Drugs Can Rob You of More than Money

Popular prescription drugs can rob your body of many essential nutrients, doing you more harm than good. The problems arent limited to a handful of expensive, newly developed blockbusters like Lipitor. Scores of popularly prescribed drugs for all kinds of health problems have been proven to leach important vitamins, minerals, and key enzymes out of your body or prevent it from being able to absorb them. They can also effect metabolism and even make it impossible for your body to use certain nutrients. For some reason, most doctors dont know this, or they simply forget to tell their patients. Until the word gets out, youre going to need to arm yourself with knowledge to protect your health. Today Ill explain just how bad the problem is and show you some easy, simple ways to sidestep it entirely. These Common Culprits May Be in Your Medicine Cabinet Some of the most commonly used drugs in America today can cause any one of the problems on this list. Aspirin You may be surprised to learn that aspirin makes it harder for your body to absorb vitamin C.1 It can also decrease levels of iron and folic acid, leading to anemia, susceptibility to cold and flu, and a host of additional ailments (see above list).2 And its not even a prescription drug. Oral Contraceptives For my women readers, heres some news that should concern you: oral contraceptives have been shown to drain your body of vitamin B6. This can set a cascade of unwanted side effects in motion, including sleeplessness, mood swings, and depression. Thats because you need vitamin B6 to make serotonin, melatonin, and tryptophan.3 These natural compounds powerfully affect your sense of contentment in life, your ability to rest, and your overall emotional stability. This is why so many women who come to my clinic complain of becoming someone they dont recognize while on the pill or the patch. Whats more, oral contraceptives also rob you of B12, zinc, and blood magnesium levels, causing diarrhea, poor immune resistance, insomniaeven anorexia.4 Vitamin B12 in particular is vital to optimal health. I cant say enough how bad it is to be B12-deficient. Its crucial to brain function and the overall health of your nervous system. Its the engine behind your bodys ability to make blood. Every cell in your body uses it to convert fuel into energy. Its also the key to DNA synthesis and regulation, and enables your body to produce life-supporting fatty acids. I usually put my women patients suffering from these symptoms on supplements to offset nutrient imbalance: vitamin B (usually 50 mg a day), zinc (60 mg), and magnesium (200 mgs).

Acid Blockers Attention men: if youre taking drugs to relieve heartburn or acid reflux, chances are youre shortchanging your body of zinc and iron.5,6 You need zinc in abundance for its power to help your body recover from wounds and injury and fight off infectious diseases. Its also one of the keys to prostate health, virility and sexual performance. In fact, for men, the prostate gland is where most of the bodys zinc is concentrated. This is one rock you cant do without. Women ought to worry about acid blockers effect on iron levels. We all need iron to enable our blood to deliver oxygen to every cell in our bodies. Most people get enough of it in their diet. Without enough of it, a host of problems set in, including anemia, fatigue, and greater vulnerability to illness. Women are particularly at risk because of blood loss during menstruation. The ones to watch out for are proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) or histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2 blockers). Prevacid (Lansoprazole) is one of the most popular PPIs, for example. Theyve been linked to vitamin B12 deficiency, lower calcium absorption, and even beta carotene, a critical antioxidant.7 Even worse, they steal one of your bodys most important nutrientsvitamin D. That means youll suddenly be missing out on a long list of major health benefits, including:

Elevated mood and boost your mental performance Lower risk types of cancers including prostate, breast and ovarian Reduced risk of melanoma, the deadly form of skin cancer Prevention of bone diseases, including osteoporosis Lower risk of depression and schizophrenia Enhanced function of your pancreas Increased insulin sensitivity and diabetes prevention Weight loss Better sleep Increased energy and stamina during the day Significantly lower blood pressure Lower blood sugar levels Lower LDL or bad cholesterol levels Increased white blood cells responsible for immunity

Corticosteroids Prednisone and hydrocortisone are some of the top drugs used to treat lupus, Crohns disease, and other autoimmune or inflammatory conditions. Unfortunately, they also leach calcium from your body and increase its elimination, putting you at greater risk of bone fracture and osteoporosis. Some studies have shown these drugs can also lower levels of key trace elements, including magnesium, selenium, zinc, copper, and potassium. You should be taking supplements to offset the loss of so many important nutrients.

Hormone Replacement Drugs Ive written about these before. The term hormone replacement is totally misleading: the drugs doctors are prescribing to millions every year to offset declining hormone levels arent replacing anything. Thats because drug makers derive them from animal hormones that are utterly foreign to your body. They do this for profit, not patient health. They cant legally patent a naturallyoccurring substance, so they deliberately synthesize inorganic compounds your body was never meant to tolerate. The health hazards range from relatively minor to severe. You may find yourself having trouble getting to sleep. Thats because hormone replacement drugs prevent your body from making melatonin, the sleep hormone. Studies show that these drugs deplete a long list of critical nutrients, including:

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Folic acid Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) Vitamin C Zinc Magnesium

Anti-Diabetic Drugs Metformin, one of the most widely used medications to treat the symptoms of diabetes, robs your body of vitamin B12 and folic acid. It can attack heart health over time, partly because it also lowers CoQ10 levels. Ive written at length about CoQ10. Every cell in your body needs it for metabolism, and its especially crucial for the proper function of your vital organs, including the brain, heart and liver. As you age, your body makes less and less of it. The last thing you need is a drug that will drive CoQ10 levels down even further. Statin Drugs Again, Ive been sounding the warning bell on these dangerous drugs for years. Lipitor, Zocor, Mevacor and the like are great at driving your LDL cholesterol levels through the floor; unfortunately, they do the same thing to CoQ10 levels. Here are just a few of the risks you face if youre taking statins:

Inability to concentrate Depression Confusion Impotence Amnesia Lowered sex drive Disorientation Weakened immune system Shortness of breath Liver damage Fatigue

Kidney failure Nerve pain Muscle weakness Rhabdomyolysis (painful bursting of muscle cells) Death

These drugs are hardly worth the risks. And most dont need to lower their cholesterol in the first place. Its more about paying attention to your real risk factors such as homocystein, triglycerides and C-reactive protein. You can read more about this in the other article about women and heart disease. Blood Pressure Drugs Sixty-five million Americans have high blood pressure according to the American Heart Association. If all of them were to take some of the most common drugs to treat hypertension, theyd also be deficient in vitamin B6 and CoQ10. Diuretics There are two kinds of diuretics: thiazides and loop diuretics. Theyre great at lowering blood pressure. Doctors also prescribe them for diseases of the kidney and liver, as well as for heart health. While they help to fight these health conditions, they can also cause serious health problems. Hydrochlorothiazide lowers levels of zinc, magnesium, and potassium. Loop diuretics like furosemide and bumetanide also deplete calcium, and vitamins B6 and C. Dont Wait For These Health Problems to Crop Up To sum it all up, heres a list of prescription drug classes and their effects. (Ive included information on two more kinds of medication: antibiotics and anti-convulsants. Anti-convulsants work for people suffering from epilepsy, but theyre also widely prescribed to treat bi-polar disorder). Prescription drugs: categories and Nutrient Depletion Estrogen/progestin (hormone replacement) Vitamin B2, B6, B12, C, folic acid, zinc, magnesium Statins CoQ10 Acid blockers CoQ10, B12, folic acid, iron, vitamin D, beta carotene, zinc Corticosteroids Calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper, selenium, vitamin C, D Aspirin Vitamin C, iron, folic acid Blood pressure drugs Vitamin B6, CoQ10 Diuretics Vitamin B1, B6, C, potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc Antibiotics B vitamins, K, magnesium, potassium, calcium, zinc, iron Anti-diabetics Vitamin B12, folic acid, CoQ10 Anti-convulsants Vitamin B1, B7, B12, folic acid, CoQ10, vitamin D, vitamin K, calcium, carnitine

If youre on any one of these drugs, talk to your doctor about supplements to counter their adverse effects on your nutrition and overall health. Be sure to keep him or her in the loop about the amounts youre taking and any effects you notice over time. Heres a list Ive put together of signs to watch out for. They may mean youre missing an important nutrient: Medical Malnourishment: Nutrients and Signs to Watch Out For B1 (Thiamine) B2 (Riboflavin) B3 (Niacin) B5 (Pantothenic Acid) B6 (Pyridoxine) B7 (Biotin) B9 (Folate) B12 (Cobalamin) Vitamin C Calcium Magnesium Potassium Iron Zinc Selenium CoQ10 Carnitine Depression, memory loss, weight loss, fatigue, numbness Dermatitis, lesions at the corners of the mouth, swollen tongue, vision loss Skin lesions, insomnia, depression, aggression, swelling, diarrhea, weakness, brain fog, balding Fatigue, numbness, foot pain Depression, fatigue, dermatitis, anemia, glucose intolerance Balding, depression, dermatitis, nausea, anorexia Anemia, fatigue, cervical dysplasia, diarrhea, gingivitis, depression, irritability, insomnia Anemia, fatigue, poor nerve function, diarrhea, loss of memory Liver spots, bleeding at the gums, fatigue Weakened bones and fractures, muscle spasms Fatigue, irritability, weakness, muscle cramps, insomnia, anorexia Fatigue, irregular heartbeat, irritability, confusion, reduced nerve function. Anemia, weakness, fatigue, poor immune function Slow wound healing, decreased immunity, loss of taste and smell, balding, skin disorders, sexual dysfunction Poor immune function, heart disease Hypertension, fatigue, cardiovascular diseases Muscle weakness, inability to digest fat, stunted growth in children, poor athletic performance

If youre not taking supplements and wonder if you should, here are the basics that I recommend to most of my patients.

Vitamin C: 1,500 mg to 4,000 mg per day B Complex: B6 150 mg; Folic Acid 1,600 mcg; B12 800 mg per day CoQ10: 200 mg (or 50 mg of my Accel) per day Cod Liver Oil: 1 to 2 tablespoons a day

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1 Das et al. Vitamin C aspirin interaction in laboratory animals. Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 1992. 17(6):343-6. 2 Lawrence et al. Aspirin and folate binding: in vivo and in vitro studies of serum binding and urinary excretion of endogenous folate. Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine. 1984. 103(6):944-8. 3 Webb JL. Nutritional effects of oral contraceptive use: a review. Journal of Reproductive Medi cine. 1980. 25(4):150-6. 4 Bielenberg J. Folic acid and vitamin deficiency caused by oral contraceptives. Medizinische Monatsschrift fr Pharmazeuten. 1991.

14(8):244-7. 5 Sturniolo et al. Inhibition of gastric acid secretion reduces zinc absorption in man. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 1991. 10(4):372-5. 6 Aymard et al. Haematological adverse effects of histamine H2-receptor antagonists. Medical Toxicology and Adverse Drug Experience. 1988. 3(6):430-48. 7 Tang et al. Gastric acidity influences blood response to a beta-carotene dose in humans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1996. 64(4):622-6.