Pasadena, U.S.A. – Experts estimate nearly 30 million Americans, approximately 10% of the population, take some form of cholesterol-lowering drug, also known as statins, under brands such as Lipitor, Zocor, Pravachol, and Crestor.

Statins are among the most widely prescribed drugs in the United States and cardiologists agree that they remain the most effective long-term treatment for cholesterol patients in the high-risk category. However, many patients are not aware that through regular statin therapy they may be depleting their bodies of valuable vitamins and nutrients essential for healthy living. The depletion may be associated with an increasing number of side effects exhibited by statin patients – and relief from these side effects is not commonly known.

In the past, statins have generally been considered to be safe, however, as the population of statin users continues to rapidly increase, statin studies continue to emerge showing that there is also a significant increase in the number of side effects, such as chronic fatigue and muscle pain.

In fact, studies show that 10 to 20% of patients treated with statins complain of muscle symptoms and in rare instances use may result in serious muscle damage with myositis, inflammation and rhabdomyolysis. Even in the absence of clinically relevant muscle damage a significant number of patients experience an array of symptoms including muscle pain (myalgia), weakness, cramps and fatigue.

“Statins reduce cholesterol production effectively but not selectively – they also block the synthesis of Ubiquinol, a powerful lipid-soluble antioxidant found in every cell in the body that helps to protect the cardiovascular system from oxidative damage and an essential coenzyme required for cellular energy production,” explains Dr. Robert Barry, Executive Director of Scientific Affairs at Kaneka Nutrients, the leading manufacturer of Ubiquinol supplements in the United States.

The company reports that depletion of Ubiquinol can induce mitochondrial dysfunction by impairing oxidative phosphorylation, energy production and aerobic capacity. Ubiquinol depletion resulting from statin treatment may therefore impair muscle energy metabolism and contribute to the development of myopathy and muscle symptoms.

Many statin patients are not informed of this sometimes severe side-effect. Statin-related symptoms can affect the quality of life and often result in multiple dose alterations, switching brands of statins and ultimately, non-compliance. Statin patients who take Ubiquinol as a supplement therapy will be replacing the loss of Ubiquinol in the body and giving back what the muscles need to perform.

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March is National Nutrition Month, bringing healthful eating and positive nutritional choices to the forefront for Americans. With nutrition top-of-mind, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reminds you about a simple tool to help you make informed food decisions!  It’s called the Nutrition Facts Label, and you can find it on all packaged foods and beverages.

The Nutrition Facts Label lets you know exactly what you’re eating and serves as your guide for comparing foods and making choices that can affect your long-term health.

Start Today…And Use It Forever!

You’re likely hearing a lot about nutrition during the month of March. But while the Nutrition Facts Label is a tool you can start using right now … the best news is that you can continue to use it every time you shop for food. The Nutrition Facts Label serves as your guide in several ways.  And once you get started, you’ll see how easy “label reading” really is.

The Nutrition Facts Label shows the calories per serving. Keep in mind that 100 calories in a serving of food is moderate, and 400 calories is high.  The label also lists the number of servings per container.  It’s quite common for a package of food to contain more than one serving – so that means that if you eat two servings (or more) of that food, you are getting two (or more) times the number of calories and nutrients that are listed on the label.

The Nutrition Facts Label is also your tool to track nutrients. The Percent Daily Value (shown as %DV) gives you a framework for deciding if a food is high or low in a particular nutrient.

This is helpful for nutrients you are trying to get more of (such as calcium and Vitamins A and C), as well as for the ones you are trying to get less of (like sodium, total fat and cholesterol).  The %DV recommendations are based on a 2,000-calorie daily diet, and each listed nutrient is based on 100% of the recommended amounts for that nutrient. There is an easy rule of thumb to follow when comparing nutrients: 5% DV or less of a particular nutrient means the food is low in that nutrient, and 20% DV or more means it’s high!

Start using the Nutrition Facts Label today and you’ll be in the know about the foods you are choosing. Identify serving size, check calories per serving, and monitor nutrients – especially the ones you are trying to get less of, like sodium, total fat and cholesterol. That’s how you can compare foods and make the nutritional choices that are best for you and your family.

For more information about the Nutrition Facts Label and to obtain materials visit:
http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm266853.htm
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm094536.htm
http://www.fda.gov/nutritioneducation

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