Why do one in seven women in the U.S. have breast cancer? Unfortunately, the Powers-That-Be are too busy prescribing chemotherapy, surgery and radiation instead of searching for the underlying reasons why so many U.S. women are suffering and dying with breast cancer. Unless we stop the flow of money to the Powers-That-Be, which includes the American Cancer Society and the Koman Foundation, there will never be progress made in this terrible illness.
Why do one in seven women have breast cancer? One reason is the use of synthetic hormones fed to animals and other synthetic hormones prescribed to women such as medroxyprogesterone including Provera. Another reason is statin medications.
A recent study found that current users of statins for ten years or longer had an 83% increased risk of invasive ductal carcinoma and a 97% increased risk of invasive lobular carcinoma, when compared to never-users of statins. Among women diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia, current users of statins for ten years or longer had a 104% increased risk of invasive ductal carcinoma and a 143% increased risk of invasive lobular carcinoma.(1)
In fact, the increased risk of cancer with statin use has been reported in other studies. All the cholesterol medications, older and newer ones, have been associated with an increased rate of cancer.(2) In rodents, statins have been shown to cause cancer in multiple studies. (2) Multiple studies have shown a link between low cholesterol levels and the development of cancer. (3)
Some of you may be shocked by the above numbers. I am not. The connection between statins and cancer is hard to pin down since most studies do not last for long periods of time and, to be properly diagnosed, cancer takes a long time to grow. When you look at the mechanism of action of statins, and the resultant depletion of cholesterol and CoQ10, I believe long-term statin use will inevitably lead to increased risk of cancer.
Why do one in seven women have breast cancer? Breast cancer is affecting so many women, in large part, due to conventional medicine’s rabid promotion of synthetic hormone replacement therapy (29% increased risk of invasive breast cancer) and statin medications. The American public has been terribly deceived and harmed by these toxic therapies. Studying the biochemical action of statins would lead one to conclude that an increased risk of cancer (as well as diabetes, infection, memory loss, muscle deterioration and other adverse effects) is likely. Even more appalling is the fact that statins have never been shown, in women and most men, to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Nor have statins been shown to significantly prolong a woman or a man’s life. Perhaps women just need to say “No” to a statin prescription.
What can you do? Educate yourself about the mechanism of action of a drug. Search for ways to support the body’s biochemistry instead of poisoning enzymes (this is how statins work) and blocking receptors. Most drugs–over 98%– work by poisoning enzymes or blocking receptors. We were not designed to have our enzymes poisoned or our receptors blocked. More information about the problems with statins and other drugs can be found in my book, Drugs That Don’t Work and Natural Therapies That Do, 2nd Edition.
(1) Cancer Epidem. Biomarkers Prev. 22(9): 1529-37. 2013
(2) JAMA. 1.3.1996. VOl. 275, N1.
(3) QJM. Doi: 10.1093/qjmed/hcr243. December 8, 2011
If you don’t want cancer, don’t be iodine deficient. Everything i’ve read, witnessed, and experienced makes me believe cancer is just an iodine deficiency disorder.I reversed a bad case of fbd using iodoral and vitamin c, cleared up skin issues and disappered scars using Lugol’s Solution. I cure a cold or the flu in 24-48 hours by nebulizing Lugol’s.I water my vegetable garden with Lugol’s in water and give my family and my very old dogs Lugol’s. It’s a miracle that we’ve been using for a decade. I wish we would have learned about iodine before my mother died of brain cancer treatments.
Thank you, Dr. Brownstein, for this helpful article. I’ve been doing a lot of research on statin drugs and their risky side effects for the past few years. There have been quite a number of human studies that link abnormally low cholesterol and the use of statins to the development of breast and other cancers. CoQ10 and vitamin D supplementation is an absolute must for anyone taking a statin drug.
Is there a time when cholesterol becomes too high? I’m understanding that the numbers don’t tell the whole story. I am curious though if there is a point where something non pharmaceutical needs to be done asap?
For instance numbers north of 250? near 300?
thanks!!!
Jennifer,
The mean life expectancy for people with hypercholesterolemia is no different than those without it. I see many healthy patients with cholesterol levels in the 300’s.
DrB
I do not dispute the problems caused by drugs such as statins and a whole myriad of other drugs. But there are many reasons why women have an ever increasing risk of contracting breast cancer (and men of prostate cancer). There are numerous carcinogens in our environment generally and they are increasing in concentration. But our immune systems are severely compromised on account of our exposure to the halogens in the transition table of elements ABOVE IODINE. All three of them: fluoride, chlorine and bromine displace iodine in the body’s cells there by drastically weakening our immunity. As Dr Brownstein who has devoted a whole book on the topic of iodine says iodine is the best defence against most diseases. Yet we DRINK IN fluoride and chlorine daily in our water consumption – that includes tea, coffee, vegetables cooked in water, soups etc etc – What chance on earth do we have (men and women) without supplementing in high doses of iodine? This is the only way we can replace iodine that has been displaced by these offending halogens. Iodine is so important in the fight against illnesses of all types. I was delighted to see that it was top of Dr Brownstein’s top ten list of supplements! Thank you, Dr Brownstein.
You are quite welcome, dear Doctor! Thank You for caring about our health!!!
Laszlo
@ Susan: Why are you trying to lower your cholesterol? The higher your cholesterol numbers, the longer you will live and that’s a proven fact. Your body NEEDS cholesterol to perform critical functions. Please take the time to read some of the books by Uffe Ravnskov and articles online by Malcolm Kendrick, MD, or go to http://www.spacedoc.net and read some stuff there. Please do not follow a low-fat food “diet” but be sure to eat good fats (butter, real home-rendered lard, animal fats from pastured/grass-fed animals, eggs – LOTS of eggs from a good source, not grocery store eggs from a CAFO.
There are only a few suggestions. I have a couple more links to share, as well.
http://www.tendergrassfedmeat.com
http://www.westonaprice.org
That will get you started with about a ton of good reading material.
Dear Doctor,
You have mistyped two of the percentages. The first study You have referenced states: “Current users of statins for 10 years or longer had a 1.83-fold increased risk of IDC [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.14-2.93] and a 1.97-fold increased risk of ILC (95% CI: 1.25-3.12) compared to never users of statins. Among women diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia, current users of statins for 10 years or longer had more than double the risk of both IDC [odds ratio (OR): 2.04, 95% CI: 1.17-3.57] and ILC (OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.40-4.21) compared to never users. ” This means a 104%, not a 204% increased risk of invasive ductal carcinoma and a 143%, not a 243% increased risk of invasive lobular carcinoma.
Dear Laszlo,
My bad. You are correct. Thanks for catching that. Another late-night blog writing session gets me.
DrB
I have been using Red Yeast Rice for two months and my cholesterol dropped dramatically 30 points. But I have a history of breast cancer. Now I am worried about using Red Yeast Rice since it does have statin properties.
Susan,
I do not recommend red rice yeast products because it has the same mechanism of action as a statin drug; it poisons a crucial enzyme.
DrB
Great post Dr Brownstein. You continue to do a great job of explaining the statistics behind the studies. We physicians must return to evidence-based medicine instead of marketing-based medicine.
My mom (83) has been on statins for 21 years following a heart attack, and she has since had breast cancer (with radiation treatment) and now has severe osteoporosis. I think it’s ALL related to the statins and radiation; the doctors are killing her slowly! I refuse all their medical nonsense and appreciate your book “Drugs that Don’t Work & Natural Therapies that Do”.
I am a very healthy 50 yrs. old, with 230 TC but good ratio. No other risk factors but my doc is giving me the hard sell on statins. I am remaining firm on refusing, but she has now listed me as “non-compliant” in my medical record. I hope this is not shorthand for “insurer, drop this patient”!!
P.S. I have lowered my TC 50 points in one year with exercise and supplements.
My own almost 90 year old sister is being prescribed a statin drug.
What is God’s name is wrong with her physicians?
Now she is diabetic. Would they admit a statin might have caused that? I doubt it.