Cholesterol, Statins and Thalidomide

By Will Jacks

All fatty foods are high in cholesterol. It is a waxy substance made in the liver. It is needed to make cell membranes and cell

walls, so it is vital to produce new cells. High cholesterol levels in the blood is very

unhealthy. Too much cholesterol in the blood can lead to

heart disease and diabetes. Some of the factors that can lead to high

cholesterol are: Age, weight and if it is hereditary.

Cholesterol

Diabetes is an incurable condition in which the body cannot control blood sugar levels, because of problems with the hormone insulin.

There are two main variations of the illness, Type I and Type II.

Normally, insulin would regulate glucose levels in the body. Insulin stimulates cells all over your body to absorb

enough glucose from the blood to provide the energy, or fuel, that they need.

Diabetes is when either the Pancreas stops making insulin, doesn’t make enough insulin, or the body is resistant to it.

Diabetes

It can be difficult reduce cholesterol levels just by eating healthily. As a person eats less animal saturated fat, the liver compensates by producing more cholesterol.

Statins lower the levels of cholesterol in the body in a form of an easy to take pill.

They are able to block the action of a chemical in the liver that is necessary for making cholesterol.

People with diabetes use statins to help with their condition, as well as heart attack and stroke victims.

There are minor side effects such as headaches and rashes, but has been known to cause liver failure and severe muscle pain.

Statins

In the 1950s, Thalidomide was produced as a sleeping pill. Doctors found it to help with morning sickness for pregnant

women. Doctors gave drug to pregnant women. Thalidomide wasn’t tested to proper standards and was

highly unsafe. 12,000 babies were born with severe limb abnormalities

because of this, and the drug was banned in 1961. In 1968, the ‘medicines act’ made sure that drugs had to be

tested before they were licensed to be sold. Recently, doctors have discovered that the drug helps with

Leprosy and other similar diseases.

Thalidomide tragedy