Green Tea: A Natural Alternative To Lipitor?

Can green tea reduce a person's cholesterol as well as Lipitor? Is green tea a natural alternative to Lipitor?

If you have high cholesterol, your doctor may suggest putting you on medication to control it. Any medication has side effects, and a lot of the time, those side effects are worse than the problem they're trying to help. In some cases, there might be a healthier alternative, something that doesn't require taking medication every day. In this case, we're talking about Lipitor and green tea. Can green tea reduce a person's cholesterol as well as Lipitor? Is green tea a natural alternative to Lipitor?

What Is Lipitor And What Does It Do?

Lipitor is an atorvastatin medication that is taken by a patient to treat high cholesterol. This drug blocks fatty cholesterol from getting into the blood. It works to lower a person's bad cholesterol (LDL) in their blood stream. Lipitor helps to protect a person from heart attacks, heart disease, strokes, and vascular disease. The drug Lipitor is known as a statin. A statin helps the liver to block an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase. This particular enzyme is what leads LDL cholesterol to form in the body. When LDL cholesterol gets into the body, it can get lodged in the walls of the cells of the arteries. When deposits of this bad type of cholesterol grow, it can build up over time and block the artery, causing the health issues above. Lipitor diminishes the amount of the bad cholesterol that is formed by restricting the production of this enzyme.

Side Effects Of Lipitor

There are side effects that a person can experience when taking Lipitor. Side effects can include the following.

*Stomach pain

*Nausea

*Gas

*Bloating

*Constipation

*Muscle pain

*Skin rash

*Swelling

*Difficulty breathing

Certain people should not take this drug. People who have an under-active thyroid, kidney disease, or have been diagnosed with diabetes should not take Lipitor. It may cause birth control pills to not be as effective, and may cause damage to a woman's unborn baby.

What Does Green Tea Do?

Green tea is claimed to have many health benefits. One of the benefits is being able to lower risk factors that can lead to cardiovascular disease. A particular health claim states this is possible by drinking at least five ounces of green tea, which contains catechins, and by drinking green tea the risk factors are reduced. Catechins are a type of flavenoid that have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help to slow down the process of oxidation of the LDL molecules that can form plaque in the arteries. If a person drinks enough green tea every day, the oxidation of LDL should be slowed down enough to lower the bad levels of cholesterol.

Green Tea: A Natural Alternative To Lipitor?

We get to the real question here. Green tea is definitely a healthy drink to boost health benefits. However, the Food And Drug Administration (FDA) did not approve this health claim of green tea in 2005. The FDA stated that the link between reduced cardiovascular disease and drinking green tea was not strong enough, and there needed to be more conclusive evidence presented.

There have been studies performed to confirm the fact that green tea is a valid method of reducing cardiovascular risks. In June of 2008, a study was performed on 14 people who were instructed to drink six grams of green tea. This study linked green tea consumption with an increased flow mediated dilation of the major blood vessels located in the upper arm. Flow mediated dilation is linked to coronary endothelial function that is a sign of the risk of cardiovascular disease. The study showed there was an increase in flow mediated dilation, which is a good sign.

Despite all of the studies and tests, it's always best to talk with your physician before trying alternative health options on your own. In some cases, alternative options can work better for some people. For others, it may be better to take conventional medication. If someone eats a healthy diet and exercises regularly, but still has high cholesterol, they may need medication such as Liptior. They can test and try drinking green tea as a natural way to lower cholesterol, but if there's no significant change in their LDL levels, they may need to seek out the conventional option.