Mevacor

If you suffer from high cholesterol and are considering a medication to treat it, you may be wondering just what your treatment options are. You probably already know that there are dozens and dozens of medications on the market today geared to targeting cholesterol problems. The problem is you need to determine which are safe and effective and which are just plain dangerous. You may be surprised to know however, that there are also natural alternatives to drugs that work with your body to reduce cholesterol. Let’s examine both options.

Of all the cholesterol lowing drugs available today, mevacor is probably the drug with the greatest amount of successes to side effects. The probability is very low that you will have any significant side effect, and even the less serious ones are not numerous.

What You Can Expect

Lovastatin, the brand name for mevacor, lowers LDL cholesterol, as well as the total amount of cholesterol in the blood. Although there are not many side effects that you can expect from taking mevacor, you should know that you should avoid taking mevacor if you have diabetes, thyroid problems, kidney disease or a muscle disorder. The biggest risk from taking mevacor is the risk of the breakdown of muscle tissue, which can lead to kidney failure. For this reason you should call your doctor immediately if you experience muscle pain or tenderness, unexplained weakness or flu like symptoms, and dark colored urine. It should also not be taken by anyone that is or is likely to become pregnant, as this drug can cause birth defects in a developing fetus. The most common side effects you can expect from taking mevacor is stomach pain, gas, heartburn and upset stomach, nausea, constipation and diarrhea. There does not appear to be sexual side effects from taking mevacor.

Your Natural Alternatives

There are many ways to combat high cholesterol in a safe, natural manner. First and most importantly, a low cholesterol diet is essential to success, as is plenty of exercise. In addition to the diet and exercise regimen, the following nutrients and herbs have been shown to naturally reduce cholesterol levels, without side effects: fish oil, garlic, green tea extract, CoQ10, niacin, sytrinol, licorice extract, mangosteen fruit, beta glucan and flax fiber. There are several more as well, all of which are just as safe and effective as mevacor, a statin drug. Isn’t it time to weigh all your options?