Natural Healthcare and Nutrition-Based Medicine

Nutrient Loss Caused by Common Pharmaceutical Drugs
Symptoms and Diseases Caused by Nutritional Deficiencies
(Including Drug-induced Nutritional Deficiencies)
Nutrient Loss and Other Adverse Effects Caused by Cholesterol and Blood Pressure Drugs
Importance of Vitamins and Minerals in Relation to Health
Natural Healthcare Solutions for Lowering Cholesterol and Blood Pressure
Comparing Naturopathic Medicine (Nutrition-Based Medicine) and Allopathic Medicine (Drug-Based Medicine)
References

Essential Nutrients Depleted by Common Pharmaceutical Drugs

Type of Drug	Name Brand Examples	Nutrients Depleted
Antacids	Pepcid, Tagamet, Zantac	Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, Zinc
	Prevacid, Prilosec	Vitamin B12
Antibiotics	General Aminoglycosides (gentamycin, neomycin, streptomycin), Cephalosporins, Penicillins	B Vitamins, Vitamin K, Friendly Beneficial Intestinal Bacteria
	Tetracyclines	Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Vitamin B6, Zinc
Anti-Diabetic Drugs	Dymelor, Micronase, Tolinase	Coenzyme Q10
	Glucophage	Coenzyme Q10, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid
Anti-Depressant Drugs	Adapin, Aventyl, Elavil, Tofranil, Pamelor, Sinequan, Norpramin	Vitamin B12, Coenzyme Q10
Anti-Inflammatory Drugs	Aspirin, Salicylates	Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Iron, Potassium
	Advil, Aleve, Anaprox, Dolobid, Feldene, Lodine, Motrin, Naprosyn, Orudis, Relafen	Folic Acid
	Betamethasone, Cortisone, Dexemethasone, Hydrocortisone, Methylprednisolone, Prednisone	Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Folic Acid, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Selenium, Zinc
Cardiovascular Drugs	Apresoline	Vitamin B6, Coenzyme Q10
	Catapres, Aldomet	Coenzyme Q10
	Corgard, Inderal, Lopressor, Betapace, Tenormin, Sectral, Blocadren	Coenzyme Q10, Melatonin
Diuretic Drugs	Lasix, Bumex, Edecrin	Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, Zinc, Sodium
	Enduron, Diuril, Lozol, Zaroxolyn, Hygroton	Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc, Coenzyme Q10, Sodium
Cholesterol Lowering Drugs (Statins)	Lescol, Lipitor, Mevacor, Zocor, Pravachol, Crestor	Coenzyme Q10
	Colestid, Questran	Vitamin A, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Folic Acid, Iron
Ulcer Drugs	Tagamet, Pepcid, Axid, Zantac	Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Folic Acid, Calcium, Iron, Zinc, Protein
	Prevacid, Prilosec	Vitamin B12, Protein
HRT: Hormone Replacement Therapy Drugs	Evista, Prempro, Premarin, Estratab	Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Magnesium, Zinc
Oral Contraceptive Drugs	Norinyl, Ortho-Novem, Triphasil, others	Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Magnesium, Selenium, Zinc

Symptoms and Diseases Caused by Nutritional Deficiencies
(Including Drug-Induced Nutritional Deficiencies)

Nutrient	Incidence of Deficiency	Typical Symptoms & Diseases
Biotin	Uncommon	Dermatitis, eye inflammation, hair loss, loss of muscle control, insomnia, muscle weakness
Calcium	Average diet contains 40 to 50% of RDA	Brittle nails, cramps, delusions, depression, insomnia, irritability, osteoporosis, palpitations, periodontal disease, rickets, tooth decay
Chromium	90% of diets deficient	Anxiety, fatigue, glucose intolerance, adult-onset diabetes
Copper	75% of diets deficient; average diet contains 50% of RDA	Anemia, arterial damage, depression, diarrhea, fatigue, fragile bones, hair loss, hypothyroidism, weakness
Essential fatty acids	Very common	Diarrhea, dry skin and hair, hair loss, immune impairment, infertility, poor wound healing, premenstrual syndrome, acne, eczema, gall stones, liver degeneration.
Folic acid	Average diet contains 60% of RDA; deficient of 100% in elderly in one study; deficient in 48% of adolescent girls; requirement doubles during pregnancy	Anemia, apathy, diarrhea, fatigue, headaches, insomnia, loss of appetite, neural tube defects in fetus, paranoia, shortness of breath, weakness.
Iodine	Uncommon since the supplementation of salt with iodine	Cretinism, fatigue, hypothyroidism, weight gain.
Iron	Most common mineral deficiency	Anemia, brittle nails, confusion, constipation, depression, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, inflamed tongue, mouth lesions
Magnesium	75 to 85% of diets deficient; average diet contains 50 to 60% of RDA	Anxiety, confusion, heart attack, hyperactivity, insomnia, nervousness, muscular irritability, restlessness, weakness
Manganese	Unknown, may be common in women	Atherosclerosis, dizziness, elevated cholesterol, ,glucose intolerance, hearing loss, loss of muscle control, ringing in ears
Niacin	Commonly deficient in elderly	Bad breath, canker sores, confusion, depression, dermatitis, diarrhea, emotional instability, fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite, memory impairment, muscle weakness, nausea, skin eruptions and inflammation
Pantothenic acid (B5)	Commonly deficient in elderly	Abdominal pains, burning feet, depression, eczema, fatigue, hair loss, immune impairment, insomnia, irritability, low blood pressure, muscle spasms, nausea, poor coordination
Potassium	Commonly deficient in elderly	Acne, constipation, depression, edema, excessive water consumption, fatigue, glucose intolerance, high cholesterol levels, insomnia, mental impairment, muscle weakness, nervousness, poor reflexes
Pyridoxine (B6)	71% of mail and 90% of female diets deficient	Acne, anemia, arthritis, eye inflammation, depression, dizziness, facial oiliness, fatigue, impaired wound healing, irritability, loss of appetite, loss of hair, mouth lesions, nausea
Riboflavin	Deficient in 30% of elderly Britons	Blurred vision, cataracts, depression, dermatitis, dizziness, hair loss, inflamed eyes, mouth lesions, nervousness, neurological symptoms (numbness, loss of sensation, "electric shock" sensations), seizures, sensitivity to light, sleepiness, weakness
Selenium	Average diet contains 50% of RDA	Growth impairment, high cholesterol levels, increased incidence of cancer, pancreatic insufficiency (inability to secrete adequate amounts of digestive enzymes), immune impairment, liver impairment, male sterility
Thiamin	Commonly deficient in elderly	Confusion, constipation, digestive problems, irritability, loss of appetite, memory loss, nervousness, numbness of hands and feet, pain sensitivity, poor coordination, weakness
Vitamin A	20% of diets deficient	Acne, dry hair, fatigue, growth impairment, insomnia, hyperkeratosis (thickening and roughness of skin), immune impairment, night blindness, weight loss
Vitamin B12	Serum levels low in 25% of hospital patients	Anemia, constipation, depression, dizziness, fatigue, intestinal disturbances, headaches, irritability, loss of vibration sensation, low stomach acid, mental disturbances, moodiness, mouth lesions, numbness, spinal cord degeneration
Vitamin C	20 5o 50% of diets deficient	Bleeding gums, depression, easy bruising, impaired wound healing, irritability, joint pains, loose teeth, malaise, tiredness
Vitamin D	62% of elderly Danes' diets deficient	Burning sensation in mouth, diarrhea, insomnia, myopia, nervousness, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, rickets, scalp sweating
Vitamin E	23% of male and 15% of female diets deficient	Gait disturbances, poor reflexes, loss of position sense, loss of vibration sense, shortened red blood cell life
Vitamin K	Deficiency in pregnant women and newborns common	Bleeding disorders, [added: poor bone health, osteoporosis, oxidative cell damage]]
Zinc	68% of diets deficient	Acne, amnesia, apathy, brittle nails, delayed sexual maturity, depression, diarrhea, eczema, fatigue, growth impairment, hair loss, high cholesterol levels, immune impairment, impotence, irritability, lethargy, loss of appetite, loss of sense of taste, low stomach acid, male infertility, memory impairment, night blindness, paranoia, white spots on nails, wound healing impairment

*Excerpt from Total Wellness: Understanding and Cooperating With Your Body's Natural Healing Systems, by Joe Pizzorno, ND
(pgs 200-02).

Nutrient Loss and Adverse Effects Caused by Cholesterol and Blood Pressure Drugs

Statin drugs (including Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor, Torvast, Lescol, Mevacor, Altocor, Altoprev, Livalo, Pitava, Pravachol, Selektine, Lipostat, Lipex, Vytorin and the whole class of commonly prescribed cholesterol drugs) deplete Coenzyme Q10 and many other nutrients essential for heart health. At least 15 nutrients are known to be depleted by statin drugs: Coenzyme Q10, Vitamin A, Beta Carotene, Lycopene, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Folic Acid, Beta Sistosterol - which lowers cholesterol, Calcium, Magnesium - deficiency of magnesium, alone, can raise blood pressure and cause a heart attack, Phosphorus, Iron and Zinc (1, 2, 3).

"Well-known side effects of statin drugs include nausea, diarrhea, constipation, muscle aches, pains and weakness. In some individuals, statin use causes an increase in liver enzymes, indicating abnormal liver functioning... More serious potential side effects include rhabdomyolysis - severe muscle pain accompanied by the destruction of muscle cells. When this occurs, the muscle cells release a protein called myoglobin into the bloodstream. Myoglobin can impair kidney function and lead to kidney failure. Lesser known side effects include changes in memory, attention, or concentration, irritability and depression, and a higher risk of suicide and accidents. Perhaps the most important side-effect of statin drugs, which is likely a contributor to many of the above noted side effects, is that all statins deplete the body of CoQ10, a critically important antioxidant enzyme in our cells' energy production process... Since muscle cells, especially heart muscle cells, and brain cells are those that use the most energy, adequate supplies of CoQ10 are essential for health. It's not surprising that statin drugs are accompanied by an increased risk of muscle pain, wasting and heart failure." (1)

Coenzyme Q10 is essential for heart health, energy production and the health of the cells in our bodies. The heart uses more Coenzyme Q10 than any other organ. Deficiency of Coenzyme Q10 weakens the heart and significantly increases the risk of heart attacks.

Essential nutrients depleted by blood pressure drugs (ACE inhibitors: captopril; alpha blockers: prazosin; angiotensin II receptor antagonists: losartan; beta blockers: propranolol; calcium channel blockers: vermapamil; diuretics: hydrochlorothiazide; direct renin inhibitors: aliskiren): Co-Q10, Magnesium - deficiency of magnesium, alone, can raise blood pressure and cause a heart attack,
Potassium, Calcium, B Vitamins (esp. B1, B6, Folic Acid) and Zinc (1, 2).

The Importance of Vitamins and Minerals in Relation to Health

Vitamin and minerals are classified as essential nutrients because the body cannot function effectively without them.
World Health Organization's Definition of Health: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
Functional Reserves and Functional Medicine: Excerpt from Total Wellness: Understanding and Cooperating With Your Body's Natural Healing Systems, by Joe Pizzorno, ND (pgs 3 & 4).

Functional Reserves

Figure 1-1: Our Functional Reserves Work to Push Us Toward Health.

Functional Reserves

The functional reserves of your protective systems are like a bank savings account; everything is fine until it's depleted. For example, you can go for a few days without vitamin C, or overexpose yourself to a toxin, and nothing may appear to happen. Then you do exactly the same thing, and disease strikes and you wonder why. You are now manifesting disease because your reserves became too low, so your protective systems can't work adequately anymore.

However, susceptibility (or low reserves) doesn't usually mean immediate disease. A trigger is needed. For example, a poorly functioning immune system typically doesn't result in an immediate infection - we won't develop a recognizable disease until we are exposed to a large enough dose of a pathogenic bacteria or virus. The weaker our immune system, the lower the level of exposure that will cause disease. This is especially evident in AIDS patients, whose immune system becomes so weak that common microorganisms, which are usually easily eliminate, now become life-threatening.

Most of our organs and systems, when functioning optimally, have a reserve capacity equal to about seven times that needed at rest. For example, when resting, the average adult's heart pumps about five and a half quarts of blood a minute. When a well-conditioned adult runs a sprint, his or her heart beats harder and faster resulting in an increase in blood flow to a remarkable 30 to 35 quarts a minute.

As can be seen in Figure 1-1, our vital force, the vis medicatrix naturae, is always pushing us toward better health. However, as we accumulate deficiencies from a poor diet or damage from environmental insults, we drift down the health scale and become progressively more susceptible to dysfunction and disease. As our physiology becomes imbalanced, we first experience fatigue and then increased susceptibility to minor health problems such as the common cold. If we allow the weaknesses in our protective systems to continue, we develop ever more serious disease.

Using our heart as our example again, as the heart becomes weaker, it is not able to increase its output as much. Most of us start life in good physical shape. As young adults we are able to enjoy a hard game of tennis, a long run over hilly terrain, or an overnight hike in the mountains. Then these activities become too demanding, but we feel fine during normal activities, such as a brisk walk to catch an airplane. Next we may notice shortness of breath when climbing a few flights of stairs. Then just walking a few blocks causes pain in our legs (we have no extra reserve), and finally, we can't lie down at night because our heart can't pump enough to keep fluids out of our lungs (cardiac failure). The same gradual deterioration will happen in all the systems of our body if we don't take proper care of ourselves.

Functional Medicine

Functional Medicine is a term coined by internationally recognized nutritional biochemist Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D., who defines it as: The field of health care which employs assessment and early intervention to improve physiological, emotional/cognitive and physical physical function." According to Dr. Bland:

In functional medicine, the presence or absence of a disease is of secondary consideration to an understanding of the function or dysfunction which prevents or allows a disease to occur...Functional medicine does not focus on the isolated entity called disease, but rather on the specifics of structural and functional mechanisms which comprise the whole person at any particular point in his or her life...

Additional information on functional medicine...