The deadly effects statins have on the mevalonate pathway

Our food is used by the body in a myriad of ways. One of these is the mevalonate pathway. Please refer to the mevalonate pathway diagram below that shows some of the end products (dolichols, tau proteins (not shown) , heme A, prenylated proteins (farnesylated & geranylgeranylated proteins), isopentenyl adenine, Ubiquinone, selenoproteins (not shown) and cholesterol) of the mevalonate pathway that are blocked by statins.

Mevalonate Pathway

Food is turned into a compound called acetyl-CoA. In the mevalonate pathway this is then eventually converted into another compound called 3-hydroxy-3-methyglutaryl coenzme A (HGM CoA). An enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase should then convert the 3-hydroxy-3-methyglutaryl coenzme A (HGM CoA) into mevalonate, a precursor of cholesterol.

Statin drugs work by inhibiting the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme from doing this task and unfortunately thereby ultimately stops the body producing cholesterol. This is unfortunate as cholesterol is a vital nutrient needed by the body.

As noted above mevalonate is also the precursor to many other beneficial nutrients and compounds such as dolichols, tau proteins, heme A, prenylated proteins, isopentenyl adenine, Ubiquinone and selenoproteins. By stopping the production of mevalonate, statins also have the disastrous effect of stopping the production of these essential and vital compounds.

A brief examination follows of the consequences statin drugs have on these fundamental and necessary health providing nutrients and compounds.

Dolichols

Dolichols play an important role in cell vitality, immune system health and in helping the body build proteins and other important compounds.

Dolichols exist in the cells of all living creatures. Low dolichol levels can cause such health problems as:

• decrease in energy
• compromised immune system
• hormone imbalance or deficiency
• low sperm count
• cell damage or cell death
• poor brain function
• nervous disorders
• depression
• neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's

Tau protein

Statins cause the formation of abnormal tau protein.

This abnormal tau protein is linked to:

·         amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

·         Alzheimer’s

·         frontal lobe dementia

·         multiple system atrophy (degenerative neurological disorder)

·         Parkinson’s

·         other neurodegenerative diseases

Heme A

Heme A is a molecule that plays a part in many processes:

Low levels of heme A may lead to:

·         depleted energy production in cells

·         DNA damage

·         muscle pain

·         neuron damage

·         cell death

·         premature aging

Prenylated proteins

Prenylated proteins are involved in many functions.

Low levels of prenylated proteins are associated with:

·         disruption in cell wall maintenance

·         abnormal endocytosis (the process of cells absorbing molecules such as proteins)

·         failed cell replication

·         subnormal cell growth

·         disordered cell signalling

·         underdeveloped cytoskeleton (the cells internal skeleton)

·         faulty nervous system development

·         depleted energy production

Isopentenyl adenine

Isopentenyl adenine is vital for DNA replication in the cell cycle. DNA is the blueprint of a cell. So without isopentenyl adenine there is no blueprint, and without the blueprint the cell will die before it can replicate.

Ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10)

Ubiquinone is vital to the production of energy in the body and is also a potent antioxidant.

Depleted levels of ubiquinone are linked to:

·         physical and mental fatigue

·         chronic pain

·         weak immune system

·         increased risk of heart disease and obesity

·         neurological disorders (Parkinson’s,  Huntington's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)

Selenoproteins

Selenoproteins are proteins that have antioxidant activity.

A deficiency in selenoproteins may lead to:

·         neurological damage

·         developmental delay

·         impaired movement co-ordination

·         poor memory

·         muscle damage

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is probably the most important substance in the body. Without cholesterol we would die. It does many things to keep us alive. It is the main precursor in the synthesis of many crucial hormones including vitamin D3 (the sunlight hormone); the steroid hormones cortisol, cortisone, and aldosterone in the adrenal glands; and the sex hormones progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone. It is so important that almost every cell in the body can make it. Cholesterol is crucial for the body to function.

Low cholesterol is associated with many health problems including:

·         abscess of the anal and rectal region

·         abscess of the intestine

·         abscess on the brain

·         abscess on the spinal cord

·         accidents

·         adrenal failure

·         adrenal hormones deficiency

·         aggression

·         AIDS

·         aldosterone deficiency

·         Alzheimer’s

·         androstenedione deficiency

·         antisocial personality disorder

·         appendicitis

·         arthropathy

·         asbestosis

·         asthma

·         autism

·         bacteremia

·         bartholin cyst

·         behavioural problems

·         bile acid deficiency

·         boils

·         bronchitis

·         cancer

·         carbuncle

·         cardiac death

·         cardiovascular disease

·         cell membranes impairment

·         cellulitis

·         cervicitis

·         childbirth problems

·         chlamydia

·         cholangitis

·         chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

·         colds

·         colon cancer

·         conduct disorder

·         corticosterone deficiency

·         coughs

·         Crohn’s

·         dementia

·         depression

·         digestive system disorders

·         diverticulosis

·         early death

·         eczema

·         emphysema

·         empyema

·         encephalitis

·         endocarditis

·         endotoxic shock

·         estrogen deficiency

·         fatigue

·         gangrene

·         gastrointestinal diseases

·         genito-urinary infections

·         gonorrhoea

·         gout

·         heart attack

·         heart disease

·         heart failure

·         hemodynamics

·         hemorrhagic stroke

·         hepatitis B

·         hepatitis C

·         herpes

·         homicides

·         hormone deficiency

·         hyperactivity

·         impaired cognition

·         impetigo

·         infections

·         infective myositis

·         inflammatory bowel disease

·         influenza

·         injury

·         insomnia

·         intermittent claudication

·         intestinal infections

·         intracerebral hemorrhage

·         irritability

·         ischemic heart disease

·         ischemic stroke

·         kidney disease

·         laryngitis

·         liver disease

·         lung disease

·         lymphadenitis

·         lymphocytes

·         mediastinitis

·         memory loss

·         meningitis1

·         meningococcal sepsis

·         mental disorder

·         minor illnesses

·         muscle-skeletal infections

·         myelin deficiency

·         myelitis

·         oophoritis

·         nerve cell deterioration

·         nonischemic systolic heart failure

·         nonvascular disease

·         osteomyelitis

·         pancreatic cancer

·         Parkinson’s

·         pelvic inflammatory disease

·         periostitis

·         physicians

·         photosensitivity

·         pilonidal cyst

·         pleurisy

·         pneumonia

·         pneumuconiosis

·         poor health  

·         poor social interaction

·         progesterone

·         pulmonary congestion

·         pulmonary fibrosis

·         pyoderma

·         respiratory system diseased

·         retarded embryonic development

·         rhinitis

·         rheumatic pneumonia

·         rheumatoid arthritis

·         ringworm

·         rotavirus

·         runny nose

·         salmonella

·         salpingitis

·         schizophrenia

·         self-injury

·         septicaemia

·         septic shock

·         sinusitis

·         skin rash

·         slow growth

·         Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome

·         sore throat

·         stroke

·         sudden cardiac death

·         sudden death

·         suicide

·         synapse impairment

·         syphilis

·         tantrums

·         T-cells impairment

·         testosterone deficiency

·         thrush

·         tonsillitis

·         trauma

·         trichomoniasis

·         trichotillomania

·         tuberculosis

·         ulcerative colitis

·         urinary tract infections

·         vaginitis

·         vascular disease

·         venereal diseases

·         violence

·         viral hepatitis

·         vitamin A deficiency

·         vitamin D deficiency

·         vitamin E deficiency

·         vitamin K deficiency

·         weak immune system

The above shows how statins adversely affect many vital nutrients and compounds which can result in many deleterious health effects and an early death.