To read more about heart disease and cholesterol, check out this eBook on the Diet–Heart Myth.
Cardiovascular disease is one of the most misdiagnosed and mistreated conditions in medicine. In the first article in this series, I explained the evidence suggesting that eating cholesterol and saturated fat does not hurt your heart health or increase the risk of heart disease. In the second article, I explained it’s not the amount of cholesterol in your blood that drives heart disease risk, but the number of LDL particles. In the third article, I discussed the five primary causes of elevated LDL particle number.
In this article, I will debunk the myth that statin drugs save lives in healthy people without heart disease, and discuss some of the little known side effects and risks associated with these drugs.
Myth #3: Statins Save Lives in Healthy People without Heart Disease
Statins have been hailed by many in the conventional medical establishment as wonder drugs, with some physicians going as far as suggesting they should be added to the water supply. (The doctor that made that particular suggestion is named John Reckless—I kid you not.) But are statins really the wonder drugs they’ve been made out to be?
Are statins really the miracle drug they’ve been made out to be? Check out this article to find out more about these popular drugs.
Before we dive into the statistics on statins, I need to briefly explain the difference between relative and absolute risk reduction. Researchers and pharmaceutical companies often use relative risk statistics to report the results of drug studies. For example, they might say, “In this trial, statins reduced the risk of a heart attack by 30 percent.” But what they may not tell you is that the actual risk of having a heart attack went from 0.5 percent to 0.35 percent. In other words, before you took the drug you had a 1 in 200 chance of having a heart attack; after taking the drug you have a 1 in 285 chance of having a heart attack. That’s not nearly as impressive as using the 30 percent relative risk number, but it provides a more accurate picture of what the actual, or “absolute” risk reduction is.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the efficacy of statins in two broad groups of people:
- Those with pre-existing heart disease
- Those without pre-existing heart disease
In the medical literature, these groups are referred to as “secondary prevention” and “primary prevention,” respectively.
Secondary Prevention (Those with Pre-Existing Heart Disease)
Several large controlled trials including 4S, CARE, LIPID, HPS, TNT, MIRACL, PROV-IT, and A to Z have shown relative risk reductions between 7 percent on the low end in MIRACL and 32 percent on the high end in 4S, with an average risk reduction of about 20 percent.
However, absolute risk reductions are much more modest. They range from 0.8 percent in MIRACL on the low end to 9 percent in 4S on the high end, with an average of 3 percent.
An analysis by Dr. David Newman in 2010 which drew on large meta-analyses of statins found that among those with pre-existing heart disease that took statins for 5 years: (1)
- 96 percent saw no benefit at all
- 1.2 percent (1 in 83) had their lifespan extended (were saved from a fatal heart attack)
- 2.6 percent (1 in 39) were helped by preventing a repeat heart attack
- 0.8 percent (1 in 125) were helped by preventing a stroke
- 0.6 percent (1 in 167) were harmed by developing diabetes
- 10 percent (1 in 10) were harmed by muscle damage
Moreover, these results do not apply to all populations across the board. Most studies have shown that while statins do reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and deaths from CVD in women, they do not reduce the risk of death from all causes (“total mortality”). (2)
Nor do these results apply to men or women over the age of 80. Statins do reduce the risk of heart attack and other CVD events in men over the age of 80, and especially at this age, these events can have a significant negative impact on quality of life. However, the bulk of the evidence suggests that statins don’t extend life in people over 80 years of age, regardless of whether they have heart disease, and the highest death rates in people over 80 are associated with the lowest cholesterol levels. (3, 4)
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Primary Prevention (Those without Pre-Existing Heart Disease)
Statins do reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in people without pre-existing heart disease. However, this effect is more modest than most people assume. Dr. Newman also analyzed the effect of statins given to people with no known heart disease for 5 years: (5)
- 98 percent saw no benefit at all
- 1.6 percent (1 in 60) were helped by preventing a heart attack
- 0.4 percent (1 in 268) were helped by preventing a stroke
- 1.5 percent (1 in 67) were harmed by developing diabetes
- 10 percent (1 in 10) were harmed by muscle damage
These statistics present a more sobering view on the efficacy of statins in people without pre-existing heart disease. They suggest that you’d need to treat 60 people for 5 years to prevent a single heart attack, or 268 people for 5 years to prevent a single stroke. These somewhat unimpressive benefits must also be weighed against the downsides of therapy, such as side effects and cost.
In addition, while statins do moderately reduce cardiovascular events such as heart attack in people without heart disease, they’ve never been shown to extend lifespan in this population. This is true even when the risk of heart disease is high. In a large meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials by Kausik Ray, MD, and colleagues published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, statins were not associated with a significant reduction in the risk of death from all causes. (6)
This trial included 65,000 people without pre-existing heart disease but with intermediate to high risk of heart disease. It was important because it was the first review that only included participants without known heart disease. Previous studies suggesting that statins are effective in reducing death in people without pre-existing heart disease included some people that did have heart disease, which would have skewed the results.
The lack of significant effect on mortality is even more interesting in light of the fact that LDL cholesterol levels did decrease significantly in the statin group; the average LDL level in those taking placebo was 134 mg/dL and the average in the statin-treated patients was 94 mg/dL—roughly 30 percent lower. Yet in spite of this marked reduction in LDL cholesterol in the statin group, there was no difference in lifespan between the two groups. This is yet another line of evidence suggesting that the amount of cholesterol in LDL particles is not the driving factor in heart disease.
Adverse Effects of Statins
If statins were harmless and free, then it wouldn’t matter how many people need to be treated to prevent a heart attack or extend someone’s lifespan. But statins are not free, nor are they harmless. Statin use has been associated with a wide range of side effects, including:
- Myopathy (muscle pain)
- Liver damage
- Cataracts
- Kidney failure
- Cognitive impairment
- Impotence
- Diabetes
Unfortunately, studies show that physicians are more likely to deny than affirm the possibility of statin side effects, even for symptoms with strong evidence in the scientific literature. (9) Assuming that physicians would likely not report the adverse reaction in these circumstances, it’s probable that the incidence of statin side effects is much higher than the reported rates.
One of the most troubling side effects of statins is their potential to increase the risk of diabetes, especially in women. A study by Dr. Naveed Sattar and colleagues published in The Lancet in 2010 examined 13 randomized clinical trials involving over 90,000 patients taking statins. They found that statin use was associated with a 9 percent increased risk in developing diabetes. Note that this is a relative risk, so the absolute risk of developing diabetes while taking a statin is very low. That said, observational data from the Women’s Health Initiative found a 48 percent increased risk of diabetes in healthy women taking statins after adjusting for other risk factors. (10)
What’s more, a 2019 study found a 38 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes in patients who took statins over a 15-year period. (11) The study also showed:
- Even people on low doses of statins were at increased risk of developing diabetes
- The increase in risk was significantly higher in those who were overweight or obese
- Patients’ risk of diabetes climbed higher the longer they took statins
To summarize:
- The only population that statins extend life in are men under 80 years of age with pre-existing heart disease.
- In men under 80 without pre-existing heart disease, men over 80 with or without heart disease, and women of any age with or without heart disease, statins have not been shown to extend lifespan.
- Statins do reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in all populations. A heart attack or stroke can have a significant, negative impact on quality of life—particularly in the elderly—so this benefit should not be discounted.
- However, the reductions in cardiovascular events are often more modest than most assume; 60 people with high cholesterol but no heart disease would need to be treated for 5 years to prevent a single heart attack, and 268 people would need to be treated for 5 years to prevent a single stroke.
- Statins have been shown to cause a number of side effects, such as muscle pain and cognitive problems, and they are probably more common than currently estimated due to under-reporting.
My intention here is not to suggest that statins have no place in the treatment of heart disease, but rather to give you the objective information you need to decide (along with your doctor) whether they are appropriate for you. The decision whether to take them should be based on whether you have pre-existing heart disease, what your overall risk of a heart attack is, how healthy your diet and lifestyle are, what other treatments you’ve already tried, and your own risk tolerance and worldview. It’s clear that statins reduce heart disease as well as the risk of death in those that have already had a heart attack, so if you’re in this group and you’ve already tried diet and lifestyle interventions without much impact on your lipid or inflammatory markers, you are more likely to benefit.
In the next and final article of this series, I’ll discuss three steps to preventing and reversing heart disease naturally, without drugs.
Better supplementation. Fewer supplements.
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On the advice of a friend I questioned my cardiologist above any real benefit or the need for me to take a statin. He seemed reluctant to entertain a discussion. I suggested that there is a lot of chatter these days and most of it seems to be pointing to a scam by the drug industry.
I was originally prescribed a statin after having a routine physical. The physical determined I had an irregular ekg, so I went to a cardiologist who confirmed the irregularity and a stress test and ecg were performed. The result was that irregularity was normal for me and said the other tests determined I had the heart of a 20 year old (I am 46, white male, 185 pounds, 5’7″, bordeline hypertension and take liprinosil for that. Also have history of father with coronary artery disease at very young age- he had triple bypass surgery at age 38).
The reason he suggested a statin was based on family history. Now, though I might be at greater risk because of family history I question how taking a statin would improve that meaningfully.
His response was, “Well, I take it and I have no risk factors. It can’t hurt.” I have been taking it for a year known mainly on the basis of, “it can’t hurt”. Now that I have more time to research I think that is a ridiculous way to prescribe. But I’m still confused- should I or shouldn’t I?
Skygazer32 I believe that the statins are a major scam by the drug companies. I have noticed they keep lowering the cholesterol levels to ridiculous amounts (under 100). I am certain that the purpose is strictly profit motive. They do not care how many Americans are maimed and killed by statins. The Drug companies, the AMA and the FDA have known about these dangerous effects from statins since 1987 yet refuse to warn patients to take supplements. Statins are PROVEN to stop the liver from producing COQ10. No small wonder heart disease has skyrocketed over the past 30 years. Most doctors are pill pushers. They are required to follow certain drug protocols or face legal consequences. Many doctors will not take you off a medication. You must do it yourself and hopefully you have an alternative.
Guys I’m back. So I’ve been to a specialist that told me I should take red yeast rice, because I told him I would not go on Statins. The red yeast rice lowered my cholesterol from 267 to 216 I’ve been having side effects which include dry skin and bowel trouble. I’m not sure if I should be taking red yeast rice anymore. My dad and my doctor kind of made me start taking it because I told them I would not take Statins. My specialist thinks I might familial hypercholesterolima. My mom has 230 overall for her cholesterol. Dad has 205 and his sister has 254 she takes Statins to help lower hers. I’m 20 years old all have outlined my diet in recent posts :). None of my family members are overweight. My thyroid is 203 which I was told is considered normal
Chris,
I’d like your opinion – I am 50 y.o. and have CAD, chest pain and positive stress test at 46, cardiac cath showed 90% blockage in LAD, 99% in RCA. 5 stents placed as RCA was very challenging. I never had a heart attack. Docs initially put me on standard protocol of lisinopril, metoprolol, aspirin and simvastatin. I discontinued lisinopril and metoprolol within days, and simvastatin within weeks. I have continued to take low-dose aspirin. My lipid profile was still high w/o statin – I have low HDL (never above 40) and high triglycerides. LDL was moderately high, esp. in context of CAD. I have a history of IBD, now in remission, but did take low dose steroids for several years.
So, I made lifestyle changes – I was about 20# overweight which I promptly lost and reduced fat intake (but not radically). I started taking 5mg Crestor about a year ago w/o any obvious side effects. Despite regular exercise 45min-1hour 4X/week, my morning blood sugar continued to be in 120-130 range. I just reluctantly agreed to use metformin – at least for a while – while reducing simple carbs – as I am quite concerned about reducing/reversing further CAD, esp. given I am only 50. Two weeks in, my morning BS is in 108-116 range.
What are your thoughts about statin use for me? Metformin? Other recommendations? I only eat grass-fed beef and pastured poultry and eggs, lots of organic veggies, take CoQ10, fish oil, probiotics and continue low-dose aspirin. I have reduced carb intake significantly.
Thanks for your feedback.
Anyone either currently on a statin or considering filling an Rx for one should watch this video: Heart of the Matter Part 2 – Cholesterol Drug War http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/heartofthematter/. Part 1 was also excellent and discusses the whole “saturated fat causes heart disease by raising cholesterol myth.” Both programs aired on a science TV show in Australia, but feature interviews with several US doctors, researches, nutritionists and science writers.
I understand that taking a statin for ‘primary prevention’ is not a good idea. But for ‘secondary prevention’ for someone with DIAGNOSED cardiovascular disease, Cardiologists insist that it is necessary in order to halt or reverse plaque, stabilize plaque, reduce inflammation, and to help prevent stroke, heart attacks, etc. I’m a 52 year old, 5′ 7″ male who recently (over the summer) passed a heart stress test with flying colors, BUT my carotid artery scan (taken 2 weeks ago) showed a homogenous 20-39% plaque on my left carotid artery (asymptomatic)! My doc told me to of course continue my Norvasc and Toprol XL (for hypertension), and to start 5mg Crestor daily. I filled out the prescription for Crestor, but have not taken any pills yet, wanting to thoroughly research statins before I started popping them. I am deathly afraid to, given all the negative talk (which I believe) on the internet. I am getting a ‘second opinion’ in a few days with another Cardiologist, but my guess is that he will tell me the same… mainly, take the Crestor. Why is Crestor so important (necessary?) to take for someone with newly diagnosed carotid artery plaque/stenosis? Does it really make a positive difference? And at what health cost? I am SO confused and depressed. Especially considering that after my positive stress test outcome this past August, I went on a complete lifestyle change to better my health! I dropped from 231 pounds to 208 currently, and my goal is 175. I’m on a Meditteranean type diet, eating some fruits, veggies, sprouted grain bread, sardines/salmon, and chicken breast. I walk my dog daily, as well as doing 30 to 40 minutes on my treadmill. I was on the road to good health, when I got this bombshell dropped on me, and now I can’t sleep because of all the conflicting claims out there! Sigh.
ellinas, I will give you my opinion on this. I am a nutrition researcher, not a medical professional, so take it for what its worth. First please read all my posts above under “DM” and make sure you watch the video by Dr. Stephanie Seneff. I also list out the most important nutrients for heart health in one of the posts. However, as I said to Sean, you need to become your own health expert by reading and listening. You can get all of the information you need online and through books, but of course sometimes that information is not good, so you have to learn to filter what is good and what is bad. I would suggest doing a lot of reading on mercola.com, naturalnews.com, drhyman.com, greenmedinfo.com, and wellnessresources.com about statins, cholesterol, heart disease, and hypertension. It will be quite an education and very eye opening when you realize almost everything that conventional doctors do for these issues is completely wrong. There are many other great sites as well, including this one.
It is my opinion you should not be on any of these drugs, however, you will need to continue your dietary changes and exercise routines. Most conventional doctors are just too ignorant and unteachable to suggest anything other than a drug. You will probably need to dramatically change your diet and add supplements. I would stay away from sprouted wheat for example – not heart healthy! You should probably stay away from most high sugar fruits as well, but because everyone is different you will have to find out what works well for you. You will also need to start adding in healthy fats like coconut oil, olive oil, red palm oil, krill oil, etc. You may also need to dramatically decrease your omega 6 intake. Etc. You need to take control of your health and read and find out what is actually gonna work for you. If you can afford to find a naturopathic doctor that would be good. A naturopathic doctor can help guide you to real health without drugs. Conventional doctors are only gonna suggest drugs, drugs, and more drugs – its so sad.
The good news is that you can dramatically improve your health (and clear your ateries) with nutrition and lifestyle changes without drugs and the information on how to do this is readily available. There are some really good books by Raymond Francis that would be very encouraging for you to read. He is an older man who dramatically improved his health via nutrition and lifestyle changes without drugs. Im not saying everything he says is right, but it would be very encouraging for you and a great place to start.
Good luck! Best wishes!
You said to stay away from sprouted wheat. Does that mean no Ezekiel bread? I thought the sprouted grain breads were supposed to be healthier than regular whole wheat bread?
Mark, I would avoid all wheat whether it is sprouted or not. See the book “Wheat Belly” by Dr. William Davis to understand why wheat in any form is one of the most unhealthy grains a person can eat. If you are going to eat wheat, ezekiel bread would be one of the better breads to eat.
Also check out Dr. David Perlmutter’s book, Grain Brain.
He has a newsletter that comes out regularly as well. I subscribed to it.
I tried Crestor when it first came out and it made me very sick. One thing I have learned is: Be very cautious with any newer drugs…that haven’t been around long enough to work the kinks out. I would ask to stick with either Lipitor or even maybe even Zetia which goes through the stomach instead the liver. I can’t believe you are on Toprol like me and you haven’t even had a heart attack. Being scared will not help you, be aggressive and keep reading and ignore 50% of what the MD’s are telling you as they do not get it! And don’t take that aspirin every day. I took it for years, but now see that it is not a great thing after all. (scars arteries) I quit going to a Cardiologist after 10 years. I was encouraged to try a new one and she said to me (when I told her i didn’t want to take a statin or aspriin) “Are you trying to kill yourself”? Now even though she believes her stuff, how condescending is that? I read all the time. I am not stupid. I have DDD and am in pain management. But how many pills do I need to live? Only the Lord really knows, but I will be selective. You should be too!
ALSO….using coconut oil every day in whatever (oatmeal, 1/2 and Grape See Oil baking and other, I uped my good cholesterol before I started back on Lipitor…it does work! Save the Olive Oil for salads and adding to.
Me too. I am so stressed over all the conflicting stuff I am reading. Although I have a pretty healthy diet and lifestyle my doctors and lipid clinic are convincing me that I have hyperfamilial cholesteromia and will be at great risk if I do not take statins. I have resisted until now but began taking them t three weeks ago. I either have flu or the statins are giving me the symptoms of it – feel ghastly. I also have high Lp-pla2. A nutritionist got my levels down last year (but not enought say the docs). Just don’t know who to believe!
Helen I know what you are going through. Too many varying opinions. One thing I do know is that if you take a statin or even a beta blocker you must take a COQ10 supplement. Stains STOP the liver from producing COQ10. You need a high quality supplement of it to prevent heart problems like mine. I found out too late. My next and last option is a transplant. Thanks to the drug companies. AMA and FDA who refuse to provide warnings to patients. Best wishes in your health!
OK. My mother is almost 96. She had the high cholesterol, high triglycerides and BP for years. After being on those “helpful” statins all those years, her legs got weaker and weaker until she was wheelchair bound. She is in deep dementia now, delusional. The only reason I went back on a low (10) statin is I had a heart attack at 47 and the doctors put extreme pressure on me. My numbers are better, but will it really keep me from having a heart attack? Probably not, as I am an emotional eater. I am watching my D, C. K. B’s, minerals, etc. I just got tired of fighting the medicos. But 10 is the limit. I am on disability for DDD, so I use Medicare for payment for the doctors…if I could afford otherwise, I would certainly go to the Naturapathic and Natural all the time…and I highly respect Mercola, Ranger, Hyman and all the ones that have opened their eyes to see outside the Pharma/Medicine teaching of “a pill a day keeps the doctor away”!!!!!!
I’m curious to understand why you suffered a heart attack at such an early age of 47 when your mother lived to be 96. A major risk factor in heart disease seems to be family history. Is there a family history of heart disease on your father’s side?
Just saw your comment. My mother passed on March 30th of Dementia Behaviors. She was of healthy stock except for Diabetes I which took her father at 48 in the 1920’s and my brother at 62 in 2008. My own father died at 50 of
Congestive Heart Failure, but #1, He smoked most of his life, #2, He probably had what we now call Bipolar, took old fashioned tranquilizers and had high blood pressure. He also had a chest/heart injury at 9 yrs old where a truck ran over his chest and he survived, later to play sports and lead an active lifestyle. I believe my heart attack was caused primarily from marital stress, self-medicating for Degenerative Disk Disease, and just had started Paxil. Although my cholesterol was somewhat high, many people have high cholesterol without having a heart attack. Thankfully I only had one blockage, had stent/angio and am now almost 63. I am too heavy and am not able to get much exercise where I live. We are evaluating a better place to live now that my mother is gone and we can be more flexible. We like to spend time in NM where my husband packs with goats. Thank for your interest…and OH! I just went back on 10 Lipitor after getting off again…I still am confused!
Chris, Thought you might like to know that the second link in your article gives an “expired SSL certificate” error.
My total cholesterol hovers around 220 – 240 even though I eat fairly healthy – fish, chicken, veggies, very little processed food or carbs, in general. However, the company I work for has guidelines we have to meet for our health insurance. One of those is that my total cholesterol has to be below 200. I take Crestor and it keeps my cholesterol around 140 – 150. If I didn’t take Crestor my insurance premiums would jump from $300 per month to nearly $1100. So, even though Crestor probably won’t save my life, it will save me a lot of money.
Maybe you can get the dose reduced and keep the insurance company happy as well.
Thank you so much DM!!! 🙂 I watched the interview with Dr.Seneff really great video. I eat fish oil pills three times a week nothing else. I usually don’t cook the yolk:) I have apples every day, Spinach, olive oil, yogurt with blueberries. Tilapia, sardines from Canada, chicken breasts, avacado, almond butter, almond milk, onions sweet potato, also do intermittent fasting and I do interval training for 35 minutes three times a week. Thank you again for the links and I’m actually going to see a thyroid specialist in a couple weeks.
You’re very welcome. Your diet and lifestyle (intermittent fasting and interval training) sound pretty good actually. One thing I would suggest for you to try for the cholesterol would be krill oil combined with coconut oil – on a daily basis. The reason is because I have seen this dramatically affect other people’s cholesterol levels. I would take at least 1-2 grams of krill (maybe more) and at least a tablespoon of coconut oil a day. You may need to build up on the coconut oil and start with a teaspoon, but you should be able to at least build up to a TBSP and you may actually need much more depending on your unique metabolism. I take 2-4 TBSP a day for example of coconut oil and my body loves it but I know that would be way too much for some people. As I said everyone is different. One big note of importance, take the krill oil at the SAME TIME as the coconut oil. They work synergistically together and both enhance each others activity in the body. I know of people who simply could not lower their cholesterol with anything until they tried krill oil and suddenly it dramatically lowered. So it is worth a try to replace your fish oil with krill oil – it is a little expensive, but much less expensive than drugs. You can eat the coconut oil in several ways, such as in a smoothie or even cooking your eggs in it – but find a way that is palatable to you or else you will soon get sick of it and stop eating it. I mostly eat my coconut oil in a coffee smoothie I make every morning actually and it works great.
Also, there are specific supplements that help with cholesterol levels, such as tocotrienols, niacin, enzymes, and astaxanthin. And you need to also make sure your gut flora is balanced. That means fermented foods and probiotic supplements – extremely important for all aspects of health including cholesterol balance. Note, unless the yogurt is homemade it does NOT count as a fermented food, but kefir does. You could try some organic goat milk kefir for example with a little stevia, it is delicious and a great source of probiotics. Fermented coconut water kefir would also be a great choice – which you can easily make at home – and its cheap, you can get all you need for about 5-10 dollars a week. The kefir starter is a little expensive, but not too bad and will last for a quite a while – I would suggest Donna Gates kefir starter for coconut water.
Again, try to find a good naturopathic doctor who really understands cholesterol issues and how to manage them with nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle. A conventional doctor will typically not be able to help in these areas and will only resort to drugs. I would also make sure to look up Dr. David Brownstein and listen to one of the 30 minute to 1 hour lectures on the thyroid and make sure the specialist you go to is in line with what Dr. Brownstein says.
Best wishes.
Sean, first it is important to realize that the dangers of high cholesterol are way overrated. In fact high cholesterol has been shown in many studies to be healthier than low cholesterol. I can give you plenty of references in the medical literature if you want them. The demonization of high cholesterol mostly comes from the pharmaceutical industry because statins are the #1 money making drug in the world. Statins literally make billions of dollars for big pharma. There are many highly questionable studies funded by big pharma that supposedly show a relationship between high cholesterol and heart disease. However, there are so also many very solid studies not funded by big pharma that show the opposite.
In my opinion you should absolutely not take statins, they are way too poisonous. See this interview with Dr. Stephanie Seneff http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hbNSHPco0g to understand why. Also see my post above where I list the catastrophic damage caused by statins. I would be very weary of conventional doctors, they are very ignorant about how to actually solve chronic health problems and almost always only resort to one thing: drugs. It is sad but true. I would find a naturopathic doctor who actually understand nutrition and not just drugs.
Second, you need to try to figure out why your cholesterol is so unusually high. It is high for a reason and it may be genetic (hypercholesterolemia) or it may be something else, such as a thyroid problem. Please realize that just because your thyroid panel came back normal in no way means your thyroid is ok. Please look up Dr. David Brownstein online and listen to his lectures to understand that most doctors simply do not understand thyroid problems and do not understand how to diagnose subclinical thyroid problems. You again need to avoid conventional doctors and find a doctor who actually understands subclinical thyroid problems. If you try to handle this problem with a conventional doctor you are going to end up on a lifetime of meds and drug cocktails.
There are many lifestyle and dietary things you can do to balance your cholesterol. Your diet sounds ok, but only ok – not very healthy. You need to become your own health expert and begin reading about what is actually healthy and what is not. For example, do you consume fish oil or olive oil or coconut oil? Are you eating any fish? Are you eating any fermented foods? Is your gut flora out of balance? What are your D levels? Do you take magnesium, iodine, turmeric, astaxanthin, tocotrienols, enzymes? Are your hormones out of balance? Are you eating too many omega6 oils and not enough omega 3? Are you consuming enough fiber? A grass fed steak may be the very thing you need to start eating. Eggs are great if they are from the right source and cooked the right way – if you are eating scrambled over cooked non organic eggs that is bad. The yolk should be as raw as possible and the white should be cooked. You should do some reading and understand why. Chia seeds and quinoa are good, but it is better so soak the chia seeds before you eat them – should do some reading to find out why. Realize that there are many myths about what is healthy and what is not and that everyone is different. Some people need a lot of fat and protein and some people need a lot of carbs (vegetables, not starch). You need to figure out what works for you. A conventional doctor will absolutely not be able to tell you what a healthy diet is. You have to take control of your health and that requires education.
I would begin reading sites like mercola.com, naturalnews.com, anything from David Wolfe, Dave Asprey (bullet proof diet), wellnessresources.com (Byron Richards), this site is good (chris kresser), etc. There is a lot to learn and it is complicated but you can do it, the resources are available – take the time to start learning. If you dont and you just naively trust that “doctors know best”, you will end up on a cocktail of drugs and most likely have poor health for the rest of your life. It is sad but true. The conventional medical industry is run by corporations interested in profits not your health, primarily big pharma. In general, doctors do NOT know what is best, there are exceptions but it is rare.
Start reading, start listening. Find a qualified naturopathic doctor who specializes in nutrition and cholesterol and stay away from conventional doctors. Its your life, its your choice.
Good luck, all the best.
DM,
I stumbled upon this chat and really appreciate your comments. I have a calcium score of 1180. My doc put me on Crestor 2 years ago. I quit 2 weeks ago after reading “The Great Cholesterol Myth”. I’m making a lot of changes that even you mentioned. Do you think it is possible to reverse my arterial calcium? I thank you in advance!
David, sorry to be replying just now, I just noticed your question. The answer is absolutely yes! you can reverse your arterial calcium. Its great that you got off of the poisonous statins. Please read this thread to understand real ways of improving cardiovascular health.
For the calcium issues, there are many nutrition and lifestyle interventions. Sufficiency in D3, K2, and Magnesium is a first step. Stop taking calcium supplements if you are – or change to a plant based form. You can break up the calcium by using supplements like MSM, chanca piedra, gravel root, citric acid, and enzymes. I would strongly suggest getting a copy of David Wolfe’s “Longevity Now” book. The main theme of this book is to heal calcification. This book should give you all of the knowledge you need to completely reverse and heal your arterial calcium issues.
Best!
Thank you David and Glen. My cousing had her thyroid removed and my grandma takes medication for her thyroid. I had a thyroid panel done and apperently it’s fine, but will have another one done in a month to be sure I just saw a specialist today after seeing more doctors. He said he thinks it might be familial hypercholesterolima. He also is having both my parents come in for a cholesterol check before he puts me on Statin. I’m only 20 years old and reallllly reallllly do not want to take and prescription drugs. Help please 🙂
So I’ve read numerous articles on cholesterol, but was looking for some help. I’ve had high cholesterol since I was 18 it was 267 with HDL 72 and LDL 183 now my doctor back then told me not to worry about it. I’ve gotten a new doctor since and he said it’s pretty high so he wanted to do a VAP panel. He called me the next week and said it’s extremely high and wanted to put me on Statin. I told him I really didn’t want to take any pills so he said I’ll give you 4 months then come back and take another test and we will probably put you on Statin. It’s been 3 months and I called and asked for the results from last time so I could maybe get some help from the online community. My VAP Panel my HDL was 81 and LDL is 217 and didn’t have the rest because his secretary read it. I’m currently 20 years old. I work out 4 times a week cardio and strength exercises. I’m 5’11 and 142 pounds. My Dad and his sister have high cholesterol, but not at my age. I eat healthy for the most part don’t really touch steak. My meals are generally the same. I eat a spoon of almond butter, maybe eggs or oatmeal for breakfast. Lunch is chicken with quinoa or yogurt with chia seeds and banana or apples. Dinner is salad and more chicken with hummus. I’m in great shape just freaking out about the cholesterol. My dad said if I don’t pass this test I have to go on Statin. Excuse the grammatical errors
Sean, sounds like you could have familial hypercholesterolemia (high LDL due to a genetic mutation).
Sean I would get a full thyroid panel done including antibodies. Low thyroid can cause high cholesterol
Is this true for Familial hypercholesterolemia too? M cholesterol runs between 6.5 and 8 and as my lifestyle and diet is very healthy I have been told that I MUST go on statins and that hereditary and dietary high cholesterol are two very different kettles of fish.
Helen
I have been useing 4S slimming pills now for 3 weeks. Just lost 3 kilos in the first week. I cant sleep at night and im irritated. My skin is in a horrible condition. Its now 3 days that i dont use it anymore. Im feeling sleepy the entire day and nervous and drunk in my head and like death warmed up. Still struggleing to sleep. Thats after i read that 4S doesnt have side effects! I havent felt this crap in years and im wondering what junk in this pills cause my symptoms. I will never use it again.
It’s About time!!
DIETARY SATURATED FAT HAS UNDESERVED BAD REPUTATION, SAYS REVIEW
Rockville, MD – “The influence of dietary fats on serum cholesterol has been overstated,” concludes a review in an American Society for Nutrition publication that, in its words, “calls for a rational reevaluation of existing dietary recommendations that focus on minimizing dietary SFAs [saturated fatty acids], for which mechanisms for adverse health effects are lacking” [1].
Indeed, argues the author, Dr Glen D Lawrence (Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY), it is likely other factors, such as oxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) or preservatives in processed meats, that are also present in high-SFA foods that lead to adverse health effects typically associated with high SFA intake.
“The meager effect that saturated fats have on serum cholesterol levels when modest but adequate amounts of polyunsaturated oils are included in the diet, and the lack of any clear evidence that saturated fats are promoting any of the conditions that can be attributed to PUFA, makes one wonder how saturated fats got such a bad reputation in the health literature,” Lawrence writes in the review published May 1, 2013 in the journal Advances in Nutrition.
The article’s case is built on interpretations of research from the biochemistry, epidemiologic, and clinical literature but which, nonetheless, does not reference a tremendous body of research supporting alternative views. Still, Lawrence describes:
The role of lipid peroxidation in promoting atherogenesis, arguing that its effects are more pronounced on PUFA than on SFAs or monosaturated fatty acids.
An arguably protective effect of omega-3 PUFAs against proinflammatory effects of omega-6 and other PUFAs.
Evidence that potentially carcinogenic preservatives in processed meats as well as high-heat cooking methods have influenced perceptions that red meat per se has adverse health effects.
How “the preparation and cooking methods used for foods that are traditionally classified as saturated fat foods may be producing substances from PUFAs and carbohydrates in those foods that are promoting disease.”
Studies suggesting positive health effects from dairy fat and tropical oils, both high in SFAs.
The hazards of diets with increased carbohydrates as a result of being lower in fat, in low-fat diets followed to improve health, especially cardiovascular health.
“The adverse health effects that have been associated with saturated fats in the past are most likely due to factors other than SFAs,” the article concludes. “Consequently, the dietary recommendations to restrict saturated fats in the diet should be revised to reflect differences in handling before consumption . . . It is time to reevaluate the dietary recommendations that focus on lowering serum cholesterol and to use a more holistic approach to dietary policy.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23674795?dopt=Abstract
I don’t think there is any mystery as to why doctors prescribe statins. It’s the easy way out, even if it doesn’t reallly help. It lowers cholesterol. And that is what Doctors do, treat symptoms, not underlying causes. It’s the same with stomach issues. Just take Prilosec and you’ll be fine. To be fair, most people are not going to change their diets drastically as some of us have, to get better results. It’s a chicken/egg scenario.
My husband is on statins and I’d like to get him off of it. He was headed towards diabetes, but with a modified Paleo diet (giving up most grains), his blood sugar is now normal. But I still worry about what the statins are doing to him. He travels for work a lot, so it’s hard for him to stay on a good healthy diet. And he loves to brag about how low his cholesterol is compared to mine.
I agree. It’s much easier to write a scrip than to take the time to explain the real causes of disease such as inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, etc. and prescribe a healthy diet and lifestyle changes. And truthfully there are too many people that are totally fine with just popping pills for whatever ails them without ever making any effort to modify their diet, increase their exercise, lose weight, and reduce stress. Too many doctors still erroneously buy into the cholesterol is bad myth and are only focused on getting the numbers into target range. Even for people at with CAD there are many holistic approaches that have few if any side effects. Statins do have some anti-inflammatory effects which can benefit people with CAD beyond the lipid lowering effects but so do many common herbs, spices, and nutritional supplements in addition to clean living.
Travel makes it hard, especially outside the US, but not impossible. Most restaurants will make substitutions if asked, especially since it seems almost everyone is on some sort of restricted diet these days i.e., gluten free, low sodium, vegan, etc. We do it ALL the time! Also, your husband could request a fridge in his hotel room (hotels will upon request for diabetics to store insulin) then he could bring or buy food items such as fresh fruit and maybe have a healthy protein shake instead of the free continental breakfast of bagels and pastries offered at many hotels. Just a thought. Best of luck.
Hello Chris,
This is a very informative article. My uncle is taking a Statin. I’m not sure if he’s informed about all these side effects. It’s scary.
Tell them GiGi!!! We spend so much time reading about healthy living instead of just figuring out what works best for us.All in all,great piece Chris!
Dear Chris
I am not sure why you are referring to an outdated Cochrane review from 2011 regarding primary prevention using statins.(Ref No 7 in your article). The most recent Cochrane review on this was published in Jan 2013 ( See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23440795).
It clearly concludes after reviewing several new trials: “Total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were reduced in all trials but there was evidence of heterogeneity of effects. There was no evidence of any serious harm caused by statin prescription. Evidence available to date showed that primary prevention with statins is likely to be cost-effective and may improve patient quality of life. Recent findings from the Cholesterol Treatment Trialists study using individual patient data meta-analysis indicate that these benefits are similar in people at lower (< 1% per year) risk of a major cardiovascular event.Reductions in all-cause mortality, major vascular events and revascularisations were found with no excess of adverse events among people without evidence of CVD treated with statins."
This runs contrary to what you are proposing-Maybe for the sake of objectivity you could edit your article to include the latest Cochrane review which DOES show that statins can be of use in primary prevention of heart disease
Skeptical from UK
Chris: I agree. Cochrane seems to have changed its tune. Your analysis would be welcome.
I appreciate that you cant respond to every comment- but it would have been great if you explained why you haven’t referred to the most recent Cochrane review which I mentioned in my last post..
Skeptical from UK
Zorba, you really should read the latest analysis of the 2012-2013 Cochrane study:
“Should people at low risk of cardiovascular disease take a statin?”
BMJ 2013; 347 : f6123 doi: 10.1136/bmj.f6123 (Published 22 October 2013 )
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/heartofthematter/download/StatinsshouldNOTbebroadedtowiderpopulation.pdf
The bottom line:
“Our calculations using data presented in the 2012 CTT patient level meta-analysis show that statin therapy prevents one serious cardiovascular event per 140 low risk people (five year risk <10%) treated for five years. Statin therapy in low risk people does not reduce all cause mortality or serious illness and has about an 18% risk of causing side effects that range from minor and reversible to serious and irreversible. Broadening the recommendations in cholesterol lowering guidelines to include statin therapy for low risk individuals will unnecessarily increase the incidence of adverse effects without providing overall health benefit."
@John C
Check out the anecdotal evidence of statin side effects. Most physicians deny that aches and pains clearly listed as possible side effects are attributed to old age, even on 40-50 year olds.
One of the newest possibilities is increasing the risk of diabetes. ALS is also suspected since it is increased in those taking statins.
No wonder medical care is the 4th leading cause of death in the US.
It does seem to me that many doctors see that statins should be the first treatment for anything to do with heart disease. When I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes I was prescribed statins along with metformin rather than the option of lifestyle and diet changes.
That’s truly unfortunate. Hopefully you’ve since taken matters into your own hands. Too many doctors skip the diet and lifestyle talk and simply go straight to the meds. Maybe it’s because very few people are actually willing to make the necessary changes and if that’s the case, it says a lot about us as a society. People seem to want a quick and easy fix without having to change anything. Just pop a pill and you’re good to go. That’s a big mistake.