Statins - See how to stay healthy

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Since decades ago, there has been a lot of talk about cholesterol and its association with heart disease. So the pharmaceutical industry found a commercial opportunity in this assumption. Since then, a race for the development and manufacture of statins has begun.

Although there is no publication in the scientific medical literature that actually correlates cholesterol with heart disease. This hypothesis created and implanted in people's minds, that high cholesterol is bad, has caused thousands of people to start using drugs to lower such levels, and this has done more harm than good.

The first important issue is that cholesterol is not a fat molecule, it is a polycyclic alcohol, a lipid. So, it is not due to the ingestion of saturated fats as it was believed, but from carbohydrates.

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What happens when you take statins?

Statins act by inhibiting the functioning of the enzyme that transforms the precursor of cholesterol into cholesterol. To start the process of lowering cholesterol, statins inhibit the production of coenzyme q10, which is very important in the production of ATP, energy. Therefore, a person who uses statins, has little energy, feels a lot of fatigue.

Another important issue is that cholesterol forms most of the membranes that surround cells, and in an important part that is the myelin sheath, which surrounds neurons. Statins dissolve this protective membrane, and this has increased the development of neurodegenerative diseases and memory loss.

A positive fact that was observed is that statins have several responses such as, anti-inflammatory, reduces the formation of thrombosis. But it needs to be observed whether the risks of using it in these situations would have more benefits than risks.

Other important issues to mention, taken from the package insert of a statin:

Method used in the study to evaluate statins for lowering cholesterol

Avaliou-se várias pessoas com colesterol alto, de varias idades.  Um grupo foi tratado com estatinas, e outro grupo com o uso de placebos. Observou-se então, que a cada grupo de 100 pessoas que tomaram placebo, 2 morreram, e dos que tomaram estatinas morreu 1.

The bottom line then, looking at the absolute results, is that 2% of people not taking statins can die of heart disease, and 1% of people taking statins can die.

In the evaluation of statistics, the relative evaluation was used, and it was reported in the studies that 50% of people who use statins, have less chance of death from heart disease, but in fact the study showed that this proportion is 2/100.

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Some important questions about cholesterol

A study with people long-lived, that is, people who live more than 100 years. It has been observed that in order to survive, you need to have low insulin levels, low triglycerides and high HDL. Cholesterol doesn't even appear in this longevity scenario.

A study at the University of San Francisco showed that a person with low cholesterol levels is more predisposed to infections, that is, their immune system is compromised. Another published study showed that when cholesterol levels are very low, through the use of medication, a person is more likely to develop cancer.

So it is necessary to observe whether it is really feasible to use statins to maintain health. However, this text is not intended to make anyone stop using medications, but is intended to clarify some information.

Such matters should be discussed with your doctor, so that he can assess whether it is really necessary to use drugs to control cholesterol levels. Hope you enjoyed the text. If you want more information and curiosities about Health, search our tab Tips. Hug to everyone.