Stock Talk:
Recently, Biotech Amarin (AMRN) tanked from the 7's to now in the lowly $1's. The Company has approval of a fish oil based drug, Vascepa, currently approved by the FDA for use as an adjunct to diet to reduce triglyceride levels in adult patients with severe ( >= 500 mg/dL) hypertriglyceridemia. However the FDA panel advised against approving it for wider uses against heart disease and broader applications until more trials and proof is made. This is viewed as a serious setback to AMRN's potential revenues.
Awhile back, AMRN was in the double digits. I got into a debate on the message boards with some chap who claimed to be a money manager who was quite bullish on AMRN stock when it was in the $15 range. I tried to let him know that I thought it was a bad bet based on my personal experience.
I am advocate of taking some fish oil. My own doctor prescribed a hign grade fish oil called Lovaza. It did help reduce my numbers and I noticed that after about a month, my back ache got better. I read up om the benefits of fish oil and found that it is reported to reduce inflammation. While I can't prove 100 % that the fish oil was responsible for correcting my bad back with inflammation around my lower lumbar disks, it seemed to help so I stayed on it. But the problem was that my insurance changed and the Blue cross would not pay much for it and it was very expensive.
So, I got off the Lovaza and went to Krill oil. I am also on a statin that I take daily. So far, I have not had a heart attack, whereas some younger cousins have already had heart attacks and sadly, some have passed away young.
But getting back to AMRN and why I tried to explained to this money manager that AMRN may have trouble in that if they are likely going to charge even MORE than Lovaza, the currently prescribed high grade fish oil, that many will not be able to afford it even if they have insurance. I have a co pay HMO where certain drugs cost an arm and leg if they are not generic.
So, many people will just settle for over the counter fish oil if they want to try it. Personally, I now like the Krill oil because it is more potent in smaller capsule with no fishy aftertaste.
Well, this is an example where we can use our own personal experience to gauge a stock's prospects.
Health Talk
Now getting back to high triglycerides and Cholesterol, I will share another experience that seemed to work very well, possibly the best readings in my life. There is an over the counter fiber that comes in pill form called "Chitosan". This is a marine fiber made from the shells of crustaceans. The theory is that it is slightly charged and absorbs the fat in your diet. The fiber may line the intestines and prevent fat from being absorbed. But what I am getting at is that the times I steadfastly took 2 or 3 pills before meals resulted in the best blood fat readings I have ever had. The problem is that it's a routine that takes getting into the habit of following regular. Well, I recently decided to go back on this Chitosan and get back into the routine to see how it does for high triglycerides. Some say it helps reduce weight, but that's not my experience, but it did greatly lower my blood fat readings. If anybody wants to try it, Puritan.com is where I get my supply, It's very low cost and seems to work for me anyway. If you are allergic to shell fish, I would check with the doctor, it may not be right in that case.
Another thing that is very good for humans is to regularly ride a bike. Riding 20 miles a week has been shown to reduce a person's chances of heart attack by 50%. There is something about riding a bike that favors the human body.
Well, there's a bit of stock talk, mixed with some health talk.
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ALL in my humble opinion, scroll down and read more..
This site does NOT make Buy / Sell recommendations.
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