterol value due to genetics. That's why I lower the cholesterol value for myself, but I don't have to have it as low as other people may have it, with other or with many other risk factors. That's the difference, that's very important for you to understand. What to do if movement and nutrition are not enough? So definitely, with a LDL value of over 150, and you should remember that, you should always take a medicine, because non-medical measures would not be sufficient for 99%. I have just said 5 to 15%, you get reductions, so to speak. An LDL value of over 200 often has something to do with a family hypercholesterolemia, and it is very important that, due to genetics, high cholesterol values, you don't get them down, despite a healthy lifestyle. And then it is really important to start early with cholesterol reductions, that's absolutely sensible and right, and as early as possible. And the study situation shows that very well now, and that's why you can't talk about a cholesterol cosmetic or something like that. Now I come to talk about the different drugs. I'll start with the statins, I'll go into that in more detail, because they are still the most important group of cholesterol reducers, and always the beginner, so to speak, that's how you start. They not only reduce LDL cholesterol, so bad cholesterol, but also have a number of additional effects that protect against cardiovascular diseases. Very important in general, you typically start low-dose with, for example, 10 mg, increase the dose to 20, to 40 mg, I just take 10 mg and that's it. And so, for example, they also have anti-inflammatory and vessel-expanding properties. So they are most often prescribed at a distance. And as I said, I also take statins, because I have a LDL value of almost 150, so 145, despite a lot of exercise, despite healthy nutrition. I have no other risk factors, and yet I want to get the LDL value down. In my opinion, I would have had to start much earlier, if I had had the knowledge I have now earlier. And that's the second fact I know, without the measures that I pay so much attention to nutrition, my LDL value would probably be much higher at 170, 180, 190, as some in my family have. Now a few tips about the intake of statins. First, the body's own cholesterol production is slightly higher at night than during the day. And for this reason, statins lower cholesterol better when taken in the evening. This difference is with the modern statins, with the newer ones, with a long life expectancy, especially with atorvastatin, which is what I take here, and also with rosovastatin, it's only slightly more pronounced. So it's not quite as important, compared to when you take simvastatin. Nevertheless, remember my recommendation, take cholesterol-lowering statins in the evening. Second, statins should be taken on a daily basis, because this form of medication has been best studied, most studies have been done on side effects and side effects, better than maybe only every three days, but for a higher dosage. Not that, a lower dosage for daily use. If you forget it once, then the next day, just go on, but don't take the double. I hear that a lot, I see that a lot, then you think, well, they don't take the double dose, they take the normal dose, they just forgot it once. Third, statins can be taken completely independently of the amount of food and do not affect the stomach. So no matter if you're eating something or taking the pill on an empty stomach, see how best you can cope with it yourself. That's a difference from other drugs, L-tyroxin, for example, should be taken half an hour before breakfast. And furthermore, there is also the fibrate as a cholesterol-lowering agent, and also so-called anion-exchange resins, such as cholestyramine. And what do they do? They bind lactic acid in the intestine and lead it off. And as a result, the lactic acid can no longer be converted into cholesterol, which ultimately also leads to a decrease in cholesterol levels. More details on these drugs, for example also on specially produced antibodies, these are, so to speak, newer drugs, which can really lower the LDL level very effectively, and up to 60%, they say, can be found in this video of mine. Take a look at it, so you'll learn more about cholesterol-lowering agents. Typical side effects of cholesterol-lowering agents. In general, you have to say, the statins are well tolerated and have been taken in by millions of patients worldwide without any problems for years. A lot of people take this drug, which means you get really good data. The most common side effects of statins are muscle pain. However, these are generally often and therefore not always clearly reflected in the statin intake. There are very interesting studies on this, I'll tell you about that in a moment. But if these muscle pains or other symptoms occur during the intake, what should be done then? Then you should talk to your doctor about it. And often, after a change to another statin, for example from simvastatin to atovastatin, the complaints are left behind. You should often take a break for a few days and then continue again. Sometimes laboratory blood tests are also done to check certain values. I'll go into that in a moment, keyword liver values. Researchers have not yet found the exact cause of the muscle pain. But it is assumed that certain parts of our muscle cells, the mitochondria, are damaged. And that ultimately leads to the dissolution of muscle proteins and thus to the complaints. At least one of the theories you have. And that's how researchers describe it in a 2020 study, for example. In connection with muscle pain, you read from time to time, and you sometimes get tips on the Internet, that Q10, a body-owned enzyme, can help or reduce muscle pain as a food supplement. It's supposed to catch the negative, so to speak. That's important, but I can't recommend it at this point. There are no large-scale studies that prove this. On the contrary, large-scale studies come to the conclusion that Q10 does not create a so-called balance to muscle pain. For example, this meta-analysis from 2015, you already know that, where several studies were taken, examined and critically evaluated. If you want to know more about Q10, how Q10 works, how to take it, I recommend this video of mine. The most difficult, but extremely rare side effect of statins is muscle decay. And that's really dangerous, the rhabdomyolysis. And an estimated 1 to 3 cases occur if 100,000 patients take statins for a year. And then you can see how rare that is. The rhabdomyolysis can be caused by very strong muscle pain, also characterized by muscle weakness, because of the brown-colored urine. And you should pay attention to that. Such a brown-colored urine, as well as the occurrence of fever, unwellness, vomiting, can be recognized early. And then it is really very, very important to go to the hospital immediately, to the doctor immediately, to stop taking the medication immediately. Among the other rare side effects of statins are, which are not that bad, but of course uncomfortable, gastrointestinal complaints, increased liver values, I just said something, also increased blood sugar values. The risk of developing diabetes mellitus under statins, i.e. diabetes, is minimally increased. I'll say something else in a moment, because that's kind of difficult. Often people who are overweight and have diabetes also have cholesterol, increased cholesterol. That's very interesting. Then what do you do? But back to the frequent, felt muscle pain. I call it felt. It often seems to be a matter of the mind whether you really feel the side effects or not. In 2018, a study was carried out with two treatment groups. A really very interesting study. I showed it here once. In the first group, the participants either received a statin or a placebo medication without effect. However, they did not know which one it was. In a second study, the participants were given a statin and it was now put into knowledge about the effects and side effects. It was explicitly told them the side effects of muscle pain. In the first study, the blind group, only 0.1 to 0.2 percent complained about muscle pain. 0.1 to 0.2 percent. In the enlightened group, to whom this side effect was shared, it was significantly more, namely 27 to 29 percent. So the study shows that participants often only felt the side effects due to their expectations. This is an important, interesting effect, which of course also occurs in other related drugs. Make sure you've experienced it yourself. They expected pain and got it. And scientists are talking about a nocebo effect here. What other side effects can occur? Nausea, constipation, other gastrointestinal problems, I just said that. These are also side effects that can occur with statins, with cholesterol reducers, also with the other types I just mentioned, or the other active ingredients I just mentioned. They can occur with almost all cholesterol reducers. But there are also differences, you have to know that, how often something like this occurs in the respective group. That's why it can sometimes be that you switch from a group of statins, to other ones. Statins, for example, are generally well tolerated, here it only rarely comes to gastrointestinal complaints. But others, such as the fibrates, from fibrates, such as the Bezafibrat, for example, there you get, according to specialist information, occasionally complaints, like complete nausea, nausea. That means, more specifically, less than one in a hundred is affected there. And if you personally have a tendency to do so, or other drugs that may have an effect on the gastrointestinal tract, such as NSARs, painkillers, for example, then you should switch, then you should rather take a statin. But your doctor knows that. That is always very important. Lomitampid is also a remedy, that is given especially with family-related high cholesterol values. If you take this drug, I give you a tip, the fat intake should not exceed 20% of the daily energy intake. So eat less fat, why? Then you can tolerate the drug better. You know that quite well. With the drug you intervene in the cholesterol metabolism of the body and thus also in parts of the fat metabolism. Many cholesterol reducers can cause an increase in liver values, another important aspect. And if it is observed as part of a blood test, it is important to keep calm. If the cholesterol reducer is dropped, then your liver slowly recovers. And our liver has a very good regeneration ability. And the transaminase values, these are the blood values you take, ALT and AST, these are two typical blood values, they come back to the normal range. Often, however, the liver values only increase at the beginning and fall back to the normal range again alone over time. That's why they say, even if you start with statin, you should check again in 6 months, if you don't have any complaints, maybe in 12 months, I'll do my next year, that's enough for me. But if you want to know more about liver values, how to interpret them, what they say about other diseases, e.g. alcohol problems and liver values, you should watch this video of mine. Does statin make you permanently ill? Is there an increased risk of diabetes? That's a very exciting question. And especially patients who inform themselves on the Internet, research, then come up with this question. Yes, statins bring a risk of favoring type 2 diabetes, rather than developing it. This has also been studied for several years, a lot of research is being done, and in 2017 an interesting meta-analysis was created and many studies have been evaluated. The result, and this is important for you, the risk of developing diabetes increases by 9-13% due to statin intake, to simplify it, 10%. Especially when the patients anyway bring risk factors, such as overweight, little movement, unhealthy diet, of course that doesn't make the matter any better. So statins slightly increase blood sugar levels and thus also the risk of diabetes. But, and as so often there is also a but, but patients without risk factors, they don't have to worry about it. That's why my tip once, who takes statins and has risk factors, bring risk factors for diabetes, he should be particularly good or particularly regularly naturally control his blood sugar levels and by nutrition, for example, by other measures also ensure that the blood sugar levels drop. And now the good thing again, healthy nutrition and movement not only lowers the blood sugar levels, but also the cholesterol level. And if that doesn't work, then your doctor will take other drugs, another effect group, but not statins. So that was four negatives now. That's why I emphasize again, it is important to me to say, get your cholesterol down. Cholesterol is important, we need it to live, but we have enough cholesterol. Because high cholesterol is undeniably a significant health risk. It is also interesting that apparently an early therapy for people, early therapy, starting early, also with drugs, for people under 45 could be the most worthwhile. Why? Because there is a cumulative effect. And the result is a study from 2019. If you already have too much cholesterol in young ages, you have a particularly high risk to suffer a severe cardiovascular event later. So thank God to get a heart attack. The risk accumulates. And that is still very important to me. Please take this with you from the video. And I always compare it with the education of caries, for example, in young years, because they don't brush their teeth in young years, then it slowly damages the teeth more and more.