(repost from the main influenza thread)
This should be looked at with considerable skepticism, because an earlier extensive statistical study in New Mexico which noted a correlation between statins and reduced mortality was later reexamined by a British group which determined it was flawed.
The problem was that individuals taking statin drugs are generally younger and healthier, and this created a bias in the statistics which would exist without the use of statin drugs.
Importantly, the action of statin drugs is problematic as well. They are technically HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, which interfere with the metabolic pathway that produces cholesterol and other isoprenoids.
Isoprenoids, otherwise known as terpenoids, is where the problem lies. This means that the statins *also* interfere with the production of other chemicals that we don’t *want* interfered with.
Like coenzyme Q-10. If you take a statin drug, you also need to take a CoQ10 supplement. CoQ10 is found in every cell of the body, and is essential to mitochondrial energy production. As such, you rarely notice it, unless you run low in it, in which case it can cause severe health problems in every part of your body. Starting with the heart.
The steroids and sterols in animals are biologically produced from isoprenoid precursors. You may not want to run low on these either.
In other words, statin drugs should be used with caution. However, if they do have anti-influenza properties, which still needs to be determined, then it would be far more important to use them in the short term than worry about the possible side effects.
[I will add that there is currently a prescription drug that may be very useful in avoiding the very dangerous secondary infections which may occur with influenza caused lung damage. If someone is hit with the very acute form of influenza, needing hospitalization, the use of this drug should be brought to the attention of the attending physician immediately.]
http://www.rxlist.com/avelox-drug.htm
Avelox$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$