Beyond Cholesterol: Protecting What Statins Take Away
By Dr. Joel Kahn, MD, FACC
A Whole-Body Approach to Heart Health
In my preventive cardiology clinic, we strive to educate patients about nutrition, fitness, stress management, and good sleep, and we offer advanced cardiovascular testing to assess “vascular” or “arterial” age. With those 4 pillars of health, many (but not all) patients can reach optimal targets for cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, and other key metrics.
In terms of “lipid” management, when we use testing such as advanced cholesterol panels and inflammation markers, many patients still need pharmacological approaches added to lifestyle measures, including statin medications.
My preference is always to use the lowest possible doses, along with having an open discussion of the risks and benefits of the selected medications.
The Statin Trade-Off
Statin medications interfere with the liver and muscles by inhibiting an enzyme known as HMG-CoA reductase, leading to:
- Lower production of cholesterol
- Higher density of LDL-cholesterol receptors on the surface of cells
- Greater uptake of LDL-cholesterol from the bloodstream
- Lower blood LDL-cholesterol levels
Unfortunately, the pathway affected by statins, which lower blood cholesterol, also affects another important pathway that produces Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and certain proteins and metabolites important for health.
Mitochondrial function and CoQ10 levels in the body begin to decline significantly in middle age. In individuals aged 60 years or older, CoQ10 content in various tissues may be 17-83% lower than in young adults.
CoQ10 occurs in all body cells in two forms, ubiquinol and ubiquinone, which continuously convert into each other. Ubiquinol acts as an antioxidant, while ubiquinone serves as an energy producer. Together, they affect gene expression, support DNA repair, and may reduce DNA damage, among other functions. For patients who must take statin medications, avoiding further depletion of CoQ10 levels is especially important.
Why I Recommend Geranylgeraniol (GG)
For these reasons, I use supplemental geranylgeraniol (GG), known as GG Pure, in my patients treated with statin medications. GG is the raw fuel for some of the most important biological processes. It’s a critical component of the mevalonate metabolic pathway, which is responsible for cholesterol production, CoQ10 production, muscle protein synthesis and bone health.
GG Pure is formulated with a unique annatto seed extract, one of the most abundant sources of GG in nature. This special extract has been extensively studied for its safety and efficacy in supporting the replenishment of GG lost due to aging or pharmaceutical drugs (such as statins and bisphosphonates).
Geranylgeraniol (GG) is the building block of CoQ10. Restoring a healthy level of GG may support your body's natural production of CoQ10 for better heart health and cholesterol metabolism and help protect organs from age-related physical decline.
Supporting Muscle Health
Muscle weakness is one of the most common age-related health concerns, and it’s a common side effect among statin users.
Researchers have noted that geranylgeraniol (GG) was able to repair and rescue cellular functions that prevent statin-induced muscle damage. It suggests that replenishing GG through supplementation can maintain muscle health and function.
Bone and Arterial Health
GG also plays a role in activating key proteins in the mevalonate pathway (protein prenylation). It’s connected to various cellular processes, including those related to bone metabolism. It supports the activation of vitamin K and the proper localization of calcium, both of which are important for arterial health and bone health.
Why GG Pure Over CoQ10 Alone?
While it is common in my practice to place patients on CoQ10 if they are over 40 or on a statin medication, GG Pure offers advantages beyond adding CoQ10 alone. GG’s molecular weight is one-third of CoQ10’s and therefore, diffuses easily inside cells and organelles (the specialized structures within cells). GG offers a promising approach to increasing intracellular CoQ10 levels.
GG supplementation boosts the synthesis of essential cell signaling molecules not achieved by CoQ10 supplementation.
GG supplementation mitigates many of the side effects of statins, which affect mitochondrial function and cellular health. This is evidenced in muscle, brain, immune cells, reproductive organs, bone, and arteries.
Whether my patients are on statin medication, over 40, or both, GG Pure is an ideal supplement to complement an existing health regimen and support overall health goals.
