This one critical factor may be making half of the population even sicker

Saturday, August 06, 2011 by: Robert Kress RPh CCN
Tags: degenerative disease, pharmaceuticals, health news

(NewsTarget) The Department of Health and Human Resources has estimated that half of all Americans take at least one prescription drug. What a doctor or pharmacist most likely will not tell a patient is that the prescription drug can be causing some major nutritional depletions. Nutritional deficiencies are a major factor to the health and disease states in our society. Major contributors to nutritional deficiencies include diet, lifestyle, age, prescription and non-prescription drugs. Drug Induced Nutrient Depletions could be one of the most over-looked and ignored challenges slowly crippling our health.

Aside from extreme deficiencies of malnutrition leading to disease states such as beriberi, visible goiters, and scurvy, many nutritional deficiencies go unnoticed leading to everything from cardiovascular issues, difficulty sleeping, lack of energy, resistance to losing weight, pre-menstrual syndrome, depression, and more.

The depletion of major nutrients from the body is a common occurrence in almost all medications. In fact, of the top 50 most commonly prescribed drugs prescribed in 2009, over 80% can be associated with drug-induced nutrient depletions. The fact of the matter is that this problem is even greater than it appears considering funding to drug-induced nutrient depletions is not easy to come by.

When the body is depleted of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids, it begins to weaken. This makes it susceptible to a host of diseases, malfunctions and overall loss of well being.

The authors of The Nutritional Cost of Drugs have said, "Many of the side effects from drugs actually may be attributable to nutrient depletions caused by the drugs when taken over time. Now that this information has been brought to light, health professionals have a professional responsibility to become knowledgeable about drug-induced nutrient depletion`s so they can counsel patients and customers accordingly."

So why isn`t this responsibility being taken more seriously?

Much of this is probably due to the fact that drug-induced nutrient depletions have not been adequately taught through the conventional medical educational model. This allows people`s health to fall victim to problems and disorders that can possibly be very easily treated, and even prevented.

An example of a major drug-induced nutrient depletion is HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors, also known as Statins. This family of drugs has shown to cause a depletion of CoEnzyme Q10. Given the fact that CoEnzyme Q10 is a powerful anti-oxidant and critical for muscle health, needed to create energy in all cells, reduces platelet stickiness and supports our immune systems, we could be setting patients up for greater risks when nutritional status is not properly addressed.

It is not just important, but critical, to arm yourself with the awareness and knowledge, not just on medication side-effects and interactions, but also of the nutritional depletions which they can cause.

References:
Lavalle J, Pelton R. The Nutritional Cost of Drugs, A Guide to Maintaining Good Nutrition While Using Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs. Morton Publishing Company, 2004.

Mortensen SA, Leth A, Agner E, Rhode M. Dose-related decrease of serum coenzyme Q10 during treatment with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. Mol Aspects Med 1997; 18 (supp):S137-44.

Bargossi AM, Grossi G, Fiorella PL, et al. Exogenous CoQ10 supplementation prevents plasma ubiquinone reduction induced by HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. Mol Aspecs Med 1994;15(supp):S187-93.

About the author

Robert B Kress RPH CCN, The Renegade Pharmacist has been bucking the trend of Big Pharma since he graduated pharmacy school in 1994.
In additional to conventional pharmacy, Robert has acquired expertise in kinesiology, bio-identical hormonal therapy and is a board certified clinical nutritionist.
After owning his own Alternative Pharmacy with his wife Amy, an expert in Longevity Skin care, they now spend their time educating others on all measures of health, natural living as well as self-sufficiency in many aspects of life at their website, Aware, Prepare, and Prosper www.awareandprepare.com