Interesting article on lipitor, zocor..etc effect on natural squalane production which can lead to drier skin.

http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/Squalene.html

Sqaulane/squalene drop from about 15% of skin fats in the teen years to 5% to at age 65. This is a major cause of dry skin as we age.

Dry skin has been reported as a statin side-effect.

My skin got so dry from statins!!!

That's one of the reasons I started using Skin Biology more often again. My cheeks felt like cardboard when I touched them. I started using SRCPs, it did help but the dryness would still come and go. Finally I told my NP about how dry my skin was on my face and asked her if she thought it was from the statin drugs, she didn't say much about it, but later during labs tests she said my HDL was really high and the LDL was really low so she took me off the statins within 2 to 3 months my skin was back to normal nice, soft and smooth. It hasn't been dry like that for 3 years. I will never take those drugs again.

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Originally posted by Di:
My skin got so dry from statins!!!

That's one of the reasons I started using Skin Biology more often again. My cheeks felt like cardboard when I touched them. I started using SRCPs, it did help but the dryness would still come and go. Finally I told my NP about how dry my skin was on my face and asked her if she thought it was from the statin drugs, she didn't say much about it, but later during labs tests she said my HDL was really high and the LDL was really low so she took me off the statins within 2 to 3 months my skin was back to normal nice, soft and smooth. It hasn't been dry like that for 3 years. I will never take those drugs again.

I just wonder do we really need these statin drugs?. I think it's more about lobbying of commodities than actually treating patients with heart failure risk. What about lipo protein A rather than cholestrol and VLDL rather than Total LDL. I think the real ratio should be HDL/total cholestrol> 0.24 rather than HDL/totalLDL.

we need to devise particle sizing using spectrometric magnetic resonance imaging, to differentiate between tiny particle of LDL/Lipoprotein A and the larger boyant particles, given that the latter will not get trapped into arterial wall gaps. Thus there shouldn't a problem with plaque formation due to lipid peroxidation.

Too much polyunsaturated fatty acid are the real villain, in term of oxidative stress, inflammation caused by larger amount or omega 6 than omega 3, atherosclerosis and host of other problems.

I don't mean to render statin as totally useless drugs, they can be helpful in patients with hereditory hyperchlosterolemia/hypertriglyceridemia, but definitely not because you have high cholestrol where HDL/total cholestrol is higher than 0.24 then you are safe and unless you have congenital low HDL.

Finally niacin is good cholestrol reducing agent. And because it's supplement and can't be patented, Pharmaceutical companies ignore it and say niacin causes flushing. Yes flushing is a minor thing compare to side effects of statins like rhabdomyolisis (muscle damage) , hepatotoxicity , sexual dysfunction and etc.

What we really need to do is get our DNA functioning more like a young person's DNA. This was once thought impossible but brief periods of heavy exercise cause the DNA to produce younger-type proteins.

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Originally posted by Dr. Pickart:
What we really need to do is get our DNA functioning more like a young person's DNA. This was once thought impossible but brief periods of heavy exercise cause the DNA to produce younger-type proteins.

I was just reading this about exercise from some website (sorry I don't remember which one) when I was looking for ways to lower cholesterol. I just found out I have high cholesterol and will be put on medication next week. Dr. P, do you recommend that we use the squalane oil if we are on a statin drug?

If your skin becomes dry, then the squalane may help.

My cholesterol was 280. This is a family problem and all the men die of heart attacks. Now with a low stain dose (5 mg Crestor), colestid, and niacin, my cholesterol is low. My last total cholesterol was 97.

Wow, your cholesterol is great now. I hope mine goes down like that. I am at 256 at the moment. The high cholesterol runs in my family, as well, but in the women!

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There is an excellent book called Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes (the first edition, not the revised one)

Why not the revised one ?

Thanks Kitty. That's a great news to hear. I'll his book on amazon.

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Originally posted by stillsearching:
Wow, your cholesterol is great now. I hope mine goes down like that. I am at 256 at the moment. The high cholesterol runs in my family, as well, but in the women!

22 years ago, I was running through an airport, carrying all my bags, and trying to catch a flight. That led to a blood clot and heart damage. I can't say I like all the medicines but I am still very active at this time. The actual dosages per day are colestid (10 grams), niacin (3 grams), Crestor (5 mgs). It certainly has reduced my cholesterol and triglycerides greatly.

Goodness, you are very lucky that you are still going strong! I don't like the medications either (I am also taking a BP medication), but if it helps with longer/active life, then I am willing to take them.