New Study Renews Concerns of Cancer Risk with Statin Drugs

New Study Renews Concerns of Cancer Risk with Statin Drugs

(August 8, 2007) U.S. researchers reported renewed concerns that patients who took statin drugs to lower their cholesterol had a slightly higher risk of cancer. Statin drugs can also damage the liver and muscles.

The researchers found one extra case of cancer per 1,000 patients with the lowest levels of LDL — low density lipoprotein or so-called bad cholesterol — when compared to patients with higher LDL levels.

Dr. Richard Karas of Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston and colleagues did not look directly at patients for their study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

They did what is known as a meta-analysis, looking at the records of 41,173 patients in 23 different trials of statins.

“The demonstrated benefits of statins in lowering the risk of heart disease remain clear; however, certain aspects of lowering LDL with statins remain controversial and merit further research,” Karas said in a statement.

Karas and colleagues examined the records of patients treated with popular statins, including Pfizer Inc.’s Lipitor and Merck & Co. Inc.’s Zocor, now off patent.

Dr. Peter Verdegem, Chief Scientist of Unicity International stated, “It has been widely known and accepted that statin therapy to lower cholesterol has serious side effects, such as muscle problems, liver damage and rhabdomyolisis. Also, it has been suspected that high statin therapy may be related to certain forms of cancer.”

The meta-analysis strengthens the arguments for this assumption.

Statin drugs contain non-natural chemical components that disrupt biological mechanisms in our body. Since our body is a complex system such disruptions may result in imbalances causing the side effects.

“Bios Life contains a blend of nutrients that are a natural part of our diet, therefore, Bios Life does not have the side effects associated with statin drugs. In stead it brings cholesterol levels to a healthy balance by providing our body with nutrients that are lacking from our food. Our body knows how to get cholesterol at healthy levels, provided we give it what it needs with Bios Life,” observed Dr. Verdegem.