Whitaker Files Second Petition with FDA on Statins, CoQ10

Whitaker Files Second Petition with FDA on Statins, CoQ10

WASHINGTONJulian Whitaker,M.D., and his Whitaker Health Freedom Foundation filed a petition with the Foodand Drug Administration (FDA) in late November 2004, requesting the agencyfollow the lead of Health Canada and require the warning labels on statinpharmaceuticals to note the drugs deplete the bodys store of coenzyme Q10(CoQ10). Whitaker filed a similar request in May 2002, but FDA did not respond.Statin drugs block the bodys production of cholesterol through the mevalonatepathway. CoQ10 is taken up through the same pathway, and is therefore blocked byuse of statins. Lack of CoQ10 can lead to rhabdomyolysis and myopathiesincluding cardiomyopathy.