The Truth About Statins

Risks and Alternatives to Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs

By: Barbara Roberts

Narrated by: Liisa Ivary

Length: 5 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's Summary

Could statin drugs actually harm you?

Despite the rosy picture painted in the ads of a miracle cure for high cholesterol and its attendant heart disease, the reality of taking statins may be far less pretty. Dr. Barbara H. Roberts, director of the Women’s Cardiac Center at the Miriam Hospital in Rhode Island, discusses both the benefits and health risks of these popular drugs in this comprehensive guide that finally reveals the questionable science behind the research studies. This honest, patient-friendly appraisal of the most widely used medications in the world may shock you, but it may also save your life.

Offering clear-cut, easy-to-understand information in an easily accessible fashion, Dr. Roberts explains how to take the best possible care of your heart, including:

• The keys to maintaining cardiovascular well-being
• How to interpret your cholesterol numbers
• The frightening adverse effects of popular drugs

It is time to take charge of your heart health. Learn the facts behind the hype so that you can make informed decisions on a subject vital to your continued health. If you or someone you love either takes a statin or is considering doing so, you need to read this book.Includes recipes for a delicious and heart-healthy diet, including Wasabi-Roasted Salmon, Pasta with Avocado Sauce, and Lemon-Pineapple Breakfast Muffins.

©2012 Barbara H. Roberts, M.D. (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Good book, missed opportunity.

Dr. Roberts does a phenomenal job writing about the topics she understands (statins) and a sub par job on the topics most doctors never bother to study (diet). I was really impressed by the research until she mentions Dr. Atkins death by heart attack, which is false. He died by slipping in ice and hitting his head. Look it up. It’s obvious she picks the Mediterranean diet to champion and makes very good points but during the section on the study between the low carb, Mediterranean, and low fat diets she skims over the benefits of the low carb diet and barely mentions it. She shows that the Mediterranean diet was significantly better than the low fat diet but fails to add that the low carb diet had overall better outcomes than both diets. Understandably if you’re going to take on statins and big Pharma that is a tall enough order but taking on statins and explaining the benefits of both saturated and unsaturated fats in a diet could be more than anyone’s career can handle. Also being that this book was released in 2013 it is also understandable that she did not have access to all the latest research out by 2021. So I apologize for being overly critical here. This is a very good book and aside from those few critiques I would recommend it. I believe if she were to write a follow up book with new information that is out now her diet section would be much more robust. I for one would definitely read it. As a follow up I would also recommend any book by Gary Taubes, The Big Fat Surprise by Nina Teicholz, Why we get sick by Ben Bikman, and obesity and diabetes codes by Dr. Fung. Most likely in that order. Most of these books mention the same studies as do most books on metabolic syndrome so my suggestion would be to look up the studies themselves so you can gage what each author decides to include or leave out based on their agenda.

Semi correct

So it’s true that a high fat diet lowers your risk for heart attack. I don’t believe she’s done enough research because statements like dr. Atkins died from a heart attack heart totally untrue he died from a head injury from falling on ice.
I believe Atkins was on to something but he had the protein to high. “The art and science of Low-Carb living” is a much better book on how to reverse inflammation and heart disease

A look behind the research

Before you submit to a statin prescription, listen to this book (or any of the many others like it). It isn't an alarmist, tin-foil hat book, but one that presents the research, including the results that the drug companies may have played down or omitted in their desire to push their pills into the multi-billion-dollar market. The information presented here is especially relevant to women, since we women react differently to statins than men do and also have different CVD risks. I thought the author was very fair in presenting the facts. There are some situations in which statins are appropriate; however, to hand them out like candy to a wide variety of patients is dangerous, and the author clearly explains why this is so and how serious the side effects can be. She also explains how the baselines for cholesterol levels were established and what factors need to be considered in your decision to go on statins or not. Excellent book that everyone should read in this day and age of pill pushing.

WOW! Listen to what Dr. Roberts has to say!

This book needs to be read and or heard by all! My Dr wants to put me on a statin. I don't usually arbitrarily do what my Dr tells me with out researching side effects etc. It would for me being a lay type person hard to follow with reading and interpreting much of the numbers, staitics and medical jargon in this book, but did get alot out of the Audio version. Dr Roberts expains the many adversed side affects vs the relative small percentage of helping a patient She also mentions how the big drug companies are pushing their products and what that culture has seem to become with medical insittuions etc BOTTOM LINE! Do what ever you can not to get on Statins!

information that we should all have

Dr. Barbara Roberts is certainly well qualified to address the subject of Statin drugs. She used her expertise to inform and educate us, the public, about this very important subject. In this book she provides the reader with both questions and information to be utilized when we see our prescribing physician. My only complaint is that she has not written an updated edition.

Not detailed on alternatives to Statins given

Was actually expecting information on the alternatives to Statins but missing in the narrative .

Clearly presented review of statins

Eye opening review of how statins got to be so ubiquitous and how the alternative-the Mediterranean diet - is its best and safest alternative. Well presented with clearly spelled out evidence.
Thank you

Educate yourself on statins!

I don't think there's any person including myself that hasn't been recommended for statin drugs as part of our overall healthcare period you'll owe it to yourself to listen to this book and draw your own conclusions. I personally have wrestled to a literal sense with my health care providers because I refuse to take statins. I highly recommend this for anyone who is on statins or has been recommended to go on statin therapy.

Great source for good information about statins

The information about statins is solid. For diet, however, I felt that the author didn’t go as deep into studies about veganism / whole food plant based as she should have but instead got there through a Mediterranean diet. Yes, she likely would have been shunned and not been able to reach as large of an audience if she had boldly promoted veganism, but as the saying goes, “There are two types of cardiologists - those who are vegan and those who haven’t read the research yet.”

self serving

The author gives very good evidence via research interpretation that statins are ineffective but turns around and praises a diet that in studies is shown to have flaws as well. She acts as though she has the magic diet but she misses the point, that she herself states, that metabolic syndrome is overlooked.