Why you should exercise MORE as you age, NOT less
Where do we start? Why should YOU include exercise into your daily life?
The benefits of moving your body everyday is extensive. We all know it increases well being and its “healthy” and “good for you”…….but in what way is it really? There are plenty of studies. Let's go to a small list of what some have shown.
National Cancer Institute finds exercise, anytime and level , can extend your life by up to 4.5 years. Even low intensity exercises got a life extension, although those moderate to high intensity and frequency gained the longest time.
Exercise lowers mortality in this study. It lessens mobility problems and stops tendon breakdown in older adults. It also lowers or prevents joint problems in later life.
This study found that exercise can protect against neural dysfunction, particularly the deterioration associated with aging.
HIIT and weight lifting increases mitochondria by up to 69% in older adults and in some cases actually reversing the aging of muscle mitochondria
"Sedentary aging can lead to a stiffening of the muscle in the heart's left ventricle, the chamber that pumps oxygen-rich blood back out to the body”
Exercise is very cardio protective and can even reverse damage in the heart cells, preventing future heart failure. This study showed this is particularly the case if started before the age of 65 and done 4-5 x a week for 30 mins
Now the thing with exercise is that it is a broad and vague term. Exercise is not just walking. To get the full health and longevity benefits of it you need to address the following several times a week:
Strength
Mobility
Flexibility
No Excuses
“But it hurts my back/ knees/ hands/ (insert body part) if I try to do that .."
Oh yes! Absolutely, and who wants to move and lift things and stretch the way this young 40 something (cough, cough) woman is telling me I should.
Let's think to the things you do everyday that.
Everyday you sit down and stand up …..
thats a squat,
thats a squat with a fair bit of body weight.
If you squat like this with weak muscles and let the knees and back try to perform it for you, its going to hurt. Do it several times a day with poor form and it becomes a daily chronic painful issue.…. You carry shopping bags, your own bags daily, or at least you SHOULD be able to do that. Thats 3-8 kilos right there. You may lift luggage into overhead compartments, shopping into the car, jars onto high shelves and here we have an overhead press. Shoulder muscles that should be performing their duty and not the unsupported joint which will hurt. We drop things, we should be able to pick it up with out looking at it for a while deciding whether its worth it. We want to be able to bend down and pick up kids and grandkids. Many play golf or other sports, even walking, gardening and would like to be able to do this pain free….a fair thing I think!
Most of these movements we are going to perform everyday regardless of our fitness status, so why not do some strength and mobility work and be able to breeze through those movements and not let them restrict you and take your brain power that can now be used for other more interesting things.
The thing is, most aches, pains and injuries are the result of poor posture and poor movement patterns. Add years and years of moving and lifting and carrying this way and you have chronic patterns that aren’t serving you in anyway. What is fantastic about our bodies is that it wants to be healthy and strong. Start correcting posture and rebuilding poor movement patterns and the body will almost immediately give you positive feedback with a flood of wellbeing and less pain. You sleep better, move easier and suddenly you find you have the brain space to want to do more things in life and the energy to do them. It really only takes a little bit of time out of everyday. 30 mins everyday is not a big amount of time when the payoff is so profound.
Things you can do right now
Try to do:
Grab a broomstick and use it to circle the head and open your posture up every morning (broom stick video)
30 mins of exercise everyday
10, 000 steps a day
Include big movements for your legs like squatting and step ups, for improved brain cognition, all over strength and weight control
Try a group session for the social benefit (study showing greater benefits in older adults when working out in a group)
The beauty of exercise is that it is cost free. Out you go and walk, deeply breathe in that fresh air and take a look up, see that beautiful blue sky and tree tops. Or at least I hope thats what you can see :-). In my suburb there are still trees and birds. Walk around the city, again glancing up and notice the details on the top of these buildings. This reminds me when I’m in the middle of Adelaide, Melbourne or Sydney…..Above the trendy new facades there is still the imprint of the old buildings originally built. Fascinating to see….just look down occasionally and mind the cracks!
Having a good look at the blue sky does many things, Its great for the posture and perfect to set the circadian rhythm of your body. Certain neural processes happen when we look at the sky, particularly first thing in the morning. As long as there is nothing in the way of your gaze and the sky, such as glasses and windows, the body sets up a certain sun protection for your skin and also activates melatonin production for that night. Producing melatonin is essential for sleep, glucose control and brain health.
More free things.
As you are walking, sit and stand at every bench you find, 10 times.
Set yourself a daily routine. Move while the coffee is boiling, stretch while you brush your teeth. Set yourself a squatting goal of 100 for the day and bit by bit knock it off, grab a friend and walk to and from a coffee shop.
*bonus - a 20 min walk after eating while increase your insulin sensitivity and therefore blood glucose control. Increase that = fat burning, also the glucose control has a cascading series of benefits to reduce obesity, activate our immune system, increase brain health
These are examples of things you can do when you do not have a routine and are nervous about beginning one. Just start, just do. The only exercise that works is the one you do, not the one you think about. Get a coach/trainer (let me help you. We can set a day to day routine for you.) Coaches are great. You can use us for workout sessions or if you are shy or strapped for cash, just ask for a routine that you can do on your own. Have a look at my youtube channel or website for some short easy ideas to mobilise the body.
All the very best,
Vash :-)
Stronger, smarter with creatine?
You may be familiar with Creatine or you may never have heard of it. It is one of the most widely studied supplements out there and is very affordable. Let me show you why this amino acid is not going away anytime soon in gym culture but also why it is a valuable contributor to living a long and healthy life.
What is Creatine?
Creatine Monohydrate has long been used by athletes and gym junkies to give them that extra edge in performance and muscle building. Outside of the gym however, it’s not widely talked about.
Creatine monohydrate is an amino acid created by the aminos arginine and glycine and is stored in predominantly in the energy demanding skeletal muscles and brain (95%) and a little in the liver, kidneys and testes. As mentioned, it is one of the most studied substances and also one of the cheapest.
Supplemental creatine has traditionally been used to replenish the Phosphocreatine (Pc) in muscles. Pc is used for the fast energy pathway. It gives you that extra oomph for the first few seconds an exercise and high intensity exercise. Its anaerobic and doesn’t rely on oxygen to perform. Pc joins with Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) to create Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) for energy. It can also work the other way and breakdown Pc from ATP to replenish muscle Pc stores, ready for the next explosive bout. Sprinters, power lifters, tennis players, basketballs etc use the Pc energy source a lot during their sport. Whether or not you are involved in those sports, the everyday athlete (you, yes, you) can benefit. Sometimes life will require quick moves from you, ie, grabbing a falling object of various weight, size and velocity, and having your fast twitch muscles ready and able to cope with this sudden tension without damaging yourself (or others), is one of the keys to longevity.
Does it work?
In short yes.
In most people it increases the creatine content in muscle when supplemented. Studies show a 12-20% increase in strength and a 12-26% increase in power output when creatine was used in combination with an appropriate training program.
Concerned about your brain health? In those with lower creatine levels, which is generally those with low red meat and seafood intake, it will also aid in increasing alertness, memory, learning and cognition. or those with ample stores their seems to be no extra cognitive benefit.
Here is a list of other benefits from Examine.com (Examine has many links to studies there) :
DNA damage - Creatine appears to mitigate much of the DNA damage associated with exercise and may be useful for cancer therapy.
Lowers depression? - A few studies have shown a lowering in depression. It seems to help SSRI therapy and is more pronounced in females.
Heart disease - It has heart disease protective properties by lowering triglycerides, LDL and total cholesterol. It also is protective by lowering possibly homocysteine levels which are high in heart disease patients.
Anti-aging - topically applied, it has been shown to decrease lines and firm skin. (yes I’m looking further into that!)
Can be protective to the effects of stroke as it can work in an oxygen deprived environment.
Can I supplement it with just food?
Yes, kind of. Red meat and seafood contain higher levels of creatine. This will give your muscles and brain a fair bit of stored creatine to work with. However:
Those with certain gene mutations may not be able to create creatine their diets and use it efficiently.
It also may not be necessarily of benefit to eat too much red meat for other health reasons, such as heart disease risk from high saturated fat intake.
Cooking denatures creatine so to avoid destroying the creatine you would need to have your seafood raw and your steak quite under cooked.
If you do decide to follow a diet or predominantly diet way of supplementing, I would also recommend considering a broad spectrum digestive enzyme with your meals, to help your body digest and utilise the nutrients as efficiently as possible. Choose grass-fed beef and wild sourced seafood and only lightly cook them.
Are you vegetarian, vegan, sleep deprived or an older adult?
These groups are often lacking in ready creatine supplies and can benefit greatly from adding it into their diet.
Vegans and vegetarians are most likely to be deficient in stored creatine.
If you are older, then be aware that protein doesn’t digest as well, so your body won’t be able to take advantage of your food as much as say a 20 year old. Supplementation and adding a digestive enzyme will greatly enhance the uptake of creatine for muscle building and mental enhancement. You still have to lift the weights however creatine will counter act the older bodies from breaking down muscle as fast (probably due to its myostatin lowering effect which in high levels will facilitate muscle breakdown). It stops muscle wastage, builds strength and aids endurance.
Interesting
Creatine has been found to increase memory, learning and cognitive ability especially in older women.
How do I take it?
Take 2.5 - 5 gms a day. It will increase the water stored in your muscles so make sure to have plenty of water when you take it. There used to be stories of needing a juice or source of sugar to enhance its uptake and avoiding caffeine as it can nullify creatine effect. Fortunately none of that is worth following and certainly adding sugar or juice is not recommended for a healthy body. An elite athlete however may notice a difference if taking creatine with berries or a healthy low glycemic carb meal. Please note that the extra uptake a low glycemic carb can give isn’t of much benefit for those that aren’t athletes whose diet is right on point where every small change can potentially make a difference in performance.
The time of day also, doesn’t seem to play any factor in the efficacy of uptake, so take your dose when its convenient. Although there is a little research that taking it too close to bed can interfere with sleep.
Do you need to load it?
Loading is a method to take a higher dose of a product to get higher levels into your system quickly. There is no need to load creatine, you can go straight to daily doses of 2.5-5 gms. This will mean it will take 2-3 weeks for noticeable benefits.
BUT if you want to fast track the benefits. Start by loading for 5 days with approx 20 - 30 gms a day, pulling it back to 2.5-5 gms daily thereafter.Be aware with higher doses that you may experience stomach upset and bloating. Water retention is often associated with higher intake too. Counter this with high water intake when you take creatine. If you find you have gained a pound or several with creatine in water weight then consider lowering the dose and even cycling your intake by giving yourself days, weeks off from taking it.
Cycling?
There is no study showing creatine should be cycled but it may be a useful technique as mentioned above to counteract the cycling.
Which creatine is best?
There are LOADS of creatine supplements out there and most say they have the best uptake into the body because of the type of creatine they use or the extra ingredients they have added into the supplement. All this means it will cost you more. There is no research out there yet that shows that any are better than your standard readily available creatine. Personally I would look for a brand with a good reputation, that is approved and goes through testing processes, just to ensure that the product is 100% creatine and not creatine with ‘extras’.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about Creatine. Its a very interesting supplement and from my personal experience, it is one of the few supplements that I did notice that extra strength I suddenly gained. Its not much but every bit counts and now that I am fully aware of its neural protective and enhancing effects I shall be much more consistent with taking it. I will still cycle the product, as is my habit, but not leave it a couple of years as I have done. I’m back on it!
Please note that if you have a poor diet, creatine will not work miracles at all. Ensure that you are exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet most of the time before trying to get extra benefits from supplementation.
If you have any interesting stories or questions about creatine please comment below. If you would like a consult to upgrade your nutrition and fitness then don’t hesitate to contact me.
Vashti x
References and Links:
https://selfhacked.com/blog/creatine/
https://www.leafscience.org/geroprotectors-creatine/
Blog Snack: Truth about sodas / soft drinks
I’m not going to preach too much today but instead let the graphics speak for themselves. You may have seen them before as apparently they are famous. I hadn’t so here they are, fresh from the Renegade Pharmacist. A great website to have a look around.
Whether you drink soft drinks or not, most of us are aware that they are not good for us. Not good is a pretty vague statement though. Here is a terrific infographic on Coke. Simple and to the point.
from: therenegadepharmacist.com
Diet soft drinks
Unfortunately the only thing diet soft drinks can deliver on is a low calorie beverage. Thats where the health value starts and finishes. The artificial sugars used still trick the body to release insulin which is then not needed and so converts energy to fat by reflex. The artificial ingredients cause a major upset in the body as it struggles to break them down and the gut microbiome (last years catch phrase), is also compromised. We need healthy gut bacteria for all sorts of processes including producing hormones at the right ratio. Compromise that system and serotonin is not produced sufficiently, melatonin, the list goes on.
Have a look at this next infographic
from: therenegadepharmacist.com
If you wish to drink a soft drink, it may be better for you to drink a non diet one. The chemicals are less as they use sugar to sweeten and not a poor artificial one. In some places drinks are sweetened with Stevia, a more natural sweetener that the body is able to process much more efficiently. Those ones are certainly your best bet, but always check the label and see what sweetener is used, there are sweetness made from Stevia that may not be completely good for you either
To finish, please drink water, lots of water Lemon juice or lime will make it taste more interesting if thats your need. There is no good road ahead to health and long life if you consume the more available soft drinks out there, they negatively impact your cognition and gut health, increase your chances markedly for diabetes, dementia, heart disease etc, and make those conditions worse …. and wear the enamel from your teeth.
I’m always here for your health :-)
Vashti x
Hacks to enhance my life, brain, body, performance
A few weeks ago I was quite taken aback … in a good way ….
The owner of one of the gyms I work at asked me to sit with him and film a short video of what my day consists of. In short what do I do now, at the age of 47, to keep me fit and healthy. He knows I love bio hacking (which is just finding simple ways to live, think and move better through life), and we have spent a lot of time in the past exchanging ideas and any interesting things we come across that may help a person to perform better and more happily through life.
We chatted briefly, made a few notes and went straight to video. It’s amateur but a good first go I thought. You can see it and other videos here.
Although our chat on the video went well, due to it being impromptu, I later I realised I had missed several other interesting things that someone might find useful.
So I have decided to write a little about my daily routine with a few why’s of what I currently do and share it below.
The steps below are ones I take nearly everyday. They are things I have found through my research and experience. I try many things, some stick and some don’t . I try what appeals and keep it if it works easily into my life….. at heart I’m sure I am really very lazy. This is what I’d like you to do, pick out something interesting and doable. I think you’ll find several really easy things to action straight away, and you never know…they just might make the difference you are needing at this point in time.
I do the following roughly 80% of the week (a silly statistic meaning it may be 7 days, it may be 5 days a week).
I found being this way has allowed me to keep my figure at this current weight of **cough cough…60kg….(that was confronting to say, although I know thats very healthy, I have left over disordered thinking from being 50kg a few years back which likes me to panic if I am ‘heavy’)
…. so 60kg and approximately 19% body fat (BF)….fairly easily. Personally I would love to hit 55kg again, which with my muscle mass is around 15-16%BF, but to do that means I don’t eat out a few times a week and probably zero alcohol and a little more training…. It would make me tired and less able to cope with stress (I have a little chronic PTSD I deal with…not from the weight mentioned above …. so stress is a regular thing for me to cope with)… which reminds me…resilience training is the next thing I’ll be putting in my schedule soon!
This was a long winded way of saying I put in work, most but not all, of the time so I can still eat out and relax with friends and family and not be overly strict with my diet, and exercise constantly (I have done that in the past…and although I thought my body was great...its not the way to live a life thats happy for me and also to be good to be around).
Lets start!
First thing in the morning
I get up early.
5am weekdays, I like an early start. I try to make weekends 6am as it is best for your body’s health and circadian rhythm, to get up at the same time every morning. I haven’t mastered that, but I do the best I can, and I admit to sleeping in at least once a week most weeks.
I have half to one litre of water between now and my shower with apple cider vinegar to help the bile acids activate for the day. This aids in digestion and the natural detox system.
My sons *love :-)
I walk the dogs for 30 mins. Its easy and fairly slow which used to frustrate me but they so LOVE to fossick around and check everything out…. then I decided to use this time to stretch my body and I feel so much better ( as do my joints), that I have never looked back.
I do stretching and rotations of my :
Shoulders
Neck
Chest
Hamstring
Hips
Hip flexors
Calves
…and I do some pushups and yogic down dogs on benches at certain spots.
Nothing to strenuous. I breathe deep. The shoulder and neck stretches make me look upward to the lovely trees and I always hold and relax for a breath or two. This particular one I have given the highest importance as its the key to a straight posture - so no turtle neck!
Cortisol is high in the morning and because of this I don’t overdo morning exercise as that would create too much cortisol. Instead the dog walking and stretching increases my mobility and posture while nurturing my parasympathetic system( rest and digest).
During walk I make sure to take in the sky so my eyes can soak in the morning uv light, stop melatonin production .... terribly important for a healthy circadian rhythm, enhanced immunity, weight control, stress control, and brain health amongst other things.
It's interesting actually what looking at the sky in general does.
We have all these sensors in our eyes that absorb the uv lights and others and that initiate processes and systems in the body. If we cover up our eyes with glasses or windows then we don’t get the full benefits for our body. So it doesn’t mean don’t cover up, but just try to get some pure light to your eyes in the morning and evening at least. Shield your eyes when glare is around.
When I want to burn more fat I will go for a 20 to 30 min gentle running shuffle after the dog walk, my running is a shuffle and on my toes (to use my body’s natural suspension system) ….. my version of a jog that I hope to continue most of my life. If I don’t run I will do yoga instead.
After the run, more water and then shower time.
I am gradually acclimatising myself to cold showers. I do this by playing with the temperature. A few seconds cold and then hot. I gradually lengthen the cold time and its surprisingly bearable to do it this way and my body has taeken to it well. Its no longer quick the shock when the cold hits me and I am able to keep it cold longer than the time before generally. Trust me, I’m not brave, I LOVE my hot showers and am the last to jump into pools as everyone who knows me is well aware. I’m a complete coward. So why on earth would I add this seeming torture to my morning schedule
Health benefits of cold
Hot cold contrast showers to activate brown fat, helps body’s natural thermal regulation stimulates the vagus nerve (largest cranial nerve), slows and even prevents inflammation.
The vagus nerve has been shown to cure rheumatoid arthritis when electrically stimulated. It can also be stimulated stimulated by cold and deep breathing. Low vagus activity is associated with poor memory , inflammation, brain fog and fatigue. The higher the vagus tone the more oxytocin (the cuddle hormone) you produce. ….so a cold shower and a cuddle could be the ultimate happiness recipe maybe…hmmmm
With higher vagal tone we are less anxious, gut health is promoted and with the oxytocin produced we feel closer to people and more altruistic.
Brown fat is the metabolic beast of the body. Some of us have more, some have less. The more you have, the more white (think ugly) fat we will burn doing everyday things. So we want more. It also works a charm at allowing us to adapt to extremes in temperature more easily.
My extra hack: I will be taking bitter melon before I shower as this works synergistically with the cold to increase the brown fat activity.
Intermittent Fasting
I intermittent fast most days and everyday if possible I try not to eat for a 12 hour window. It’s a lot easier than you may think. It gives the body a chance to rid itself of old, damaged cells, and also to rest from the digestive process. Our body prioritises digestion before running other healing processes completely so allowing those to take precedence for some extra time everyday is a good thing to do for general health. It also balances blood sugar and insulin levels, which of course leads to fat loss.
Fasting is interesting, and for the health benefits I mentioned above. It can be done SO many ways. This is just one. I like the regular everyday one, or you could fast for one day a week, or a few days a month, etc…. there are plenty of ways to do it so try the one you feel will be easiest to fit into your lifestyle.
I will still have black coffee and water and then I will eat/consume any calories (like a coffee with milk) when I feel I need it between 10am to 3 pm. Because the body is so receptive at that point, I will make sure the very first thing is either vegetables or a quality protein and fat. If I put anything carby like toast, my body would go into a little spasm and over produce insulin and I’d have the blood sugar levels sky rocketing and then plunging….a recipe for ill health and fat gain.
As I have double checked all the knowledge I have on how my body works with a DNA test I know that I have a tendency to obesity, diabetes, cardiac issues. I can go into that more another time, but the upshot is I am a little more vigilant with my blood sugar response to food and drink and I supplement and choose my foods accordingly. Supplements I sweat by, especially if I eat breads, pastas, fruits, anything sugary.
Apple cider vinegar
Berberine
Bitter melon
These 3 power house supplements help my body to slowly release glucose and also for my insulin level to respond normally and immediately when these foods are eaten. The calories still count of course but my body’s response to them is sensitive now and not dulled by chronically high levels which anyone over weight, is.
Later
As the day draws on, cortisol naturally dips and even if you made sure to keep your carbs low to avoid that sleepy afternoon feeling, you may still feel flat and mentally drained. To work with this dip, I lift weights. Sometimes its quite hard to get in to the gym, but most of the time I will go their and not allow myself to start thinking about it…else I will sit my bottom back down in a chair and probably eat. Weights….or any exercise, in the afternoon will provide a lift to your energy and mood and settle the cortisol. This is even true if you are suffering unnaturally high cortisol levels which is generally due to chronic stress. In this later case the higher cortisol will be utilised more productively to enhance muscle gain and thus will lower afterwards naturally and help to reset your cortisol cycle.
Exercise is often easy to avoid later in the day. Don’t talk yourself out of a session just because its not the best time of day or you are tired. Listen to your body, do a lighter workout, do yoga, do anything, just be consistent. A little everyday ….. there’s magic in that.
The best workout is the one you do
At the end of the day
I take bitter melon with my evening meal to again deal with higher sugar levels from dinner which is often concluded by fruit (I do LOVE my sweets so fruit is a wonderful substitute to ice cream)
Sleep
Sleep is a high priority and I guard it tightly. I like to go to bed at 9pm for my 5 am start. My room is as dark as possible and I use a salt lamp as the light is not the blue of normal lights. You may remember above that you look at the sky in the morning to soak up the blue light which switches off melatonin production amongst other things, well the red light of the lamp allows the body to start producing it.
Be careful of electronics. Looking at a screen of any sort (they emit a blue light) and the body reacts by suppressing melatonin, so ideally you would wear either blue blocking glasses or turn all electronics off an hour or so before bed.
Melatonin is a wonder hormone (although aren’t all hormones wonders). It is released every evening to inform the body to shut down and wind down. It activates the healing processes and all systems needed to rejuvenate the body. It seems that as we age, we produce less and less melatonin, which could be why many older adults sleep less and less. If you go to sleep at different times then the body doesn’t know what time to release melatonin and your sleep will no doubt be quite unsatisfying. By going to sleep at a consistent time the body is able to reliably produce melatonin at the best moment for a therapeutic sleep. However one or two late nights and it takes a while to settle back down again. You can see this is why health professionals advocate sleeping at the same time everyday of the week and not just Monday to Friday. You can also imagine why jet lag takes quite a toll on the body as it has to work our gradually when on earth is the best time to release melatonin.
As a result, for many years I have cycled through supplementing melatonin.
I use either 5 HTP (5 hydroxy tryptophan, this is a precursor to serotonin and melatonin, take 150-300mg) and / or melatonin ( 1+ gm, not the homeopathic stuff) to ensure that my body and circadian rhythm is consistent. I especially use this the night after a late night before. It resets my body by ensuring the release of melatonin happens when it should, it should be taken an hour before bedtime. It really is a miracle worker for jet lag.
Now, if this has caused more questions than answers please send me a message or comment below. If you agree or disagree, also please send a message. I love to get others opinions and thoughts….and if you have tried any of the above, put that down too! The above is basically what I do, and I have another list of things I PLAN to add in the future.
Do try something, any time spent improving your health will repay you back many times over, so start small.
Click the button to download your free PDF. Start with something that seems easy to do and notice how much better you feel over the coming days and weeks.
All the very best x
Blog Snack: Dairy lowers heart risk
This was too good not to share. A study was done on individuals aged 35-70 between Jan 1, 2003, and July 14, 2018. The individuals were multinational as they were recruited from 21 countries. The study grouped individuals into dairy and non dairy intake. The idea was to see if the intake had any significance to heart disease, stroke, cardiac conditions.
Dairy intake, greater than 2 a day as opposed to no intake, was shown to be associated with a lowered risk of total mortality and non cardiac and cardiac issues (stroke, heart disease). Greater than 1 serve versus no intake of milk and yoghurt rather than cheese and butter, was also associated with lowered risk of mortality by cardiac issues. There was no association with with myocardial infarction (heart attack) in either groups.
Takeaway :
Don’t be afraid of dairy IF you like it and are able to digest it. Most people stop producing as many lactose digestive enzymes as they had when they were young, the exception are many of those from Northern European descent. Pro tip: find a good digestive enzyme and take a couple before you eat the dairy for maximum digestion of the nutrients.
Statins - villan or hero?
Are you already taking statins? Know someone who does? Been recommended that you need to? Are you just curious?
There is a LOT of controversy about Statins. My aim with the following is to simplify the main information that I have found from current, and I believe, reliable sources. I understand that the topic is ‘hot’ and widely debated and also extremely confusing for us plebs out there, which is why I wantedto research this for some clarity about the basic premise. Do we need Statins? Are they evil? What are they really for?
Explaining cholesterol is out of the spectrum of this brief blog. I am currently working on a cholesterol blog, till then please search on the net or blow your mind with an extraordinarily detailed explanation of cholesterol from go to woe with Dr Peter Attia here.
So what are Statins?
Statins are a group of medications that have been created to help lower cholesterol for those with heart disease. These are some common ones
- atorvastatin (Lipitor),
- fluvastatin (Lescol, Lescol XL),
- lovastatin (Mevacor, Altoprev),
- pravastatin (Pravachol),
- rosuvastatin (Crestor),
- simvastatin (Zocor),
- pitavastatin (Livalo).
Side effects
- Headache
- Nausea vomiting
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- There are also severe side effects associated with the liver, although they are rare.
When are you prescribed them?
Traditionally Statins were prescribed for those who had had a heart attack, stroke, athlerosclerosis, genetic disposition or whose LDL levels were in the dangerously high category. The controversy and outcry seems to have started when many countries decided to make it standard that anyone with a family history of heart disease were offered it even if their LDL C and triglyceride levels were low, or anyone who’s LDL had reached a point that was considered upper normal previously. So from about 190 mg/dl (8-9 mm) to anyone over 130 mg/dl. A handy reference range is here
What does a Statin actually do?
In a nutshell, Statins lower LDL and decrease general inflammation. The jury is still out whether its the LDL lowering effect or the anti-inflammatory effect that has the benefit. Regardless, we know they work. LINK
Thats it, case closed
Well…. kind of….
As in the beginning of this post I listed several of the Statins available, there are many options and they are stronger, weaker, and have different effects with different people, so you may need to try several before you find one that works with you.
So, yes they do lower LDL, in particular, they predominantly lower the larger particles of LDL in cholesterol, not so much the smaller particles.
One of the most important numbers to have taken if you suspect you are at risk, is the NUMBER of LDL particles the are being transported. These particles are different sizes and the smaller ones tend to be cleared less by the body and seem to be the ones that cause trouble. However, this is not entirely proven, as smaller particles also tend to at the same time to increase the number of LDL particles in the cholesterol. As you can imagine, you can fit a lot more smaller objects in an area than you can larger. Like a jar with tomatoes, when thats full, you could fit some cherry tomatoes and increase the overall tomato number.
So Statins clear more of the larger particles which has an overall effect of lowering the LDL particle numbers , and thats very important as is the anti-inflammatory affect.
The troublesome part of statins is that they lower cholesterol synthesis in other parts of the body Cholesterol is vital for the production of hormones, such as sex hormones, vitamin D, cortisol. No cholesterol, no life. This is why you would want to use a statin only if you were in the high risk group and not necessarily if you didn’t have those risk factors
When should you question it?
World expert Dr Ronald Krauss has been leading many studies for decades on statins, heart disease and factors that will lower them. His opinion is that people are put on statins too prematurely and that possibly is why there is suddenly studies showing increases of diabetes and Parkinson’s for those who take statins long term.
In a nutshell, if you have LDL below 150 and have had no history of heart disease, perhaps this is the time to question Statins and get your LDL particle number measured.
If you are in the extreme level of LDL, high blood pressure, previous heart disease history, then it would appear statins are a good option. The fact is that they lower LDL in general and that has been conclusively proven to lower your risk and at this point, that is the most important thing.
Are there other options for the established high risk person?
(I MUST reiterate that I am no doctor. Ask your doctor about anything you are thinking of trying and please heed their advise. Heart disease is extremely complicated and individual, some work well with one thing, some with others)
- To minimise risks of heart disease and if you not already at risk or if you are right in the middle of the risk zone and had had an episode already, so …. all of us, then a healthy diet filled with whole unpackaged foods and daily exercises will definitely be of benefit. Unfortunately, as we have found after the egg cholesterol myth was busted, diet has a small impact on cholesterol levels. Diet alone will not be enough to lower substantially the LDL level in those that have established heart disease. That said it WILL improve your life and health in other ways that are extremely important. Exercise also will not fix a high LDL, but it will help your health tremendously. The healthier your lifestyle is, the better you will live. I think thats really what we all want. A decent age but to be healthy, happy and vital to the end and not crawling slowly to the finish line.
- Dr Peter Attia will sometimes put his patients on a PCSK9 inhibitor instead of statins
- Niacin is also sometimes prescribed as it has a cholesterol and triglyceride lowering effect while preserving HDL.
- Bergamot is an interesting one. It lowers cholesterol while preserving HDL as well. This doctor has used it successful in conjunction with statins
If you are on Statins
I’ll assume you have established a diagnosis of heart disease.
- There seems to be a high blood sugar side affect in statins that could lead to diabetes. A whole foods diet is important. One that focuses on protein, certain fats and vegetables for the majority of your intake will keep these levels lower. Bitter melon is a superb extract you can get at health food stores. Take 2 with food and it will work to stabilise your blood sugar (do not take this if you are on blood sugar lowering medication). Exercise is particularly useful to balance blood sugar levels and a casual stroll after your biggest meals is perfect to keep the levels down, not to mention its fabulous for digestion, casual though, not a power walk!
From: https://www.drcolinobrien.ca
- Keep the healthy fats up! Statins effect on lowering cholesterol has ramifications for the vital role cholesterol plays in making our hormones. We need cholesterol to live and function.
- Have a look at the Mediterranean diet, there's good research out there that indicates that is helpful.
- Dr Krauss has lead some research on a high fat diet that has been efficacious
- Take a liver supplement with milk thistle to help the liver process the statin and cholesterols. Great supplement, we should all take that, a general detox to keep our liver as clean as possible.
- There's been talk of CoQ10 and Vitamin K2. Statins can lower our amounts of it. Jarrow CoQ10 has been tested and has been given the tick for delivering what it says, 200mg is good. Plus a good K2 supplement, around 180mcg.
- It can affect the production of Vitamin D, so supplementation is useful and can mitigate the muscle weakening effects in many.
- Another reason for exercise. Statins can cause muscle wasting. Counter act that with a good strength program (you are never too old for this!)
Useful Tests
- Ask your doctor for the LDL-P NMR test or information on it if you are interested. This is not a free test. We priced it recently at $180 AUS. However, if you see your LDL is not extreme and you are otherwise healthy and relatively lean, this is a worthwhile investment to make.
- Get regular ALT tests to ensure the liver is coping with the medication
- Get a regular blood glucose test to keep a check on the levels
- Regular checks of Vitamin D levels
I hope you feel a bit more certain about Statins. I certainly do. Before I had looked into this properly, I was definitely on the “statins are dangerous, bad, evil” bandwagon. Knowing some people going through this has made me look deeper and I am so very grateful for that. Its been a good reminder to keep reading, never assume you know, and check all sides of a tale. Statins I feel, have their place when your health is seriously at risk. They don’t take the place of a healthy diet and lifestyle, they work together, and by keeping an eye on how your body is responding to them with regular tests and inner checks, you should avoid much of the down sides.
If you want help with a diet and exercise plan that will work well with your health situation please contact me. I can create something for you or help you implement what you have been advised to do. You don’t have to go through that uncertain how to activate a plan like that, I can help you. If I can’t, be assured I shall let you know and recommend you to others. Your health is the most important thing you have, you are IN CONTROL!
Cheers for now! :-)
Good Podcasts to listen to
Let me know if you come across others that are particularly relevant