Statins provide a bulwark against heart disease. They do this by reducing the production of cholesterol inside the liver. However, you can undermine the effectiveness of your statins by mixing them with certain herbal supplements.
The NHS explains: “St John’s wort, a herbal remedy taken for depression, reduces the amount of atorvastatin [a type of statin] in your blood, so it does not work as well.”
St John’s wort is available as a supplement in teas, tablets, liquids and topical preparations.
“Talk to your doctor if you’re thinking about starting St John’s wort, as it will change how well atorvastatin works,” advises the NHS.
Health body the Mayo Clinic echoes this advice. “Taking St. John’s wort with simvastatin (Zocor, Flolipid) might reduce the drug’s effectiveness.”
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They’re not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines.
Myths around statins
There are many myths that persist around statins, some of which can be harmful.
Some people who take statins report confusion or memory loss. But because memory issues tend to crop up in middle-aged and older adults (the most common users of statins), it’s hard to tell if the drug, or another problem such as age-related memory loss, might be to blame.
The initial concern arose from a number of self-reported complaints to the FDA, said cardiologist Doctor Christopher Cannon, a Harvard Medical School professor.
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The compounds, called furanocoumarins, block an enzyme in the intestine that normally breaks down statins (and many other drugs). As a result, more statin gets into the bloodstream, making it more powerful.
Not all statins are affected equally, so grapefruit fans might want to switch to a statin that’s less affected.
But if you can’t switch, a small glass of the juice is probably fine, said Doctor Jorge Plutzky, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and medical editor of Managing Your Cholesterol, /MC.
“The studies showing dangerous effects included very high amounts of furanocoumarins, found in a quart or more of the juice,” he said.
