Lower Your Cholesterol Naturally

In 1999, according to a study by IMS Health Global Services, world prescription medication consumption amounted to $342 billion. In 2006 that figure doubled to $643 billion. A significant proportion of the drugs consumed are excreted by the human body in urine and end up in municipal wastewater.

A study conducted by Université de Montréal researchers on downstream and upstream water from the Montreal wastewater treatment plant has revealed the presence of chemotherapy products and certain hypertension and cholesterol medications.

Bezafibrate (cholesterol reducing medication) and enalapril (hypertension medication) have been detected in the treated water leaving the wastewater treatment plant and in the surface water of the St. Lawrence River, where the treated wastewater is released.

The quantities of bezafibrate and enalapril detected in the raw wastewater, treated wastewater and surface water at the treatment station outlet are respectively 50 nanograms per litre, 35 ng L and 8 ng L for bezafibrate and 280 ng L, 240 ng L and 39ng L for enalapril.

Fish are ingesting cholesterol and high blood pressure drugs. Makes one wonder if their cholesterol levels are affected. Maybe just maybe they have lowered cholesterol levels.

“All in all, these quantities are minimal, yet we don’t yet know their effects on the fauna and flora of the St. Lawrence,” Professor Sauvé explains. A cheap method of collecting more data and analyzing them is needed.

When I apply for a fishing license they usually give me a listing of how much fish flesh I can eat. To my understanding this had to do with herbicides and pesticides collecting in the fish meat. Now I wonder if we have to worry about medications when we eat river fish – especially chemotherapy medications. This gives another reason to release fish after catching them.

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