I used to be on Statins…have some history of heart disease in the family, and naively thought, bringing down LDL levels to even ridiculously low levels, may be preventative. This nevertheless still seems to be the protocol of mainstream medicine! Despite the Ancel Keys misplaced theory on Fats! But:
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- Statins may not protect against cardiovascular disease and more than double the risk of dementia in some cases
- People with early mild cognitive impairment and low to moderate cholesterol levels who used lipophilic statins had more than double the risk of dementia compared to those who did not use statins
- Statin users also had significant decline in metabolism of the brain’s posterior cingulate cortex, which is the brain region that declines most significantly in early Alzheimer’s disease
- Among patients with Type 2 diabetes admitted to a hospital for COVID-19, those taking statins had significantly higher mortality rates from COVID-19 compared to those not taking the drugs
- People who take statins are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes and those who take the drugs for longer than two years have more than triple the risk
In the U.S., close to 50% of U.S. adults over 75 years old take a statin to lower their cholesterol. This in the perhaps misguided hope of preventing heart disease, heart attacks and stroke..
It could be that statins are just a waste of money, as they are not cheap! But they could damage brain health — more than doubling your risk of dementia in some cases.
Usually it is a benefit risk ratio for drugs, but this likely not the case with statins. An indication that they do not really protect against cardiovascular disease.
They are also linked to a number of health conditions including dementia, diabetes and even increased risk of death from COVID-19.
Hydrophilic Statins include Pravachol and Crestor, dissolve more readily in water, while lipophilic statins, such as Lipitor, Zocor, Lescol, and lovastatin Altoprev, dissolve more readily in fats.
It’s the Lipophilic statins can easily enter cells and be distributed throughout your body, whereas hydrophilic statins focus on the liver.
Those with early mild cognitive impairment and low to moderate cholesterol levels, using lipophilic statins double the risk of dementia compared to those not using statins.
Also there seems to be a connection between statins and diabetes, to the extent that people who take statins are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than those who do not, and for those taking drugs longer than two years at triple the risk.
No question that Statins are effective at lowering cholesterol, but whether this is the panacea for helping you avoid heart disease and extend your lifespan is a topic of heated debate.
In the event you’re taking statins, be aware that they deplete your body of CoQ10 and inhibit the synthesis of vitamin K2.
The risks of CoQ10 depletion can be somewhat offset by taking a Coenzyme Q10 supplement or, if you’re over 40, its reduced form ubiquinol.
But ultimately, if you’re looking to protect both your brain and heart health, avoiding statin drugs and instead: optimizing one’s diet may be the answer.
Sadly! Statins & Diabetes & Dementia!
