The statin class of drugs is one of the current advancements in medicine. Lipitor, the brand name for atorvastatin calcium, belongs to this class of drugs, and it is often prescribed to lower cholesterol. Therefore, many doctors are prescribing a combination of the Atkins diet and Lipitor so they can lower high cholesterol levels. This is good news for individuals who experience an increase in cholesterol when they follow the Atkins diet.
Combining diets low in carbohydrates such as the Atkins diet with Lipitor is often not required to maintain your cholesterol levels. The body of many individuals is able to remove the unwanted type of cholesterol, eliminating the need for Lipitor with the Atkins diet. However, the combination can be very powerful if you experience success with the Atkins diet and use Lipitor as a preventative measure.
The body contains good or HDL cholesterol and bad or LDL cholesterol. The Atkins diet is said to promote the production of LDL because some dieters eat the incorrect types of fat. Combining the Atkins diet with Lipitor may help these individuals. It’s important to maintain a high HDL level as it actually helps to remove LDL cholesterol. LDL can cause strokes by blocking your arteries. Lipitor lowers the LDL count and increases the levels of HDL cholesterol by changing how the liver creates certain enzymes.
This is why many people are currently taking Lipitor as a preventative measure instead of a treatment option for high cholesterol levels. Combining Lipitor with the Atkins diet can be very effective. Many books explain how the body reacts chemically to a diet containing grains, proteins and fats. Most individuals who follow the diet will become healthier and lose weight. Because low cholesterol does not cause any health concerns, combining Lipitor with the Atkins diet can be even more effective for dieters.
Cholesterol is a necessary substance produced by the liver which synthesizes approximately 1 gram daily. It is an important component of the cell membranes found in mammals. Cholesterol is a combination of alcohol and steroid called a sterol. It is also the main precursor of steroid hormones such as aldosterone and cortisol, Vitamin D and the sex hormones such as progesterone, estrogen and testosterone. Cholesterol assists in the conduction of nerve impulses by wrapping nerves in a myelin sheath.
Atherosclerosis or a clogging or narrowing of the arteries is a condition caused by very high cholesterol levels. Cholesterol creates scar tissue and it can cause a heart attack by impeding blood flow in the arteries of the heart or a stroke by limiting blood flow in the brain. A higher risk of peripheral vascular disease, strokes and heart attacks is associated with low levels of good or HDL cholesterol and high levels of bad or LDL cholesterol.
Given that heart attacks are one of the leading causes of death, it’s important to understand how to control the blood’s cholesterol levels. Your liver synthesizes most of the body’s cholesterol, as well as the adrenals, reproductive organs and intestines. A small portion of cholesterol comes from food items such as pork, shrimp, cuttlefish, poultry, egg yolks, beef, animal fat and cheese. Eating saturated and trans fats greatly increases the blood’s cholesterol levels.
You can lower cholesterol by eating a proper diet. You should eat less high-cholesterol foods such as egg yolks, cheese and animal fats. Limiting saturated and trans fats when you cook will also greatly lower your blood cholesterol. However, most people require additional assistance to control their cholesterol levels. A popular group of drugs called statins are currently being used to lower the production of cholesterol within the body. The drugs block HMG coA reductase, a critical enzyme in the liver required to produce cholesterol.
Lipitor, also called Liptor or Lipator, is the most popular type of statins. The drug can greatly lower high cholesterol levels which don’t respond to diet alone. Pfizer, the creator of Viagra, also produces Lipator or Lipitor. Because the liver continuously produces cholesterol, you need to take cholesterol medications for the rest of your life. The good news is that Lipitor or Lipator causes very few side effects, and they are mild.
Lipitor may cause common side effects such as nausea or headaches. More rarely, individuals may experience mild damage to their liver cells associated with an increase in liver enzymes such as AST, ALT and GGT. Certain individuals experience muscle pain caused by muscle damage as a result of an increase of the muscle enzyme creatine kinase in the blood.However, the rise of enzyme levels is not harmful, and will generally lower to normal levels within a few months after you discontinue taking Lipitor.
If you experience a moderate rise in muscle or liver enzymes, you should stop taking statins and try other therapeutic methods such as a strict diet or drugs that lower lipids such as fibrate alternatives. Nicotinic acid can be used to raise HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol, but it can cause unpleasant side effects such as itchiness, stomach upset or flushing.