Statin Therapy Inhibits Remyelination in the Central Nervous System


http://ajp.amjpathol.org/cgi/content....2009.080947v1

Am J Pathol. 2009 Apr 6.
Statin Therapy Inhibits Remyelination in the Central Nervous System. Miron VE, Zehntner SP, Kuhlmann T, Ludwin SK, Owens T, Kennedy TE, Bedell BJ, Antel JP.
Our findings suggest that simvastatin inhibits central nervous system remyelination by blocking progenitor differentiation, indicating the need to monitor effects of systemic immunotherapies that can access the central nervous system on brain tissue-repair processes.
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In plainer English (which I needed myself to understand the seriousness of this report)

http://bloodbrainbarrierblog.blogspo...elination.html

Great -- I have been taking it for several years. It has lowered my cholesterol.

WOW-thanks for the info. I started taking Zocor-then the generic simvastatin years ago when "they" started saying it could help with fighting ms. Now, after reading this info, I want to stop. VERY frustrating I guess I should call my pcp Doggone it. As I understand Tysabri, which I've been on for 2 1/2yrs, works by stopping the attack of T-cells which gives your body a chance to repair itself; if by taking simvastatin I have reduced or halted that repair I am not a happy camper.
Linda

My father's been on statins for quite a long time now, and constantly complains about them because of the side effects they can cause. He swears by CoQ10.

Thanks for the information, I'll have to share it with Dad (who has heart troubles, not MS, but it'll be a common point of interest for us).

Hi--I'm glad our humble little blog is generating discussion, but I feel (based on some comments I've read) that I need to emphasize the following:

I am NOT a physician (I'm a scientist), and NOTHING I write on the BBB Blog should in any way be construed as medical advice. PLEASE do not make any changes to the medications you are taking without consulting your physician first.

Many thanks, and best wishes,
Brian Hawkins, PhD



[QUOTE=mrsD;493965]In plainer English (which I needed myself to understand the seriousness of this report)

I think we all understand your concern, Brian.
Everyone here mostly checks with their doctor.
What is concerning about the newest statin information for the readers of the MS forum, is that high dose statins were touted by the drug companies as a TREATMENT for MS. And it looks like this is not going to work or be good for them.
If you cruise around, you'll find olsen and myself putting up all the data coming out about statins, not just the positive ones, we get in the general media.
I think doctors have been kept in the dark about the damage potential statins have, and therefore cannot answer questions adequately when patients ask them. Providing that data here gives them a chance to print it out and take it with them to the doctor. In that case it is a roundabout way of providing CME for those doctors!

And I agree with you...that the newest attempt to suggest use of statins for children is deporable! It is right up there with atypical antipsychotics for toddlers! (and we know where that has gone)

We have a warning on every page of these forums to consult your doctor, before trying any suggestions that appear here.
And I always put up carefully checked medical information, to support my posts as well.

Thanks for chiming in.

WHAT!?

Stupid drugs with their stupid side effects. I need to read up on more alternative meds for MS. Homeopathic, I think it's called.

My first neuro put me on simvistatin shortly after I was dx. My level was 223, whereas 2 years prior it was at 175. When I quizzed him on how the jump occurred with no real change in my diet, he said the demyelazation (or however it's spelled) dumps the fat stripped off the nerves as cholesterol into our bloodstream.

I haven't been doing any real research of my own on MS lately. That stops today because;

I am the MonSter that MS fears.

Wait. I realize I'm overreacting. But does the body really replace that stuff that's been stripped off? If so, how could this disease even exist?

I have so much reading to do.

For now, I plan on staying on simivastatin, but do plan on asking my neuro his thoughts about the article. My dosage is fairly low, and it has helped reduce my cholesterol. It is just one study -- correct?

Just wanted to share that yes, the body can replace myelin. Except in examples like MS. And yes, Moose can retract his hot-headedness and knee jerk reaction and do the research needed.




But don't tell anyone.