Statins — Magic Bullets or Mass Manipulation?

‘We need to be honest. The benefits of these drugs have been exaggerated. We need to apologise to patients and agree that statins cause complications and may do more harm than good … The world deserves the truth. The best thing to prevent serious heart problems and strokes is a good diet and lifestyle.’ Professor Sherif Sultan, President of the International Society of Cardiologists

We boomers are the biggest target group for statins, since our risk of heart attacks and strokes increases with age. US data suggest that the use of these drugs rises from 17% of 40–60 year-olds to almost 50% of people 75 and older, so these drugs raise a serious question: Are they life savers or life inhibitors?

The most frequent adverse events of statins are muscle fatigue or muscle damage, and memory loss. Yes, muscles & marbles, the very things we want to keep in good shape if we want to live our lives to the full. There are many stories of boomers complaining to their doctors about these side effects, only to be told that their advancing age is the cause rather than the drug.

Other adverse events include musculoskeletal disorders, back conditions, injuries and inflammation in joints. ‘These side effects promote frailty and disability in older adults,’ says Gregory Curfman, editor of Harvard Health publications, ‘and further…