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March 13, 2003
Heart failure
Q I am currently taking the statin drug Zocor to lower my cholesterol. I also take coenzyme Q-10. Please advise if it lessens the effectiveness of Zocor.
I am concerned about the information you gave about coenzyme Q-10. You said that coenzyme Q-10 should be cautiously used when taking a statin drug simultaneously, and that evidence shows that statin drugs deplete the body of this nutrient and supplementation is necessary. Please clarify.
A Coenzyme Q-10 is not a vitamin. It is a compound found in all body cells. It assists cells in transforming stored cell fuel into a special kind of fuel-ATP. ATP is high-octane fuel that’s needed for short bursts of intense activity. In addition, coenzyme Q-10 is an antioxidant. Oxidants are byproducts of cell metabolism, and they can cause damage if they are not neutralized quickly. Antioxidants can be thought of as rustproofers.
What catapulted Q-10 into prominence was the discovery that failing hearts had a Q-10 deficiency. That provided enough evidence for many to recommend it as a treatment for failing hearts, among other illnesses.
I cannot list citations for Q-10’s effectiveness or ineffectiveness. I can cite one study done with worms. Worms fed Q-10 had shorter life spans than those not fed this supplement.
Statin drugs, perhaps the most potent medicines for cholesterol lowering, might interfere with the body’s ability to make Q-10. The significance of this information is unknown. Two popular statins, Lipitor and Pravachol, have not been implicated in any interference with body production of Q- 10.
People can use Q-10 without fear. It has not been associated with any dire side effects. However, people should not use it as a replacement for their prescribed heart medicines, and they should inform their doctors that they are taking it.
Q Please repeat your article on female urinary tract infections. I cut it out and have lost it.
A Anatomy predisposes women to urinary tract infections. They have shorter urethras than males. The urethra is the drainage tube through which urine passes out of the bladder and out of the body. Because of their short urethras, bacteria can find their way to women’s bladders without trouble.
To cut down on repeated bladder infections, women should wipe from front to back after having a bowel movement. Urinating after intercourse also helps prevent bacteria from migrating up the urethra to the bladder. Drinking lots of water keeps urine dilute and encourages frequent urinations that flush germs out of the bladder.
Q Can you give information on leprosy? Is it more common now than before? What is the treatment? What causes it? Are there parts of the world where it is more common?
A The cause of leprosy is the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. Contrary to popular opinion, leprosy is difficult to catch.
Leprosy is less common today than it was before. The World Health Organization considers it a disease that can be completely eliminated from planet Earth. However, estimates of the number of people currently infected range from I million to 6 million. Most cases are found in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Pacific islands. In North America fewer than 200 hundred cases are seen annually, and most of those are in immigrants.
Dapsone, rifampin and clofazimine, often used in combination, are effective treatments. Patients do not need to be hospitalized or isolated. We should call this illness “Hansen’s disease.” Leprosy has too many bad connotations associated with it. Dr. Gerhard Hansen (1841-1912), a Norwegian physician, discovered the causative bacterium. —2002 North America Syndicate Inc.
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