DRUGS THAT STEAL YOUR HEALTH

by Tony Vendryes on Monday, 5 March 2012 at 21:08 ·
By. Dr. Tony Vendryes
Modern drugs have benefitted mankind in many ways. However, while pharmaceuticals can save lives, many of them have serious side effects, like heart attacks or suicide. It is very important to remember that all drugs - every single one of them, have side effects. Many drugs are known to actually have toxic effects on various organs like the liver or the kidneys or the brain. But did you know that many other side effects result from the ability of these drugs to rob the body of important vitamins and minerals.
Experts estimate that about 30% of the side effects of pharmaceuticals are the direct result of these drug-induced nutrient deficiencies. In other words, a drug steals nutrients from your body, and this lack of nutrients causes additional side effects. The drug acts like an “anti-vitamin pill,” taking away the substances you need for good health. Thus, nutrient depletion caused by the drugs is often directly responsible for many of the side effects associated with pharmaceuticals.
Among the most common nutrient stealing drugs are oral contraceptives (birth control pills), cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins), and the antibiotics. These and many other medications, both over-the-counter and prescription, can interfere with your body’s ability to digest, absorb, manufacture, or utilise certain nutrients, leading to “side effects. Let me specifically explain which popular drugs deplete vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from the body.

The BIRTH CONTROL PILL
This is usually a combination of synthetic estrogen and progestin used to prevent pregnancy by suppressing ovulation.
Taking this pill may deplete your supply of, increase your need for, or interfere with the actions of folic acid, magnesium, tyrosine, riboflavin niacin (B3), vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C and zinc.

ALUMINUM ANTACIDS (Maalox®, Mylanta®)
Aluminum containing antacids are popular over-the-counter remedies for heartburn, designed to neutralize excess stomach acid and prevent it from burning the esophagus.
The use of aluminum antacids may deplete your supply of and increase your need for vitamin A, folic acid, vitamin D, calcium, chromium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc.

CHOLESTEROL DRUGS - Simvastatin (Zocor®)
Simvastatin is just one of a long list of the “statin” family of drugs used to reduce cholesterol and blood fats.
Taking the statin drugs may deplete your supply of and increase your need for coenzyme Q10 (researchers believe that the long-term use of statin drugs may cause heart failure due to the reduction of coenzyme Q10 levels in the muscles of the heart), beta-carotene and vitamin E,

ANTIBIOTICS - Ciprofloxacin (Cipro®)
Ciprofloxacin is a popular antibacterial agent used to treat infections of the urinary and respiratory tracts, sinuses, and other areas of the body.
Taking this antibiotic may deplete your supply of, increase your need for, or interfere with the activity of biotin, inositol, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin K, zinc plus the healthy bacteria like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus acidophilus.

DIABETES MEDS –  Glucovance®
This is a combination of two drugs used to treat diabetes: glyburide stimulates the pancreas to produce larger amounts of insulin, while metformin helps to remove excess glucose from the blood.
Taking these medicines may deplete your supply of, increase your need for, or interfere with the activity of vitamin B12, folic acid, sodium and coenzyme Q10

STOMACH MEDS - Prilosec®, Zantac®
Drugs like Prilosec interfere with the secretion of hydrochloric acid by the cells in the stomach lining and are now considered first-line treatment for heartburn and other symptoms of acid reflux disease (GERD).
The use of this medicine may deplete your supply of and increase your need for beta-carotene, folic acid, thiamin, vitamin B12, iron, sodium and zinc.

ANTIDEPRESSANTS - (Prozac®)
Prozac is the first in a family of drugs to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic disorder. These drugs are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and works by increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain.
Taking this medication may deplete your supply of the hormone melatonin normally produced by the pineal gland in the brain.

BLOOD PRESSURE DRUGS - (Micardis®, Diovan ®)
These ‘sartan’ drugs are prescribed to lower elevated blood pressure and are all used in combination with a diuretic hydrochlorothiazide,
Taking these medicines may deplete your supply of, increase your need for, or interfere with the activity of magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc and coenzyme Q10. Sadly, many of these nutrients are important in normalizing blood pressure.

ANTICONVULSANTS - Phenytoin (Dilantin®)
Phenytoin is used to treat various types of epileptic seizures, and to prevent seizures in people who have had brain surgery or a head injury.
This drug may deplete your supply of or interfere with the action of biotin, folic acid, thiamin, vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin K, calcium, phosphorus and carnitine.

STEROIDS - Prednisone
Prednisone is used to treat inflammatory problems of the skin, joints, eyes, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and other parts of the body. It may also be used in organ transplants to prevent rejection.
Taking this well known medicine may deplete your supply of or increase your need for vitamin A, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium and zinc.

PROTECT YOURSELF
First: try to take the least amount of drugs necessary. I suggest that you have a frank discussion with your health care provider on this matter.
Second: select foods that are rich in the nutrients depleted by prescription drugs you are taking. This provides another way to avert pharmaceutical-induced nutrient deficiencies.
Third: Take adequate amounts of the appropriate nutritional supplements with your meals to replace what has been lost or made deficient. Again I recommend the Cellular Nutrition Program by HERBALIFE.

A goldmine of information on many other drugs and the nutrients they deplete is available in The Side Effects Bible by Dr. Frederic Vagnini, and Dr. Barry Fox.

You may email Dr, Vendryes at tonyvendryes@gmail.com, visit him at www.tonyvendryes.com  or listen to An Ounce of Prevention on POWER 106FM on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm. My new book is available on the internet from www.tonyvendryes.com