Vitamins May Blunt Cholesterol Drugs tories

By ALEX LYDA Associated Press Writer

August 9, 2001

DALLAS -- Extra doses of vitamins such as C and E may blunt some benefits of widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs, a new study concludes.

Some research suggests that the so-called antioxidant vitamins, intended to offset the harmful effects of oxygen, may help keep arteries healthy, while other reports have disputed this idea.

The latest study compared patients with coronary artery disease who were taking a mix of antioxidant vitamins and drugs to those who were taking drugs alone. The study used the vitamin niacin and the drug Zocor, which lowers artery-clogging LDL cholesterol while increasing beneficial HDL cholesterol.

It found that the volunteers' HDL levels failed to rise as much as expected when they mixed the vitamins with their cholesterol drugs.

"It looks like antioxidant supplements in general ... have no value of their own" and may actually interfere with cholesterol drugs' ability to boost HDL, said Dr. B. Greg Brown of the University of Washington at Seattle, one of the researchers.

The one-year study was published in the August issue of Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, a journal of the American Heart Association. It involved 153 patients ages 33 to 74 who had heart disease and high LDL levels.

The patients were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: drug therapy with Zocor and niacin; a combination of the antioxidant vitamins E, C and beta carotene plus selenium; drug therapy and the antioxidant supplements; or a placebo.

The patients receiving antioxidants and drugs had an average HDL increase of 18 percent, compared with 25 percent among those who received drugs alone. HDL remained unchanged with vitamins alone or the placebo.

A component of HDL cholesterol called HDL(2), which is thought to account for much of HDL's benefit, was especially affected. Its levels increased by 42 percent with drugs alone but remained unchanged in patients who also received antioxidants.

In an editorial, Dr. Lewis H. Kuller of University of Pittsburgh said the results, along with other disappointing findings about vitamins, make a compelling case against recommending antioxidant supplements to prevent or treat coronary artery disease.

"It will be important that physicians advise their patients that the use of antioxidants could be hazardous," he said.

But Dr. Kenny Jialal of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas criticized the study's small size and disagreed with the conclusion that patients should be warned off antioxidants.

Jialal, a member of the antioxidant panel of the Institute of Medicine, noted that vitamin E has been shown in other studies to reduce the risk of heart disease.

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On the Net:

Heart association: http://www.americanheart.org

Institute of Medicine: http://www.iom.edu Copyright © 2001, The Associated Press

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Answers

Anecdotal but, I hope, of interest. Jim and I have just had routine lab work which showed our cholesterol was 147 and 170, respectively. I forget the "good" and "bad" cholesterol numbers but the doc said they were real good--they weren't before we started on Lipitor. Jim doesn't take supplements; I take E, C and selenium, among others, but not beta-carotene. Our numbers could support this study's results, or it could be because Jim takes more Lipitor than I. However, as long as my numbers make the doctor happy, then I shall continue to take antioxidants.

I am particularly cheered by Waltham ("Whiskas," "Pedigree") pet food's recent study which showed reduced DNA damage in cats and dogs who consumed their new antioxidant formula pet food--and after only two months! Of course, we don't eat Waltham's ourselves :) but so many animal nutrition studies also apply to humans.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

That is very good news about Jim and your cholesterol. Bayer had just taken a drug off the market, which had been used to lower cholesterol.

On CNN this morning, I just caught a smiggen, a man was ask if other cholesterol drugs might cause problems. Just mentioning it here in case anyone one wanted to keep an eye out about what they are taking.

I met a guy, who said he tried to lower his cholesterol and diet didn't help much, so he took niacin and it really helped him. I took some and I could feel my body heat up, a little like a heat flash.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

OG, forgot to say the new pet food sounds like a really good thing. If I see it at the store here, I will get some and see how my picky eaters like it, they really like Science Diet, the fur ball helper one.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

I'm told the trick is to mix it in with the food your cats are accustomed to, gradually increasing the amount until the new food is all there is in the dish. Something else that helps is to put a dish of it in the usual-food bag, so that it picks up the aroma. Maybe overnight would do it.

Waltham has only just announced the results of their study; I don't know when they'll have the food ready for the market. I'll let you know if I see it--it may be sold under their Whiskas brand.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Good tips and yes, please let me know when it comes out. Thanks

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2001