People’s Pharmacy: Will supplement offer escape from pain?

Q. I have been on so many cholesterol-lowering drugs I have nearly lost count. Crestor, Lipitor, Zetia and Zocor all give me terrible pains in my shoulders, back and arms. I also have had dreadful muscle cramps in my calves, especially at night.

I don’t know how much longer I can stand taking Crestor, but my doctor just says that without it I’m a heart attack waiting to happen. Is there any natural way to lower cholesterol? I want to stay healthy, but the pain interferes with my ability to exercise and has affected my quality of life.

A. If your medicine is preventing you from exercising, it could be counterproductive for your health. Many readers have lowered their cholesterol with red yeast rice. Here is one success story: “My cardiologist suggested I try red yeast rice. Within six weeks my LDL level had dropped from 187 to 123.”

Although readers who have written us about their experience with this dietary supplement rarely have troublesome side effects, some susceptible people do develop muscle pain or weakness while taking this product. If you decide to try it, your doctor should monitor your progress and your liver enzymes. Taking Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) might reduce the risk of muscle pain from statins and red yeast rice.

We discuss the pros and cons of cholesterol-lowering drugs and CoQ10 along with red yeast rice and other nondrug approaches in our Guide to Cholesterol Control and Heart Health. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (59 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. C-8, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.com.

Q. You’ve heard from a lot of people with bad indigestion. I used to be one of them. One day, quite by accident, I forgot to buy milk. To my surprise, the next day the indigestion disappeared. Since I have given up milk, I can literally eat anything, even Mexican food, without difficulty. I now use lactose-free milk and soy yogurt. I hope this helps others.

A. Many adults have difficulty digesting lactose, the sugar in milk. For them, lactose can cause bloating, cramping or diarrhea in addition to indigestion. Thanks for sharing your story.

Q. I had severe leg pain during the night and day for about four months. My doctor did blood work and found that my vitamin D level was 8. She prescribed me 50,000 IUs per week for 12 weeks, and now my leg pain is almost nonexistent.

A. Doctors are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of checking vitamin D levels. A surprisingly large proportion of the population has less than optimal levels of this important vitamin. Lower than 20 nanograms per milliliter indicates deficiency. Some experts believe that optimal levels should be at least 30.

Replenishing vitamin D stores can reduce muscle pain. It also may lower the risk of such varied problems as depression, diabetes and heart disease (“The Vitamin D Cure,” James Dowd and Diane Stafford).

Many readers are frightened by the idea of 50,000 IU at a time, but since this dose is usually taken just once a week, it comes to about 7,000 IU a day. This is a common prescription dose for correcting a severe vitamin D deficiency like yours.