Cholesterol

After reading the article “Dr. Google is a Liar”, I can only say that this is its own brand of misinformation.  I believe people should not get their medical information from Dr. Google, and this article is just infuriating. Written by a cardiologist, it is designed to get everyone on statins.

Why are they targeting women?

Women have now become the target for taking statins, and it pisses me off!  Every single woman in this country should not be a target for statins simply because of biology. Unfortunately, we are not taught how our bodies work as we age and that leaves us under-educated and potentially placed on statins even if we don’t really need them. Here’s how your female body works when it comes to cholesterol.  After you go through menopause, your body stops needing so much estrogen. Because the body uses cholesterol to create hormones (in this case, estrogen) you can wind up with higher cholesterol. It’s not harmful unless it’s super high and your triglycerides, ratios, and inflammatory markers are elevated. It’s the way your body is designed to work. In fact, some studies show that older people with higher cholesterol live longer. This is part of why I feel it important to look at each person as an individual and not suggest across-the-board medication simply because of age or sex.

Statins and your health

The use of statin drugs can deplete Coenzyme-Q 10 from the body yet nowhere in the above-referenced article does it talk about this depletion.  Found in every cell in the body, the antioxidant Co-Q 10 is used for energy to support cell growth and maintenance. Depleted CoQ10 can cause other health issues as well, including:

• physical or mental fatigue
• chronic pain
• a weakened immune system
• increased risk of obesity and/or heart disease
• the possibility for neurological disorders
• statin use can also impair gut function.

The connection with gut function would be why so many statin users eventually wind up on that little purple pill. Statins may increase the risk of developing diabetes. Yet nowhere in this article is that discussed. I won’t give you the litany of other health issues related to statin use. But if there are concerns about cardiovascular health, why are we not discussing nutritional support, exercise, and meditation? All of which have been shown to be beneficial for cardiovascular health. It turns out the author, Dr. Warraich, is a medical researcher and a medical instructor. It has been my experience that those two things can come with corporate sponsorships. However even if he truly deeply believes this, he’s only telling half the story and ignoring the holistic/functional side of the equation. 

Are we ignoring the science? 

And it really pissed me off to no end that he has glommed onto the fake news label and created the category of fake medical news. Are we simply going to scream fake news at each other and whoever screams loudest wins while completely ignoring the science? I admit to a bias against statins. However, I admit I can envision a possibility where they might be helpful. But only after all other functional interventions had been tried, didn't help to correct the situation, and more support was needed. And only with a properly supportive nutritional plan to go along with it. Again, this is why healthcare needs to be individualized, looking at each person’s current health status and needs. Another cardiologist suggests that many adults over age 50 need statins, even if they’re “healthy.” What??? Again, this cardiologist has both private and federal sponsorship. So yes, while there are many good studies out there doing research, it is always important to also look at who is paying for the research and backing these researchers. The above article is not just one-sided, it’s shallow. Each of us needs to invest in our own health and do our own research and ask questions of our healthcare team. [expand title="Sources"]  "Higher Cholesterol Is Associated With Longer Life". Medium, 2016, https://medium.com/the-mission/higher-cholesterol-is-associated-with-longer-life-b4090f28d96e.  "Coq10 And Statins: What You Need To Know". Healthline, 2022, https://www.healthline.com/health/coq10-and-statins. "Do Statins Increase The Risk Of Esophageal Conditions? Findings From Four Propensity Score-Matched Analyses.". Greenmedinfo.Com, 2022, https://greenmedinfo.com/article/statin-therapy-was-associated-higher-odds-being-diagnosed-esophagitis-and-gast. "Meditation Offers Significant Heart Benefits - Harvard Health". Harvard Health, 2013, https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/meditation-offers-significant-heart-benefits. Accessed 5 Aug 2022. [/expand]