376. Should You Take Statins? What the Research Actually Shows

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**Podcast Update: It looks like I accidentally switched the terms: absolute risk reduction vs relative risk reduction. Regardless of the terminologies, the point was to see what funny games statisticians will use for marketing pharma drugs (and this happens in a lot of types of marketing...) To see a clear write-up of the absolute risk vs relative risk, you can read an article I shared about it: https://www.nutritionwithjudy.com/old-newsletter/why-statins-dont-stop-heart-attacks/

In this episode, I walk through why statins are prescribed (especially with LDL above 190 mg/dL or with type 2 diabetes), and I explain how statin marketing can make the benefits look bigger than they really are by using relative risk instead of absolute risk. I also cover major concerns I see with statins, including nutrient depletion (like CoQ10) and potential impacts on muscle function over time. Make sure to listen to the full interview to learn more.

• The statin numbers (the what, why)
• Lipitor ad: relative vs absolute risk reduction
• Statin efficacy studies (and risks)
• Statins reduce nutrient status (including CoQ10)
• Risks of low cholesterol
• What to test and track for heart disease
• New book cover
  
  

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EPISODE RESOURCES

• Join the Newsletter
• Carnivore Diet Cholesterol Labs
• Cardiovascular Blood Test
• Statin Use Is Associated With a Decline in Muscle Function and Mass Over Time (PubMed)
• Should You Take a Statin for Your High Cholesterol? (Yale Medicine)
• Lipitor Ad Highlighting Relative Risk Reduction (36%) vs Absolute Risk (3% vs 2%) (ResearchGate Figure)
• Atorvastatin Decreases Blood Coenzyme Q10 in Patients at Risk for CVD and Stroke (JAMA/Arch Neurol)
• Lipitor: Why It Remains the Best-Selling Drug in Pharmaceutical History (Accio)
• Heart Statistics: Cardiovascular Disease Statistics for the UK (British Heart Foundation)
• WHO Mortality Database (World Health Organization)
• Robert Jarvik (Artificial Heart Developer) (Wikipedia)
• Pfizer, Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) print advertisement featuring Robert Jarvik, ca. 2006–2008.

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