If your loved one is on any type of statin (for cholesterol ) have them STOP taking it now. It cuts off the cholesterol to their brain which is making everything worse. Our brains literally need this to survive and thrive. This is the worst med anyone can take
My Mom lived on cake , cookies , ice cream , took statins late in life and not regularly . She had a stroke and Dementia .
I was told by my primary that high cholesterol is 70% genetics , 30% diet .
My brother did not take statins ( or go to doctors ) until after his heart attack that he had in his late 50’s . He’s now 72. No dementia yet .
I don’t believe there is a clear cut answer that works for everyone .
For another: most doctors work within groups and clinics, so it'd be doubly difficult to give them any sketchy money -- it'd have to be to them personally, which would be super obvious and risky. Even at conventions, the tschochke giveaways, or what the med-techs pay for, are scrutinized by their own legal departments. They spend way too much money on R&D and launching meds, devices and services to risk paying off one doctor here, another there. That's small potatoes. Most practices don't even allow the pharma reps in to talk to docs and give free samples...not sure they even do this anymore.
And Doctors get cutbacks for prescribing certain medications.
So its a choice. You always balance the pros and cons. Its like any Medication, we each have different experiences. My GF has not gotten any of the COVID shots and has never had it. I got the initial 2 shots and the booster. I got it.
I feel that this member is giving possibly dangerous medical advice to people.
I caution anyone on AC to discuss discontinuing any medication with their personal MD. Do not rely on members of a Forum to diagnose, treat or give medical advice that may be dangerous to your health.
(this article includes links to studies)
Also:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10892755/
I've got to say despite her history of heart bypass and mini strokes my mother never was on statins until a neurologist suggested aggressive treatment in her 90's, I've always wondered if earlier intervention could have prevented the multiple TIAs that I believe lead to her dementia
I will add that my cousin was on statins for high cholesterol and she developed early onset ALZ in her 60's. She just turned 71 and is already bedridden and won't open her eyes. She's the only family member to get early onset dementia, that we are aware of.
But in science, correlation is not causation, which means this anecdote doesn't prove anything. In my extensive Italian-American family many of us have high cholesterol and no one has a history of heart disease or stroke. My Aunt just passed away at 105 (with all her mind) and her cholesterol was tested often in the past decades: it was always about 240-270. My 95-yr old Mom is currently about 260, mine is about 240 and our good cholesterol is also high. There were 8 siblings and they all lived into their 90s healthily. I told my primary doc to never talk to me about statins -- not because I am 100% convinced about the link to dementia but because there's no history of heart disease in our family despite high numbers so why take a med for a problem that doesn't exist?