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Posted to HDLighthouse: 07-Jan-2002 HDL Update: Statins And EPA

Statins and EPA Benefits May be Additive Researchers at UCLA have presented evidence that calorie restriction delays aging and that the restricted substance responsible for the effect is coenzyme Q (Q10 included).

Statins are common drugs used to lower cholesterol but they are also known to have anti-inflammatory properties. It is also known that statins, like diet restriction, reduce plasma coenzyme Q. Evidence also suggests that statins have a neuroprotective effect.

It is tempting to believe that statins may exert their neuroprotective effect by reducing the effects of dietary coenzyme Q. The evidence presented here suggests a possible profound additive effect of statins and EPA, a major omega-3 component of fish oil, for the treatment of HD.

Moderate food and/or energy (calorie) restriction delays age-related immune dysfunction and prolongs life span in multiple animal models. The effect is greater than the addition of fish oil to the diet. The amount and type of dietary fatty acids can also profoundly affect life span. Marine-derived fish oils contain omega-3 fatty acids, which have potent anti-inflammatory properties.

Researchers at the University of Texas examined the influence of food restriction (40% overall reduction in intake of all dietary components) combined with the substitution of fish oil for corn oil. Autoimmune mice, which develop fatal kidney disease, were used for lab animals.

These findings demonstrate the profound additive effects of food restriction and (n-3) fatty acids in prolonging life span in autoimmune prone mice. These same effects may apply with the substitution of statins for dietary coenzyme Q restriction and with the subsitution of HD for the autoimmune condition. For now this is a plausible but unproven theory.--Jerry 07-Jan-02

Life in days for autoimmune mice on four diets. Eating as much as wanted with fats supplied by corn oil. Eating as much as wanted with fats supplied by omega-3 fish oils. Diet restricted to 40% of the above amounts with fats supplied by corn oil. Same restricted with fats supplied by omega-3 fish oils.

Source: .--Jerry 07-Jan-02

Mouse Data from:J Nutr 2001 Oct;131(10):2753-60 Jolly CA, et al, The University of Texas Health Science Center

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