Marijuana is an example of a gateway drug, because it encourages the use of other drugs in the future. Which may or may not be true; but if that’s the case, you could make the same argument for statins.
The only difference being, the statins come from the trusted guy in the lab coat, while the marijuana comes from the sketchy guy in the trench coat.
Not to mention, only one has disastrous side effects that will kill you (Hint: it’s not the weed).
Though I guess there’s one more difference, in that marijuana has become more difficult to get, while statins have become easier to get. A reality that’s not really funny at all, when you understand what they’re doing to you and your loved ones. Compared to marijuana that may actually make most of us feel better with no serious side effects.
…other than a couple stoners buying nicer houses than doctors, government officials, and pharmaceutical reps.
We touched briefly on the problem with statins in Eat Meat And Stop Jogging, citing the 900 research studies outlined in the American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs showing adverse side effects. But more importantly, highlighting the fact that they do absolutely NOTHING for the one thing they’re designed to prevent – Heart Disease.
“The incidence, per capita, of heart failure has more than doubled since cholesterol-lowering statin drugs were introduced in 1987.”
Largely because they’re designed to lower cholesterol – which has no association with heart disease – and the only true ‘benefit’ comes from their minimal anti-inflammatory effects – which could be achieved to a far greater extent (and without side effects) using fish oil supplementation.
Truth be told, any positive reductions in heart disease over the last 50 years can easily be explained by less smoking.
But all that being said, the worst thing about statins is that they’re the gateway drug to anti-depressants. Because despite what conventional wisdom and your statin pushing doctor will tell you, our brain NEEDS cholesterol, and low cholesterol levels are associated with everything from poor cognitive performance and depression, to dementia, neurological disorders, and even suicide.
Or as psychiatrist, Emily Deans, explains in her VERY interesting article for Psychology Today:
“…cholesterol depletion is known to impair the function of the serotonin 1A receptor, the serotonin 7 receptor, and reduces the ability of the serotonin transporter to move serotonin in and out of the synapse. It is interesting that low serotonin in the spinal fluid is also associated with suicide, impulsive acts, hostility, and aggression – and low serotonin in the spinal fluid is associated with low cholesterol.”
Call it speculation if you want, but it’s hard to ignore the positive linear relationship between the rise in depression and increase in statin use. Which also coincides with the rise in pharmaceutical stock for both statins and anti-depressants.
….and not surprisingly, the sky-rocketing success of Viagra and hormone replacement therapy.
Why?
Because along with starving the brain of nutrients, antioxidants, and fatty-acids that fuel neurons and support cell membranes, we’re eliminating the precursor for vitamin D and sex hormones (like testosterone).
Leaving us with the sex drive and mortality rate of a 90-year old (no offence to the old guys).
The average testosterone level of a middle aged man today is down 22% from 20yrs ago!
All jokes aside, this is the Pharmaceutical Hat-trick – cholesterol drugs, anti-depressant drugs, libido drugs – and realistically, it’s no joke at all. The pill pushers know that statins are the gateway drug, and they’ll continue lowering the minimum standards and encouraging precautionary screenings to get you to start taking them:
- Statins used to be prescribed for someone with a total cholesterol of 240 that smoked and was inactive. In the mid 80’s, the second two risk factors were removed, and doctors could now prescribe cholesterol-lowering meds to anyone with a total cholesterol of 200 (it’s now 180!).
- Prior to 2004, a 130-milligram LDL cholesterol level was considered healthy, now it’s less than 100 for those with an average risk and below 70 for high risk!
Regardless of how ridiculous and disturbing it is:
- The American Academy of Pediatrics now prescribes statin (cholesterol-lowering) drug treatment to 8 year old children, and recommends screening to children as young as 2!
But I guess all we can do is hope that people (and parents) keep getting educated, continue to heal themselves with nutrition, and start outperforming the (ever-declining) minimum standards. Because regardless of what doc says (or Big Pharma tells him to say), cholesterol has never been associated with heart disease, lowering cholesterol does not prevent heart disease, and the gradual rise in cholesterol with age appears to be protective:
“…individuals who survived beyond age eighty-five, especially those with high cholesterol, may be more robust.” -National Institute of Health
Stay Lean!
Coach Mike
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