There are literal billions of dollars made every year prescribing statins to “lower” cholesterol. The problem is that cholesterol is necessary for life, that it is synthesized by the body and that most forms of it in the body are either benign or helpful. Worse is that the standard three-panel test for cholesterol (LDL, HDL and Triglycerides) is worthless because the triglyceride number is not directly measured and only one subtype of LDL is harmful in the body! The only meaningful test is one that is much more expensive and thus rarely used. At the same time statins have a litany of side effects that are in and of themselves dangerous, including cognitive impairment and muscle damage(Rhabdomyolysis, Myositis), some of which can be permanent.
Cholesterol is necessary for cellular metabolism and there is no evidence that the presence of high blood cholesterol levels causes hardened arteries. There is, however, plenty of evidence that inflammation leads the body to respond by attempting to encapsulate the inflammed tissue — this is the ordinary and normal response that heals injuries. Many studies, including recent ones out of UCLA, indicate that cholesterol is NOT accumulating on the inner lining of arterial walls but WITHIN the walls itself. Considering cholesterol is a very poor infiltrator of tissue via blood, it appears it’s presence within the walls is a systemic/genetic issue causing said arterial inflammation.
Obesity is without question a major factor in heart disease and stroke. Obesity is also a major factor for high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. In short if you’re fat the odds are all tilted the wrong way when it comes to your health in both coronary and stroke-risk factors.
Finally, statins also carry warnings that high blood sugar and TYPE 2 DIABETES are possible side effects.
Thank you for posting that.
I read somewhere that cholesterol is a building block for hormones.
Not just estrogen or testosterone but adrenal and most importantly, imo, THYROID hormone.
If thyroid hormone is deficient NOTHING in the body is going to work correctly.
All of the hormones work together in the body.
Everyone is different.
That leads me to believe that maybe some people might actually need more cholesterol than others.