Want to see our favorite hGH supplement? Click here!

Taken by 700,000 Americans, Baycol reportedly causes rhabdomyolysis, a life-threatening condition that occurs when muscle cells are destroyed and released into the bloodstream. After it was linked to at least 40 deaths worldwide, the cholesterol-lowering drug Baycol was taken off the market Wednesday by its manufacturer, Bayer.

Baycol is a type of statin drug, which blocks a cholesterol-creating enzyme. Other statins include Mevacor, Pravachol, Zocor, Lescol, and Lipitor, all of which are still on the market. Consumed by eight million Americans, these drugs have lowered the risk of a heart attack by a third. Currently, there are no plans to issue warnings against the other statins.

Rhabdomyolysis causes muscle pain, weakness, tenderness, fever, dark urine, nausea and vomiting. The FDA said, in some cases, the muscle deterioration was so severe that patients developed kidney failure and other potentially fatal organ complications. Twelve of the thirty-one deaths involved patients taking Baycol in combination with gemfibrozil, another cholesterol-lowering drug.

According to The Food and Drug Administration (Aug 10, 200), patients using Baycol are advised to contact their doctors about switching medications. In addition, those consuming other statins should report any muscle pain to their physicians because a lower dose or change in medication may be necessary.

Information provided is courtesy of and compiled by the Academy of Anti-Aging Research.