Evidence On The Dangers Of Lowering Cholesterol Dates Back 20 Years - Briffa

Evidence On The Dangers Of Lowering Cholesterol Dates Back 20 Years

by Dr John Briffa
The Cholesterol Truth

Is cholesterol reduction a good thing? Many doctors and health authorities would answer an unequivocal ‘yes’ to this question, but what does the evidence show. Previously on this site I have shared evidence which strongly suggests that cholesterol reduction, per se, is not necessarily good for our health, and may even be hazardous. Last week’s blog post reported on drugs that, although effective for cholesterol, have singularly failed to improve health and may even have hastened some people’s demise.

This information is not new. Evidence dating back more than 20 years revealed precisely the same thing. Take for instance this study that was published in the British Medical Journal. It assessed the impact of dietary and drug interventions to reduce cholesterol on the overall risk of death, as well as death from specific causes, in men. Average treatment time was about 5 years.

Here’s a summary of the results of this review:

Studies of dietary interventions for cholesterol reduction found:

• No reduction in overall risk of death

• No reduction in the risk of death from heart disease

• A 62 per cent increased risk of death from cancer

Studies of drug interventions for cholesterol reduction found:

• No reduction in overall risk of death

• No reduction in the risk of death from heart disease

• A 75 per cent increased risk of death due to ‘non-illness’ causes such as accidents and suicide

When the results of all studies were pooled together, the evidence showed:

• No reduction in overall risk of death

• No reduction in the risk of death from heart disease

• A 43 per cent increased risk of death from cancer

• A 76 per cent increased risk of death due to ‘non-illness’ causes such as accidents and suicide

How ever we try and spin these results, they’re pretty dire, I think. Of particular note is the link between cholesterol reduction and non-disease-related death. Why is it that cholesterol reduction seems to make people more prone to death due to accidents, suicide and violence? Well, cholesterol is a natural and important brain constituent, and depleting cholesterol in the body may affect brain functioning and behaviour. It may make people more depressed, for instance, or more aggressive and impulsive.

The authors of the review conclude like this: “The association between reduction of cholesterol concentrations and deaths not related to illness warrants further investigation. Additionally, the failure of cholesterol lowering to affect overall survival justifies a more cautious appraisal of the probable benefits of reducing cholesterol concentrations in the general population.”

I think it would serve us well to take heed of this advice. I wouldn’t rely, though, on the medical and scientific community to take an objective stance on cholesterol reduction. However, as information becomes more widely disseminated, I won’t be surprised to see increasing numbers of people reject the cholesterol hypothesis and the notion that they must drive their cholesterol levels down.

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