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Prescription Drugs Deplete Vital Nutrients And Vitamins!!
THIS IS A VERY GOOD ARTICLE !!!
The fact may not be new, but the consequences can be dire. The
knowledge that long-term use of many drugs leads to nutitional
deficiencies of specific nutrients has been documented by a large
number of studies done over the last three decades. Conclusively,
these studies show that drugs deplete nutrients whether by
interfering with absorption, or by inhibiting transport or
metabolism. Yet this information is not generally communicated to the
people taking these drugs. In the case of the elderly, who are
already likely to suffer from nutritional deficiencies, the ravages
of the multiple drugs typically prescribed for aging-related diseases
could lead to further and more serious consequences. In addition, the
elderly are more likely to use non-prescription drugs such as non-
steroidal anti-inflammatories or antacids. Generally, they are
completely unaware that these might make them deficient in calcium,
phosphorus, folic acid and iron.
The elderly are only one example. Women are another group of drug
consumers who should be especially concerned with drug-induced
nutrient depletion. Few women know that oral contraceptives lower the
levels of such vital nutrients as Vitamin B2, B6 and B12, Vitamin C,
folic acid, magnesium and Zinc. Mainstream hormone replacement
(chiefly Premarin, but also Estratab and raloxifene) can also lead to
deficiencies in Vitamin B6, magnesium and zinc. Heart patients,
diabetics, epileptics and heavy users of corticosteroids and anti-
inflammatories are also particularly at risk for drug-induced
nutrient deficiencies.
Armed with this knowledge, people can then act to protect their
health by modifying their diets and taking supplements
Drug-induced nutrient deficiencies are not the only source of
people's medical problems. Many people have high stress, pollution,
poor diets and other negative influences on their health. However,
when individuals take medications that create an additional nutrient
depletion, it clearly becomes the proverbial "straw that breaks the
camel's back."
For instance, a person suffering from high blood pressure and heart
disease is likely to be deficient in coenzyme Q10, folic acid and
magnesium. Unfortunatley, the drugs commonly prescribed for
cardiovascular disease and hypertension tend to deplete those very
nutrients. Some of the side effects of those drugs may in fact stem
from drug-induced nutrient deficiencies. To compound the irony,
chances are that if the patient had been taking CoQ10, folic acid and
magnesium, there may not have been a need for these dangerous drugs.
Thus, millions of people develop serious disorders in which nutrient
deficiencies play a significant role.
Most American would benefit from taking nutritional supplements
Those who take prescription drugs have a particular need for learning
more about nutrient depletion so that they can counteract it.
Coenzyme 10
A large number of drugs deplete CoEnzyme Q10. These include such
widely used tricyclic antidepressants as Elavil (amitriptyline) and
Tofranil (imipramine), the anti-psychotic drug Haloperidol,
cholesterol-lowering statin drugs such a Lovastatin and Pravastatin,
beta-blockers, anti-diabetic sulfonylurea drugs such as Glucotrol
(glipizide) and Micronase (glyburide), and the anti-hypertension drug
Clonidine. These common drugs, as well as several others, interfere
with the body's synthesis of CoQ10 and may cause a deficiency of this
crucial compound, so important for energy production and protection
against free radicals. This drug-induced critical nutrient depletion
can be particularly serious in the elderly, who already suffer from
aging-related CoQ10 deficiency. In fact, a CoQ10 deficiency first
manifests itself as cardiovascular symptoms.
The results of some studies suggest that congestive heart failure is
primarily a coenzyme Q10 deficiency disease. The same may be true of
cardiomyopathy, heart muscle impairment which may lead to heart
failure. The symptoms of CoQ10 deficiency can include angina, cardiac
arrhythmias, mitral valve prolapse, high blood pressure (which may
lead to a stroke), gum disease, low energy and a weak immune system
(which may result in greater susceptibility to cancer). Recently it
has also been discovered that CoQ10 if very important for brain
health, and may prevent Parkinsons's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease.
Since CoQ10 is a required cofactor in energy production in the
mitochondria, and thus plays a critical role in the synthesis of ATP,
our "energy molecule", the chemical fuel used by all cells, it is not
surprising that on tell-tale symptom of a CoQ10 deficiency is lack of
energy and a feeling of "running on empty" that users of beta-
blockers and other anti-hypertensive drugs often complain about. It's
very simple; no system in our body can run efficiently and defend
itself against damage and disease if we don't produce enough energy
in our mitochondria, and we can't produce enough energy without
sufficient CoQ10. While CoQ10 is especialy important for the heart
and the brain, it is needed by every organ.
While normally we can synthesize CoQ10, this synthesize is a
complicated 17-step process that depends on adequate nutritiion, with
sufficent vitamins annd trace elements. Thus, malnutrition is one of
the reasons for CoQ10 deficiency. While lean meats and seafood
provide some dietary CoQ10, it is IMPOSSIBLE to obtain enough CoQ10
from diet alone, particularly as we grow older.
Again, one of the huge ironies of mainstream medicine is that many
phsicians have not even heard of CoQ10. They are not aware that
declining levels of CoQ10 play a significant part in the
susceptibility to the diseases of old age, and that so many drugs
aimed at contolling the symptoms of these diseases further depress
CoQ10 levels. Heart patients and diabetics are in critical need of
effective CoQ10 supplements.
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Replace vital nutrients lost from taking prescription drugs and O.T.C
medicines with Prescription Depletion Replacement daily supplement.
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Folic acid Defiency
Another sad case of drug-induced nutient deficiency involves the
depletion of folic acid (also known as folate and folacin) by a
myriad of commonly used drugs.These include aspirin and other
salicylates, ibuprofen, indomethacin and other non-steroidal anti-
infammatories. Celebrex, unfortunately, also depletes folic acid.
Methotrexate, used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and
various cancers such as leukemia and lymphoms, is notorious for
depleting folic acid. Likewise, the use of corticosteroids,
barbiurates (such as phenobarbital), sulfa drugs (such as Bactrim),
certain antibiotics, diuretics and oral contraceptives can cause a
deficiency of folic acid. The widely used anticonvulsive drug
Dilantin (phenytoin) and related drugs also deplete folic acid.
Folic acid deficiency is one of the most common vitamin deficiencies.
In fact, it may be the number one vitamin deficiency in North
America. It is shocking to realize how long it has taken the FDA to
mandate adding folic acid to commercial grain products, chiefly white
flour and breakfast cereal. However, the mandated level of enrichment
is still so low that unless one eats lots of spinach, broccoli,
beans, beets, yeast, eggs and meats (such as liver and kidneys on a
daily basis), one is likely to need folic acid supplements. At
present, only about a quarter of the adult U.S. population takes
supplements that contain folic acid.
Why the enormous importance of this B vitamin? By lowering
homocysteine, this B vitamin aids in the prevention of heart disease
and stroke, and possibly also osteoporosis and Alzheimer's Disease.
Symptoms of folic acid deficiency include elevated homosysteine,
anemia, headaches, fatigue, depression, hair loss, insomnia and
increased susceptibility to infection.
Again, there are medical ironies here. Folic Folic acid is helpful in
relieving arthritic pain, but the drugs commonly prescribed for
arthritis deplete folic acid. The cells of the intestinal lining have
a special need for folic acid because of their high rate of
replication; yet sulfasalazine, a drug commonly prescribed for
colitis, can cause a deficiency of folic acid, ultimately delaying
healing.
It is likely that thousands of premature deaths of heart disease and
stroke could be prevented through adequate supplementation of folic
acid, with at least 400 mcg. It is a tragedy that this very important
vitamin is not more widely used - especially by those who need it the
most including millions of users of anti-inflammatory drugs and oral
contraceptives.
Drugs and Magnesium
Another extremely common dietary deficiency involves magnesium. A
USDA survey reported that 75% of Americans consume less than the RDA
of magnesium. Again, a large number of commonly prescribed drugs
deplete magnesium. These include oral contraceptives and other
conjugated estogens (Premarin) and esterified estrogens (Estrtab).
Various antibiotics, such as tetracyclines and doxycline, also
deplete magnesium. Diuretics are another class of magnesium-depleting
drugs, as is digoxin, used in the treatment of congestive heart
failure. Corticosteroids also deplete magnesium.
Magnesium deficiency goes hand-in -hand with atherosclerosis, heart
attack, hypertension and stroke. Low levels of magnesium can cause a
life-threatening cardiac spasm, a condition caused by levels of
magnesium falling too low, allowing too much calcium to enter the
cells of the heart muscle, resulting in a dangerous cramp.
A minor version of the muscular cramps caused by magnesium deficiency
are the leg cramps that tend to disrupt the sleep of the elderly.
Other symptoms of magnesium deficiency include insomnia,
restlessness, irritability, nervousness, anxiety, depression, fatigue
and osteoporosis. Migraines and PMS appear to be related to magnesium
deficiency.
Interestingly, so is asthma and kidney stones. All in all, magnesium
is by itself one of the best "drugs" that nature has provided. It
could reduce a host of cardiovascular complications. For example;
like aspirin, magnesium inhibits platelet aggregation; like Coumadin,
magnesium thins the blood; Like Procardia, a calcium channel blocker,
magnesium prevents excess calcium uptake; like Vasotec, an ACE
inhibitor, magnesium relaxes blood vessels.
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Replace vital nutrients lost from taking prescription drugs and O.T.C
medicines with Prescription Depletion Replacement daily supplement.
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Zinc Deficiency
Zinc deficiency is also rampant both in the United States and all
over the world. It increases with age due to poor absorption and the
inadequate diet of many elderly people. Vegetarian and semi-
vegetarian diets, low in animal protein and high in phytate-
containing grains, often lead to zinc deficiency. Zinc-depleted soils
are also a factor, as is food conditions such as alcoholism,
diabetes, liver and kidney diseases, macalar degeneration,
inflammatory bowel diseases and melanoma.
Like magnesium, zinc can be depleted by a variety of drugs. These
include carticosteroids, oral contraceptives, oral estrogens used in
hormone replacement therapy (including the designer estrogen
raloxifene), ACE inhibitors such as Lotensil (benazepril) and Altace
(ramipril), diuretics such as Hydrex (benzthiazide), triamterene, and
Bumex (bumetanide), the cholesterol-lowering drug cholestyramine
resin and the anti-ulcer drug Cimetidine.
Deficiency symptoms include slow wound healing, poor sense of smell
and taste, problems with skin, hair and nails (zinc is highly
concentrated in skin, hair and nails), low immune response and
frequent infections, night blindness, excessive sensitivity to light,
depression and even lethargy, anemia, menstrual and fertility
problems, male sterility, various pregnancy complications and joint
paiin (zinc has some anti-inflammatory activity). Benign prostate
enlargement may reflect a zinc deficiency. Even stretch marks during
pregnancy are due partly to zinc deficiency (pregnant women have a
hight risk of being deficient in zinc).White spots on fingernails are
a telltale sign of zinc deficiency.
Drug companies are generally not required to do nutrient depletion
studies, and the funding for such research is difficult to obtain.
Nonetheless, the problem of drug-incuced nutrient depletions can not
be ignored. The importance of adding advanced multivitamin
supplements into your daily regimen, has never been more essential
for overall health and disease prevention.
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Replace vital nutrients lost from taking prescription drugs and O.T.C
medicines with Prescription Depletion Replacement daily supplement.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
SOURCE:
Drug Induced Nutrient Depletion Handbook 1999-2000.
by Ross Pelton, R. Ph., PhD., CCN, James B. Lavalle, R. Ph., Ernest B
Hawkins, R. Ph., Daniel L Krinsky, R. Ph., Lexi-Comp, Inc.'99.
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