Statin use not justified for healthy people with high cholesterol, researcher claims

Medical Xpress / University of South Florida / Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes & Obesity ^ | Sept. 20, 2022 | David M. Diamond et al

[ConservativeMind]

About 40 million adults in the United States regularly take statins.

However, many of them don't stand to benefit from these drugs based on research from David Diamond.

Diamond and his co-authors reviewed literature from medical trials. They then narrowed their review to look at study participants with elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL), the so-called "bad cholesterol," which can be reduced with a statin. Some individuals with high LDL also had high triglycerides (fat in the blood) and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good cholesterol," which put them at the highest risk of having a heart attack.

But others with high LDL were very different. They had low triglycerides and high HDL, which meant they were healthier. People with optimal triglycerides and HDL levels typically exercise, have low blood pressure and low blood sugar, and are at a low risk of a heart attack.

Their findings showed LDL alone has "a very weak association" with heart disease and stroke. Their review went further, showing that when people with high LDL and optimal triglycerides and HDL were given a statin, there was no benefit.

The authors say their review also challenges the long-held contention that low-carb diets, which are often high in saturated (animal) fat, contribute to heart disease. That contention has persisted for nearly 50 years, dating to when cardiologist Robert Atkins was challenged about the potential dangers of his high-fat Atkins diet before a U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Nutrition and Human Needs in 1973.

"High blood pressure, obesity, smoking and high blood sugar are the primary drivers of heart disease," Diamond said. "Cholesterol is an innocent bystander, and saturated fat in the diet has been undeservedly demonized."

"Certain statins have been linked to cognitive impairment because they interfere with the brain's ability to produce cholesterol," Diamond said.

[ConservativeMind]

Please look into Arterosil.

https://arterosil.com/

Research studies for Arterosil:

https://f.hubspotusercontent20.net/hubfs/7072026/Arterosil%20Research%20Study%20Summary.pdf

You can get it on Amazon with a subscription for $90 a month, and in two months, and within three months, you should have a sizable decrease in plaque, if you are like the study participants.

[GaltMeister]

From upstream: “I remember reading a link to statin overprescription and the explosion of kidney failure and dialysis clinics not sure if there is anything to that but bears some looking into.”

Scary...hadn’t heard that, but wouldn’t surprise me as taking any artificial drug for a long time probably is not very healthy.

An article from 2004 -

https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/modern-diseases/dangers-of-statin-drugs-what-you-havent-been-told-about-popular-cholesterol-lowering-medicines/#gsc.tab=0

[griffin]

I totally agree.

[ifinnegan]

Very interesting.

Is there any explanation for how the statin did this? (I’m not challenging it, I’m looking for information on how statins can cause problems).

[arthurus]

My doc finally got me to take a statin. . Within 24 hours I began to have lassitude and physical weakness. I hung with it for a weak but got so I could not push the gates at my job and quit the statins. I was back to normal in a week. If not taking it really does increase my chance of a heart attack then on balance I would rather take that chance than the surety that I will be a physical weakling and always tired.

[SgtHooper]

Statins have also been “alleged” to cause diabetes.

[NCLaw441]

I don’t know if they know why. There is a Dr. Mammen at Johns Hopkins who saw me, as he is/was developing a test that folks can take to determine if they are susceptible to my condition before starting statin drugs. When I was diagnosed some ten years ago I asked Dr, Mammen how many people had what I have, and he said he was aware of about 200 cases in the US at the time. So, it is pretty rare.

[Reddy]

Chiming in late- been a busy week-

So, at my last recent physical I talked to my PCP and brought up increased cholesterol levels (I forget the #’s) but long story short, he was like... would I recommend statins for you? Then said, “Take 600mg of red rice yeast daily, it’s basically the same thing.” I researched it and am taking it along with COQ10 with no side effects. I will see how it goes at the next physical.