Cholesterol & Statins, The Mechanism Part 2 & 3

In this article, I continue to shed light on Statins and Cholesterol, share a client's query on the mechanism of statins and blood profile and finally my holistic perspective and a way forward.

Statins part 2

Firstly, the basics

Statins.... know your facts.

So many of you ask me this, “What to ask at the consultation?"

(when the doctor suggests you go on a statin)

I believe in empowering my clients/patients with knowledge 

Here is a guide, (the blueprint)

1. Ask them what your 10yr risk is and what the expected benefit is from the statin?

2. Ask them the effects of statins on muscle, liver, diabetes, cognition, mitochondria and effects on micronutrients

3. Ask them how statins work

4. Ask them what the value is of vascular imaging like CAC, CCTA, femoral artery & carotid artery ultrasound

5. Ask them what the alternatives are and what all-cause mortality benefit they have

6. Ask them if they have received any training on cardiovascular risk stratification

7. Ask them if they will respect your values if you decide to abstain

Statins and Cognitive function

Where do we find the highest concentration of Cholesterol?

In the brain. The brain is a mere 2% of your body weight, however, it contains 20% of the body's total cholesterol.

The brain is cholesterol-rich because it needs vast amounts of cholesterol to function properly.

Cholesterol is vital for our memory synapses, responsible for passing neurotransmitters like Serotonin, GABA and Dopamine back and forth.

The Myelin sheath that insulates the brain's circuits is made up of 75% of the brain's cholesterol. If the brain is too low on cholesterol, it cannot function properly, adversely effecting learning, memory, mood regulation and more.

Statins can cross the blood brain barrier. Lipophilic statins like Lipitor, Atorvastatin, Lovastatin, Simvastatin cross more readily into the central nervous system.

Increased permeability into the blood-brain barrier leads to decreased cholesterol levels locally in the central nervous system.

Does this have a detrimental effect on cognitive function?

Studies have shown cognitive decline with long-term use of statins, even in the short-term fuzzy-headedness and foggy memory are common.

Recommended reading:

'Lipitor Thief of Memory' by  Dr. Duane Graveline, former astronaut, aerospace medical research scientist, flight surgeon, and GP where he lays out his personal experience with Statin drugs.

Statins and Heart disease

Heart disease is not about cholesterol and saturated fat. Heart disease is all about insulin resistance. So if you have high Cholesterol you most likely have a Sugar problem not a Cholesterol problem. Indeed the culprit is a diet high in processed carbohydrates that is raising and oxidising your bad Cholesterol, increasing systemic inflammation, raising your blood pressure......Your triglycerides and HDL ratio is indicative of this damage and not an LDL number. (ref: previous article)

It is now apparent that statins not only compromise your hormone production, this is because cholesterol is a precursor to Vitamin D synthesis, steroid hormones like oestrogen and testosterone, it is vital for the function of every cell in our body. Statins lower your Q10 levels, impair your magnesium absorption, cause muscle pain and weakness and may cause cognitive decline.

Statins part 3

Statins: a question from a patient on long term Statin therapy

Question (printed with permission)

'My cholesterol level is and has been very low. The total for the last 2yrs is 117 and 109 in 2022 , HDL is 41 and LDL is 49.

Triglycerides 100. LPA score is within normal limits. I am currently on Crestor 40mg. 

I have had calcium screening every year for a number of years. While my level has remained low or even dropped, my CAC score has increased to 1617!   

I understand  part of how statins work is that they convert cholesterol buildup to more stable calcium.  My question is, with cholesterol levels so low where does the cholesterol come from to be converted to calcium?

My Docs do not know the answer to this question and I have read that it is a mystery why this is the case.'

My response:

Statins are very effective in mopping up cholesterol wherever they find it in the body and as mentioned in the previous article statins cross the Blood-brain-barrier, they effectively mop up the cholesterol in the brain (brain cholesterol is not dietary cholesterol, this cholesterol is made by the body). So even if you are on a low-fat diet and statins to reduce your cholesterol your body will make its own cholesterol for its basic functions like nerve synapses, memory etc (as detailed in the previous article)

I will list below the reasons for this 'mystery'

• Paradoxically, intensive statin therapy is associated with the largest increase in coronary calcification

• Statins reduce the cholesterol plague progression and atheroma by calcifying (hardening) of this plaque

• Calcification of the cholesterol in the arteries is a stable form of the plaque, however the long term, intensive statin therapy that leads to arterial plaque calcification and adverse cardiovascular events remains to be explored further…

• When cholesterol plaques get calcified with statins they do get smaller and more stable, however, the plaques do not completely go away and do pose a risk of cardiovascular events in the long term… 

• When you are on long term Statin therapy the statins continue to mop up cholesterol from your brain and the calcium conversion in the arterial walls continues....

Thus, the wide consensus is that the cholesterol that is being calcified to increase your CAC score is coming from the vital reserve of cholesterol from the brain thereby compromising your cognitive function. 

Conclusion

Statins are highly effective in mopping up cholesterol from everywhere in the body including the vital cholesterol needed for cognitive function.

Statins convert the cholesterol in the arteries to hardened calcium albeit slightly shrunken.

Calcification of the cholesterol in the arteries is a stable form of the plaque, however long term, intensive statin therapy, subsequent arterial plaque calcification and adverse cardiovascular events remain to be explored further....

What is the Holistic solution?

From my holistic nutrition perspective, I advocate that we address the problem at the source.

Cholesterol is vital not only for cognitive function, steroid hormones, vitamin D production, immunity, cholesterol forms the vital myelin sheath and much more. As highlighted previously, the LDL is not the culprit it’s the triglycerides and HDL ratio that poses a risk to the cardiovascular health.

This is a direct result of a diet high in processed carbohydrates and sugar. 

My approach entails, a diet very low in carbohydrates and processed foods, low in seed oils, high in organic sources of protein and fat, time restricted eating, regular exercise and keeping up the micronutrient intake. a regulated daily routine and sleep hygiene.

Overhaul your diet and the chances are you will never require Statin therapy and will preserve cognitive function, hormonal balance, muscle strength and more..