Statins and Your Brain Health 

Let me tell you my story. My doctor started me on Pravastatin about 13 - 14 years ago. I had no problems with BP and no other health issues, other than mildly elevated LDL, according to the medical industry. My dad died at 55, but he smoked, used alcohol and ate unhealthy...etc. But because he passed away at 55, my doctor wanted to start me on statins. He said he took them and they were safe...so I believed him. I started those around age 44-45. I walk at least 1 mile every other day, when possible. Around age 55 I started noticing my lower leg muscles (both legs), right along my shin bones, were like rock hard and felt numbish...for lack of a better description. This went on for a couple of years and I would complain at each doctor's visit I had. He chalked it up to "shin splints"...even though it seems to get better when I walked...kind of the opposite of "shin splints". After continuing to complain...he ran about every blood panel he could, as a general dr., found nothing. I then went to an Arthritis doctor, he ran about every blood test he could, found nothing. I went an orthopedic specialist, did all kinds of X-Rays and found nothing. By now, I was starting to have tightness in my shoulders and across the top of my chest and lower neck area and with all this, it was about to drive me nuts. So, I kept complaining and finally my general doctor ordered at nerve conduction test. The test showed "Peripheral Neuropathy" in my lower leg. I'm like, why in the crap would I have this. Also, my blood sugar levels were creeping up each year. Finally, went to the neurologist, he also found absolutely nothing and he simply said he couldn't explain why I had. So, this past December, I had a visit with a cardiologist, basically to get established. Did the regular stress test...passed fine, did ultrasound...passed fine, did the Calcium Score test and it showed a 61, which was a little shocking to me, even though that is not high, I didn't expect that. The cardiologist suggested I switch from Pravastatin to Crestor. I got the prescription filled then decided to do some research why my calcium score was higher than I expected, before I considered starting this new statin. After doing a very deep dive research into Statin drugs, I found A LOT of alarming information and I immediately took myself off all Statins and scheduled a follow up visit with my cardiologist. What I found was, ALL Statin drugs will increase your Calcium in your arteries and will increase your Calcium score, this is directly related to plaque and plaque buildup in your arteries, if you are not following me yet. My Cardiologist even told me that in my original visit when he gave me the Crestor prescription. He said, "when you go on a Statin drug or increase a Statin drug dosage, it will cause your calcium score to rise". I asked him, is that reversible and he said no. So, that's what originally made the light bulb go off...were statins truly safe or not. I 100% attribute my elevated calcium score of 61 to directly using statins for all those years. Once I came off of the Statin drugs, my "Peripheral Neuropathy" is completely gone. The muscle tightness I was having in the lower neck and top of my chest, completely went away. My blood sugar has dropped and is most mornings either in the low - mid 90's, which while on Statins, it was running 100 - 115 most days...which is crazy, because I am not a candidate for high blood sugar. My blood pressure is perfect, weight is perfect...etc. I'm not telling anyone what to do, but my cardiologist agreed with me, for me to come off of Statin drugs. It was slowly killing me. My cholesterol total usually runs around 250+, LDL around 150-170, while not on statins, but I'm okay with that, your body doesn't make mistakes, it make cholesterol for a reason and your body uses it. What causes Plaques and Plaque build up in SUGAR. Sugar creates inflammation, causes oxidized LDL (which is really what is bad), and all kinds a terrible things in your body.

We lived at our home in Canada for nearly 30 years, and the doctors there were terrible. Most all the issues I have I had to do the research on before I found the root cause, and fix it myself. We have several medical facilities in the states we own, and had a Canadian doctor at one of them that we let go as he was clueless on seemingly everything. We’ve now moved back to the states as our main place to call home base, and I’m nearing 80. I find the American medical industry has greatly deteriorated in recent years. Most doctors don’t think outside their books. I continue to have to diagnose my issue and fix the root cause rather than take a pill for the symptoms. My doctors only want to fix the symptoms, and really don’t know much at all. I’ve lived in 3 countries on two continents, had medical care in 4 countries, and owned medical facilities in two different countries including hospitals and subacute hospitals in the past. All people seem to be getting more ill and are dying too soon. IMO, it’s a multifaceted problem, but near the top of the reasons are government’s regulations, socialized medicine, timid doctors who follow the pack and focus on non medical issues, like their malpractice insurance, or their personal cash flow or whatever. The best advocate for a person’s medical is themselves, unless they are mentally challenged. Nearly all my medical issues began with maximum radiation therapy at an early age and the ongoing repercussions from the damage. But now most my discomfort is from doctors rushing to prescribe me a pill for a symptom and getting angry when I don’t take it, or stop taking it later when I’m suffering from the side effects. Trying to be healthy is a challenge with the destruction of our food supply by profit-focused conspiring men creating foods full of toxins and chemicals, corn syrup and all the other rot, faulty drug prescriptions, stress due to a plethora of factors, and all this and more means we all need to take responsibility for ourselves on our health, educate ourselves as best we can on what’s good for us, go to our doctors to get their opinion, but make our own decisions! Remember, doctors are in a practice, and give us their best guess as they practice on us. Strive to be happy, humorous, looking for the good in everything, and try to pass on to the great beyond while in a good frame of mind, being as healthy as you can, no matter what befalls us!

My dad took Lipitor for around 25 years. By his late 80's he was suffering from a lot of mental decline. He was also visibly uncomfortable with back pain most of the time. We noticed an improvement in his mental functioning when we stopped the Lipitor and the back pain completely disappeared. The brain is 20% cholesterol. Taking a drug that interferes with your bodies ability to make cholesterol is crazy. I am also of the school of thought that the biggest cuprite for atherosclerosis is sugar consumption which leads to metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes etc.

Took Atorvastatin for 4 years with no change in high LDL numbers. After cutting out carbs and sugar, I lost 25 lbs, blood pressure dropped, overall health and energy improved dramatically. Concerned about taking 4 different BP and A-Fib meds daily, some of which had serious side-effects, I stopped the Atorvastatin without telling doctor. Thought I'd probably have to start taking it again but after NOT taking it for almost a year, my next test showed LDL numbers had dropped 80%. I requested CAC scan, which showed good blood flow.

MD prescribed statins for my husband-NEVER mentioning/asking about his diet. We changed his diet and added exercise. He lost weight. Next visit, the physician congratulated himself on 'the cure'... Hubby never filled the script but informed the doc 'about his miracle cure' was self-prescribed and effective.

Say no to statins.. read on. All about the $$$ I had CT scan and MRI. Every two yrs since I had moderate cognitive decline. I stopped my statin and the small blood vessel disease has stopped. No more statins for me.

I worked with dementia patients for years in care homes and 99% of them took statins. I’ve told my GP I’ll never ever take them no matter how bad things get. I’m not medically trained but I’ve seen so many hundreds of people who’ve taken statins go on to develop dementia there has to be a direct link. I’ve known someone who was fine then within 3 months of starting Statins started to experience deterioration of their cognitive abilities. They decided to stop taking the Statins ( not on my recommendation their own decision), within a couple of months they were back to their usual cognitive levels with no problems thankfully, partly I think because they stopped it so quickly.

My cholesterol is over 300. I am not overweight and eat healthy. I’m 67! Female. All other bloodwork was good except for my high cholesterol. Dr wanted me on statin. I started reading about them and decided I wasn’t going that route. Elimanating sugar and low carb is what I hope will work to get my cholesterol down.

I'm a T-1 diabetic. My endocrinologist put me on Lipitor as a preventive. I had terrible side effects. The main one was muscle aches and pains. I quit taking it. My endocrinologist wasn't happy. I'm controlling my cholesterol by eating healthy and exercising. So far. So good. My A1c tests come in at 6.8 to 7.1. I have it tested every 3 months. I've lost 20 lbs and down to 208. My goal is 185. I'm 5'10. My thyroid tests are normal. I take vitamin supplements and sprinkle nutritional yeast on my salad. I use organic olive oil and vinegar on my salad. I'm 71.

OMG. If only I had a psychologist/psychiatrist like this. Amazing! The best unpacking of statins and cholesterol I have ever come across!

After making some lifestyle changes for a few months, I went to see my doctor. He said my cholesterol was okay, but I had to tell him that I hadn't taken my Lipitor for about six months.

Thank you so much for your time and effort into putting this video together . I have been so confused about my health . I am 62 years old Asian who has been healthy all my life , I don't drink or smoke , exercise regularly , happy marriage with fine children , to say that I am not stressed :) . My primary MD for the last 30 years ( he is now retired ) finally put me on Simvastatin 10 mg 6 years ago . My new MD just increased it to 40 mg . My cholesterol is 230 with LDL and triglyceride high also , but not that bad . I now have ALT of 45 . I have noticed memory not as sharp as I used to be . So now I am cutting out all carbohydrate , processed food , fasting 14 to 16 hours . With this knowledge from you . I will try to find a Lipidologist to help me figure out what to do . I am so appreciative all time time you put in to help us . Please keep the channel going for all of us :)

Over ten years ago, I tried Statins but after a few years on the drug I realized the muscle pain and brain fog was because of Lovastatin, so I quit and felt so much better, I was in my late 40's at the time but could never tolerate any kind of statins, as my doctor suggest I try several types, but results were all the same. Over the years my high LDL cholesterol has reduced every year it's gone down little-by-little naturally, without drugs, just vitamins eating healthier perhaps. I stopped obsessing over my high LDL, all my other blood test relating such as HDL and the other were normal. My new doctor told me to relax stop worrying about it, says as long as my HDL was normal, I don't need to take anything. I'm 67 and doing fine.

I've had two strokes and a quintuple heart bypass. I stopped my Statin (Rosuvastatin) and significantly reduced my sugar intake. Lost 10kg and feel much better, both physically and mentally.

I’m going to start following you as I am facing cognitive decline that is being studied in the early phases. We need folks like you for education and support 👍

I tried a moderate low carb nutrition approach (keto). My A1c dropped to normal, LDL well below 100, HDL went up significantly, triglycerides dropped by 50%, and I lowered my BMI to a healthy level. My blood pressure is good with medication. Dietary intervention has been very beneficial for me and kept me off of multiple prescription medications. I’m 71, 6’2”, 175 lbs. i really enjoyed your in depth discussion of the subject. Best takeaway- I’m going to look for a lipidologist.

Thank you Dr. I am 63 year old male. I have eaten well and exercised all my life. Relatively no processed food. Very low sugar. Lots of veggies. No tobacco. My cholesterol started going up in my forties but I was always told that my HDL was still protective because of the ratio of HDL to LDL. Even at 320. However after getting CoVid last year my heart developed an arrhythmia. This led to a complete heart work up including a coronary calcium scan. The results of which were 427! With 50% blockage of two arteries and 25% of two others. My family has a history of Alzheimer’s disease (I am homozygous for APOE4 and mthfr genes) I was put on 10mg atorvastatin and am waiting on a cardiac stress test. I appreciate your video and the work you put into it. It will help me decide the best approach for me. Personally I think it’s related to my high stress and inflammatory condition caused by poor blood glucose tolerance (as well as genetics) my A1C is just on the border of pre diabetic. I can tighten up my diet, change my statin, exercise more and work to decrease my stress level.

I take 1-2 600mg Red Yeast Rice with breakfast and dinner and watch my diet. I had a friend in her late 50's was put on statin and then exhibited dementia symptoms. Went off statins after I found information by a Naturopath MD about symptoms caused by statins. I have refused statins for the last 12 years and am now 75.

Years ago I met at the gym a person who was a retired Pharma representative. The first thing this person said to me after introduction is this “no matter what your doctor says to you, don’t ever go on a statin drug.” I’ve never forgotten that encounter. Since this Covid mess, I have zero trust in doctors.

Thank you so much!!!! I have been living with pain and forgetfulness from statins for 6 months now. After multiple attempts to adjust the medication injections have been recommended of non-stain medication. Reading about the medication the side effects are the same I am experiencing with statins. I am scared and didn't know what to do or where to turn. I stopped the statins and haven't committed to the injections. I had chosen to go with supplements, exercise and losing weight with concerns on what to do. I am so happy for your video. I am pursing finding the specialist and getting an appointment as soon as they can get me in. Thank you so much!!!! I subscribed and plan to be a loyal follower. I am 71 years old and understand the importance of making right decisions and am happier today than I have been in a long time.

Thank you. This was so informative for me. You are very good at explaining every detail. 💕

My GP suggested I take a statin a long time ago for familial high cholesterol . The box insert scared me off. 12 years ago, I had a TIA ( I’m now on low dose aspirin ) I avoided doctors after that. I recently got a new GP. After blood tests he suggested strongly that I take 5mg of crestor for 3 months along with weight loss, nutrition and excercise. I’ve been going down so many RU-vid rabbit holes and psyching myself out. Till finally I said to myself “dude, your 60. You had a TIA. Take the meds” RU-vid and the internet is so full of medical “advice” that is questionable at best and conspiratorial at worst; glad to see that this video was clear and fact based . Thx

So glad that I reviewed your presentation at 73. It’s nice to see somebody remove the Confusion from this topic keep up the good work❤

Thank you for your clear and comprehensive explanation of the 2 types. I am 83 and have taken Crestor off and on over the past few years. Was terrified every time I put my 5mg in my mouth. I take 3 a week and it helps, far from perfect but ratio is good ( I hope). You have eased my mind Dr. Sullivan. Thanks so much.

Thank you for sharing your expert opinion on statins. I very much appreciate all the work you've put into researching this.

I'm 71 female with Lewy Body disease. Was on statin for several Years and had unrelenting body pain especially legs and hip pain and headaches. I stopped for probably 10 years. Changed GP and first thing she did was put me back on statin and I immediately started having terrible headaches . I'm having the hip and leg pain but I can't really blame that for pain as I'm having surgery next month for ruptured disk and damaged spine. The dementia started probably 10-15 years ago. But was not taken seriously because of 2 straigns of Lyme that I had for a long time. I have enjoyed your informative assesment of the satins. I have stopped them again mainly because of the headaches and a good possibility that it could increase the rate at which the dementia progresses. Thank you and I will look for & make appointment to see lipo doctor for a serious evaluation. By the was my LDL and triglycerides are about 225-235.and by the way they never went down more than 10 points the whole time I ve taken them either time and I have 0 placque in arteries and passed each of my 4 stress test with no problem. But I am overweight

This is a very good discussion of statins and cholesterol. Very clear and understandable. Thank you for making this video.

So I randomly happened on your channel. It is of great concern because I have chronic depression issues, as well as a history of epilepsy. Timing wise, one of my doctors just floated the statin medication. I just came off of a medication that I was on for over two years that was causing some very serious neurological side effects. (And I was the one who figured it out!!!) Hearing your research makes me want to have a much deeper conversation before I jump on this. Thank you for breaking it down in a way that it is more understandable for the general population.

Really appreciate you clarification regarding "lipophilic" and "hydrophilic" stating. 20 years ago my family doc prescribed lipitor, which he called the cadillac of atantins, but, after time, I identified it as the source of severe muscle cramps and I believe chewed away my muscle mass. So I quit them. Since I do have family history for cardiovascular issues, and I'm a smoker (don't drink) and my younger brother had a heart attack before 50, my present doc wanted me back on a statin and she suggested minimum daily dose of crestor - which I take every other day. Seems to have brought my numbers down (not perfect, but we're treating symptoms not the root cause - and everybody has to die of something) without the associated side effects. Thanks for this thorough presentation - now I feel much better about thr risk to my brain :)

Thank you for doing your research. I also like the fact that you look for the original documentation instead of just taking what some news article said about a study.

A very thorough and comprehensive review and analysis of the available data. You succeed in communicating your knowledge with depth but also in ways that are readily understandable by those without your training and your presentation provides avenues for self-help that are practical and immediate. Thank you!

My cholesterol was up to 250! Yikes I skipped the statins and increased activity, added Metamucil and quit eating meat. My cholesterol dropped to 190 in 3 months. I’m trying olive oil every day, swimming 3 x a week, less meat, increase veggies plus I have 2 active dogs. I just turned 70😊 Really enjoyed your video presentation .

This was so informative, thank you so much! You blew my mind!

Hi, I just came across your videos today and I am sitting at my desk doing data entry and you are so pretty, entertaining, knowledgeable and caring to explain so much and convey that you want to help people by getting this information out. I have been fighting with doctors, Neurologist, therapist to help me before it's too late.

Thank you so much for taking the time to research & record this video. I'm 70 & on atorvastatin. My doctor just increased my dosage to 40mg last week. I've been concerned about taking the statins for years. Your information has given me more information than my doctor explained. I've lived with the muscle aches for years but thought it was from my back surgery & nerve damage. I'm going to contact my doctor & speak to him soon. Thanks again.

I’m learning a ton from you! Thank you for making these videos;)

Thank you so very much for your time invested in researching these areas and sharing with us! I absolutely love the knowledge you provide. My LDL was just slightly high last month for the first time. I’m an active healthy 58 yr old woman that eats healthy and exercises often. I will implement more fiber into my diet as well as drink more water. Again, thank You!

My opinion hasn't changed according to your presentation--I won't take a statin. I take no pharmaceuticals, and I have no idea what my cholesterol numbers are. Why old people willingly take handfuls of drugs imperiling themselves and their bank accounts is a mystery to me.

Some years ago my husband who had been on Atorvastatin for over a year was admitted twice with a leaking gallbladder and during the second emergency admission also had sepsis. Statins were then stopped until recently when he had an ischaemic stroke in the parietal lobe and statins were immediately recommenced. He was hallucinating and had angry outbursts. More significantly his diabetes became completely out of control despite insulin adjustments. In the 5 months he was in hospital he required emergency treatment for ketoacidosis and the last time his statins were stopped because his WBC was high. A scan revealed a small hole in his gallbladder. He was treated with 3 different antibiotics via his I/V infusion and during the following week his blood sugars returned to normal, his appetite increased and his angry outbursts ceased. He still gets his words muddled and hallucinates but the change in his diabetes control has been amazing. I’m determined that he won’t be given statins again. I’m wondering if anyone else has had gallbladder problems whilst taking statins

Very valuable! It makes me feel much better about starting a low dose of generic Crestor. I will see if I can consult a lipidologist. I subscribed to your channel and am beginning to watch your other videos here. Your ability to detect quality studies is helpful. You make things easy to understand and I appreciate your energy and positivity. I am a new, big fan, Dr. Sullivan!

This was more helpful than all the Dr.s I have talked to! Thank you so much!

I stopped taking a statin as my muscle pain, and weakness progressively got worst. Now that I' listened to what you have gathered through research on memory loss, I can relate my experience of the symptoms experienced as got introduced to statin

Thank you very much for this well researched talk. You obviously spent quite a bit of time on this and it sounds like you have presented the information in a balanced way. This topic is important for me as I was just prescribed a statin. I don’t know what my numbers are as I haven’t done a follow up appointment with my doctor yet. But, the prescription was sent to my pharmacy, which I knew was going to happen. I immediately called the pharmacy and asked them not to fill it as I won’t be taking it. I’m a medical mess served up with a side of disabling spinal condition that causes me intractable pain that makes it very difficult to do the average daily things never mind trying to prepare healthy food. My my two main reasons for not taking the statin is the muscle pain and cognitive decline associated with statins. I really appreciate your conclusion for yourself, dietary changes and exercise as a possible fix. I think we could talk for days on this subject and really end up with lots of different opinions. I prefer a simpler approach and I feel better about my up coming appointment with my Dr. I now have an answer of what to say and how to go forward, for now. Thank you again and thank you to those who shared their experiences ❤

I'm so glad I saw this video in my feed. I love the way the universe works! The NP who works in my neurologists office thinks I should start statins to prevent another stroke. I had a stroke nearly 25 years ago. I also have an acoustic neuroma that is growing into the brain stem and ear canal. The nerve is the tumor and the tumor is the nerve, as the neurosurgeon put it 10 years ago. I have declined a second gamma knife radiosurgery at this time. My last cholesterol check was 2 hours after I ate as I wasn't expecting it. The LDL was 107 and the HDL was 60. I've been making changes in my diet for other reasons, and feel that these numbers are good considering that I wasn't fasting. This video has given me some good information. All things considered, I think that I will tell the NP no for now, especially since, in nearly 10 years of seeing a neurosurgeon and neurologist, neither has suggested it. Besides, it took years of neglect for my body get where it is now. Healing is not going to be overnight, but I'm sure putting my energy into it. Thank you, Dr. Sullivan for all the research you did and for presenting it in a way that I could understand.

Just found you by accident. Both of my parents died with Dementia. I am fearful of having the same problem.

Excellent discussion. Thank you!

Very interesting to hear this neuro-psychologist talk on statins and cholesterol and how they can affect heart and brain. She had nothing to sell also. Thank You. Fascinating!

A year ago I moved from atorvastatin 30 or 40 mg lipophilic to rosuvastatin hydrophilic 5 mg as I had muscle joint aches after tennis. Also concerned about long term memory effect on my brain of former. My cardio consultant had explained to there was a slight risk of dementia which I always remembered.Latter appears to be less invasive so am happy with my gp doctor’s recommendation. All my cholesterol levels are fine as I was always a border line case.

Fascinating video. Thank you. I take a statin, Crestor 5mg, which I have been on for three years. While I did not notice any cognitive changes at first, about one year into treatment I began noticing rather concerning cognitive symptoms (memory, attention, word finding, mispronunciation or words, and worse driving). At the time I was also a daily user of alcohol, which I thought might be playing a role. Almost a year ago now I gave up alcohol and started intermittent fasting; I lost 30 pounds. My cognition improved a lot but the improvement flatlined after the first six months and attention remained a problem. Since last year I use the Cogniciti online brain test to monitor my cognition. Now I am being trialled on treatment for Adult ADHD, which has helped. I think I always had mild undiagnosed ADHD but it seems worse than when I was younger. I thought that perhaps Concerta might improve my Cogniciti brain test scores but it has not. I do not feel that my cognition has returned to what I was before I started on Crestor despite my massive lifestyle changes. Now I am wondering if my cognitive decline might be related to the Crestor, even though it is a hydrophilic statin and low dose. I want to discuss trying to come off of it with my doctor and see if my Cogniciti test scores improve. If my test scores don't improve, or if my cholesterol tests get bad again, I would have to consider going back on it.

I have been holding my bottle of lipitor for about 6 months also. I have some health problems for sure but I'm sick of being given new meds so often and side effects are just not worth it. I love your channel. I learned about you from Neuropathy support advocate in California. I'm sure glad I was taking notes because i'm learning a lot from your channel. Thank you much for all you do.

This is the best comprehensive info on statins, brain health, fiber, different fats than I've ever had the pleasure of understanding in less than an hour. Thank you so much for your time given to putting together research info, studies,etc. It's life-changing for many people I'm sure. I will pass this info along. God bless you!!

This is very timely as I am about to have a consultation with my doctor about my blood test results and cholesterol. Thank you.

I just subscribed. Thank you so much for this amazing presentation. I have taken numerous notes and will talk with my doctor about all of this at my appt in two weeks. My doctor is a thyroid specialist who also monitors my statins. I have many questions to ask him, thanks to you! I understand this much better, and I firmly believe we all need to be our own advocates. I will also look for a lipidologist. I am on a good track to losing weight, eating healthfully including many of the foods you listed, getting my exercise and 7 to 9 hrs of sleep, and hope I can live a long, healthy life. I very much appreciate your straightforward way of presenting all of this. Looking forward to more of your lectures. However, the way you present doesn't feel like a lecture, but rather an excellent, experienced PhD friend letting me know what's going on in the medical field based on scientific evidence and individual results. Thank you!!

3 months post atorvastatin my recent labs had a spike in the ALT went from 11 to 41 High which can affect my liver, my LDL went from 169 to 104. I am not diabetic and have no other issues. I am 5.5 and weigh 140 age 54 having gained 15 pounds within the last two years mostly due to change in diet, sleep, excercise and daily life style. I no longer have a clinic nursing job so no 5 miles a day as the norm. My cardiac and thryroid work up is normal. however the P.A decided to start me on the statin anyway. Although my LDL is lower i am unsure if the statin is causing liver damage or if my recent back strain which had me taking up to 900 mg of ibuprofen twice daily for the past 4 weeks is the cause. I made a follow to see my internist instead of the PA at the cardiologist office. I'm pretty sure Im going to stop the statin, change my diet, increase excersise and repeat the labs in 3 months. I don't want to risk the liver damage.

I can’t thank you enough for all the videos that have opened my heart, body and mind to feeling healthier and stronger every day . I’m 72 years old 😊

This was so informative. Thank you very much.

Excellent discussion! Most informative I’ve ever experienced.

Thank you for sharing, great information & presentation 👏

Ive learned a great deal and don’t fear statins as I did. I know to get to a lipidologist. I eat very clean, maintaining a 100 #wt loss for 15 yrs. I am grateful for your work!

Thank you for the great info. and the balanced view!

What a thoughtful examination of statins. Easily understandable for the lay person. I keep wanting the easy route and am reminded each time to go back to a low fat, healthy diet. We'll get back on the mcdougall cookbook. I know I eat too much sugar, always my downfall. Thank you again for summarizing the way that we can take control of our health by visiting lipidologist and revamping our daily diet. Can't thank you enough.

After refusing statins I started a healthy Keto lifestyle. Because you’re not to eat grapefruit when taking statins I took that as maybe I should give grapefruit a try. One half a grapefruit 4 times a week only raised my blood sugar by a few points. My supper high cholesterol has been normal ever sense.

Thank You Dr. Sullivan for sharing your research with us. Gradually over the past couple of years, I began suffering from many of the symptoms mentioned. I will be seeking the help of a lipidologist.

Salute I have been on statins for over two decades…despite my skepticism. I realized that when I discontinue the medication (max a month) I feel lively and energetic. Yet I always resume the intake out of fear. Now at 70 , dancing on the horn of dilemma with a foot in the grave, I stumbled on your valuable succinct take on the issue. Thank you

Very timely! Thank you for doing all this research and sharing so clearly. I have a question because what you describe as brain symptoms from lypophilic statins are exactly what I struggle with having the neuro-developmental difference ADHD. This is such an orphan in the medical and mental health world and so many more people are being found to have previously undiagnosed ADHD brains, I feel that this population needs to be considered as a group who may have significant cognitive difficulties from lypophilic statins. Any thoughts? If statins will deteriorate my focus, short-term memory(especially this), and brain cell connectivity I will not be able to manage my business or daily functioning because these are areas are already very compromised. I was told by my Dr that I need statins because "we don't want you having a stroke". No mention was made of possible cognitive considerations. It looks like I need to find a lipo-specialist if I want to collaborate for best care. So thank you again for such an informative video. Knowledge is empowering!

I am 76, now on statins, ;high blood pressure med and mini aspirins. Don't feel great. Had two mini strokes. Parents both lived to their nineties on no meds. I stopped eating ice cream. I have pretty much decided to stop all meds at 80. If I have a stroke then, that is it for me. I have had a good life. Give the money that I save to my kids.

Thank you for this thorough talk! I have just gone off Rosuvastatin because of massive fatigue, headache, dizziness. Doctor has put me on Pravastatin, but I haven’t had the guts to take it. Listening to your talk made me more inclined to take it. I am female, 79 years old, pre-diabetic, do not use cigarettes or alcohol, exercise regularly and am in excellent health, or at least I have thought so until now. Blood pressure has always been 90/60 but then has jumped to 124/82 recently. Post Covid? Cholesterol is within normal range, but my family history isn’t great for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. I will eagerly await more info from you. You are like a front runner experimenter with a great brain for the big words and the science that I didn’t follow very well, I am afraid. Many thanks for this video!

Thursday, February 23, 2023, 7:48 PM Wonderful presentation, very informative, I wish I had a transcript of what you said, this would be a great asset to review the content and keep the info in mind. Communications skills were excellent as well, nice and clear presentation.

Statins caused me horrible muscle pain to the point i could not use my shoulder. I went to a spesialist and had imaging done and the doctor asked me what sport activities i had been engaging in because the muscle around my shoulder were so messed up. I told him i had been heavily involved in windsurfing in my youth and he attributed the damage to that. However, when someone told me about statin muscle pain I stopped taking it to see if that was the cause of my pain....very quickly i learned that was the problem. Thankfully the pain has never returned since I stopped taking statins!

I take simvastatin 10mg. I have trouble keeping my concentration, learning, and definitely memory problems. Now I know why. Thank you for your video. A bit long winded but some good new info along with reinforcing what I found in my own research on lipids and stations.

This was very informative and did learn so much more. Thank you for taking the time to share your research and personal decision.

I very much appreciate your summary of the basics of cholesterol issues. I am a newly retired RN that worked on a Neuro Science hospital unit. Also, my sister is an RD MS certified diabetes educator. I really liked your presentation and found it useful! I did not know about the differences in lipophilic and hydrophilic types of cholesterol & how the different stations enter the cells. Thank you for the explanation. You almost went into the Co-Q 10 issue, hopefully some more meaningful research will be done on this issue soon. Thank you for the very nice presentation!

Lowering your cholesterol does not improve life span according to statistics. Actual crease is 0.4%.

Thank you for all the hard work and effort you have put into this statin debate.. I was just prescribed a statin drug as my cholesterol is high and I have one artery that is 50% blocked. You have given me food for thought and I will definitely have a more informed discussion with my family doctor.(A fan from Canada)

Thanks for your time Dr !

Thank for doing the in-depth research! My doctor just put me in a low does of statin, that I didn’t want to take so after I did completely change my diet, increased fiber, and lost 23 lbs. but my overall cholesterol numbers still went up slightly. So, I went ahead to make the decision to take the statin. But, I don’t have a gallbladder and also just found out how important the gallbladder bile is in the breakdown of cholesterol. Your research and explanations, has help me feel better about the direction I am heading for my health and will discuss more with my doctor! Thank you again!

Thank you for this. You asked for experience, so this is mine. I had two stents installed a year ago, and was then given a standard cocktail of drugs - the same ones prescribed for heart attack patients, even though my heart is undamaged according to echography. This included 10mg daily of Atorvastatin. I am 64 years old, and that is the first time I have taken a statin. Over about the same period, I have started noticing memory holes, which I have put down to age: missing words in other languages, chiefly, but also sometimes in English. Names I have known for decades. So now I wonder if I should try either suspending the statin or shifting to a hydrophilic molecule. I will talk to my GP about it, but I seriously doubt if she has the time to keep up with research in this area. Just suspending the statin for three months and seeing if that makes any difference to LDL score might be a worthwhile experiment.

Thank you doc for your commitment… 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

I'm going to change my diet and go back to my doctor and talk about the meds for my cholesterol . Thank you for sharing.

Thank you. I had my first cerebellum stroke on the right side in 2015. Nearly recovered I had a left-side stroke in my cerebellum in 2017. This time, 5 years later I am still using a walker and have disarthria. I read aloud daily to help the latter, after years of speech therapy. I walk daily for the other,

I am 67 yo female, had the particle tests. I took rosuvastatin 40mg for two weeks - I was so fatigued and foggy brained, I could not cross the street. Dr. cut the dose in half, it helped but symptoms did not go away. I also gained weight and had joint pain. I stuck it out for 3 months and then quit. My quality of life tanked! I have been off for 3 months and have still not gotten back to normal. No more statins for me.

Amazingly informative thank you Dr Sullivan, and I feel good confidence since your comments, I believe, were unbiased. Many thanks.

This was very useful and has equipped me to ask the right questions when I see my doctor. Thank You.

Thank you, I now have a greater understanding. I eat a whole food plant based diet and have been since being diagnosed with heart disease four years ago. I’m also on a low dose of Rosuvastatin, 10mg. Familial hypercholesterolaemia, a hereditary condition where your liver fails to remove excess LDL, runs in my family.

Thank you so much for your lecture it is so timely as I have just commenced on Rosuvastatin 10mg for borderline LDLs. I am feeling reassured knowing that I am taking a hydrophilic statin. 👏😊

Thank you, this is really helpful.

I ended up in Hospital with transient memory loss. Never taken statins since. Had a brain scan. No damage, no stroke, nothing wrong at all. Drs finally put it down to combination of statins and dehydration. I Take plant sterols now.

Hi Dr Sullivan, I am on a statin so cannot wait to hear all of this. I also would love if you can do a session on medical marijuana and THC and the brain. The edibles mainly. Thanks. 😊

I think it would be interesting to discuss the relationship between antipsychotics, lipid panel, and brain health. Thanks! 😊

Thanks Doc! Great information!

Having done a great amount of research myself, associated with familial high cholesterol, your presentation was an excellent addition!! I had not come across the difference between lipophilic versus hydrophilic statins, but had decided to return to taking pravastatin - after a 10 year hiatus from Lipitor, due to muscle pain I experienced previously. All to say that, while I do intend to continue my own research, what you have shared greatly reinforces my decision to resume statin use- particularly the hydrophilic type I have chosen.… Thank you!!

Thank you for a great video. I may watch it, again. Doctors don’t have the time to tell us everything like you are able to. I think doctors are like coaches. They give us test results and we need to do our own research.

I am border line as well and decided to take Lipitor. I feel it works well to reduce LDL. You have provided excellent information. Thanks for doing this research. I will be subscribing to your wonderful channel.

I appreciate your help with what to do👏🏻👏🏻

Had to just listen. The audio and video were not synced. I’m 62, take no meds, and had blood work done just as a routine check up. I enjoyed it. Thanks.

Thank you for info ! I am in the same boat.. my ldl has gone up and my MD prescribed crestor. I haven’t taken yet because I want to reduce on my own. I don’t like how MD doesn’t suggest any other options other than drugs.. I believe lifestyle changes will help.

Felt a lot better after watching your video. I’m definitely in the natural is better, however I needed to give Crestor 5mg a try…I’m also adding exercise to my plan. Do not plan to stay on Crestor forever. I’ve always been able to do things naturally…time will tell! Thanks for sharing this wonderful research.

Thank you! Just starting my research on this. Very informative.

Keep the great videos coming! Great information! I will see a specialist if need be. Great idea! I respect my pcp, but there’s so much to know and consider. Thanks so much!

I'd swear you were in my house looking at background. Big yes on your science info. I am never taking a statin when there are so many other options