The same happened to me. So I made a few dietary changes that raised my HDL ("good" cholesterol) and changed my doctor's focus from basing her recommendations on my age. In spite of being vegan I still found some dietary culprits and rooted them out, which were, for me, the processed foods, high fructose corn syrup, wheat products, and carb overload. Then I increased all the plant based Omega 3 fatty acids in my diet while lowering the Omega 6.

Excellent!

Your welcome!

I love a man that knows what he believes!

Congratulations on the 28 pounds down! Excellent that you are exercising. If there doesn’t seem to be any reason for the weight loss plateau (and plateaus are normal and frustrating), you may consider talking to your doctor about switching to Zepbound if you are currently on Wegovy. Zepbound seems to be more effective for many people. Best of luck to you!

Your welcome! Hopefully you meant to say “is not one..”

Normal total cholesterol is generally considered to be 200 mg/dl or below. In the study that looked at people with normal cognition, the conversion to mild cognitive impairment was associated with those having a total cholesterol of less than 175 mg/dl and taking a lipophilic statin. In the study that looked at people with mild cognitive impairment, the conversion to dementia was associated with having a total cholesterol below 206 mg/dl and taking a lipophilic statin.

Hopefully the brain fog reversed. Pravastatin is less potent (probably the reason for the fight) but it is well tolerated and one of the lowest risks for muscle pain too.

Thank you so much!💕

Your welcome!

No you don’t need to worry! Total cholesterol above 200 is elevated. I don’t have time to provide the exact numbers they looked at in the studies (I’m rushing off to work) but I saw your comment and I want to make sure you don’t worry.

You don't need to be worried if your total cholesterol was 250 mg/dl. Normal total cholesterol is generally considered to be 200 mg/dl or below. In the study that looked at people with normal cognition, the conversion to mild cognitive impairment was associated with those having a total cholesterol of less than 175 mg/dl and taking a lipophilic statin. In the study that looked at people with mild cognitive impairment, the conversion to dementia was associated with having a total cholesterol below 206 mg/dl and taking a lipophilic statin.

It's an interesting U-curve. People with very low cholesterol are at a great health risk and do have a high all cause mortality. This may be because people with very low cholesterol often have liver disease or there may be some other reason we don't understand. Folks with very high cholesterol have some higher risks too. I want to be at the bottom of the U-curve. The healthiest seems to be a moderate amount of cholesterol.

Statin users are statistically more likely to develop peripheral neuropathy than non-statin users. In fact, depending on the study you look at, statin users have a 4 -14 times higher risk of peripheral neuropathy vs non statin users. It is an association, and we don’t know why this happens. There are some theories about mechanism of this increased risk, but it has not been proven. There is also debate about which, if any statins have a lower risk than others. Some publications say that hydrophilic statins (plus pitavastatin which is the least lipophilic of the lipophilic statins) have a lower risk. The Lancet published that there was no difference in risk between the different statins when it comes to peripheral neuropathy. These conclusions are different because the studies differ.

Excellent! I am so glad to hear!

Congratulations!! Yes, it is healthier to have extra skin vs extra fat! I would bet that you are right about responsiveness being tied to a gene. Thank you for sharing your success with us!

Your welcome!

Glad it was helpful!

I think that the key to understanding all of these results is that individual variation is probably not adequately taken into account by studies of a typical magnitude.

In my opinion, both of these are true. I did say this in beginning of the video, but probably easy to miss it. Statins in general, are associated with a decrease in dementia for the population in general. When you pull out the small group of patients that have normal cholesterol levels, that is when you see an association with lipophilic statins increasing risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Since both of these are "associations" that means there is no proof / no cause -effect that has been proven. In my opinion, someone with high cholesterol and risk factors should take a statin and they can take any statin. They may not only be decreasing cardio risks, but they may possibly be decreasing dementia risk. Bottom line to me is: high cholesterol =any statin; normal cholesterol + risk factors =hydrophilic statin. This is simply my interpretation of the studies. When we see studies that say otherwise, I will change my stance.

@@veena-usaThis recent meta-analysis suggests that the implications of elevated LDL may need to be assessed in conjunction with the macronutrient composition of the diet: "Increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol on a low-carbohydrate diet in adults with normal but not high body weight: A meta-analysis".

I will check it out!

Thank you for this suggestion. NNT and Relative Risk vs Absolute Risk are both important to understand.

Brain fog is a documented side effect of statins and can occur quickly. It probably feels like dementia but it is not considered dementia. Fortunately, brain fog is reversible upon stopping the statin. Dementia, with some exceptions, is not reversible. I wanted to include a mention about brain fog in my video, but I didn’t because I didn’t want to make things confusing. I am hoping that when you stopped the statin, you returned to baseline cognition. If you have a chance to respond, I would love to know how your doctor handled it and what, if anything, did they switch you to?

I definitely believe that if we can achieve healthy cholesterol, weight, etc... with our food, natural supplements and lifestyle, then it’s the best way to do it. There’s something about Red Yeast Rice that you may not realize. It is created through fermentation and during that process, several statin and statin-like molecules are naturally created during this process. One of the statins that is naturally produced is the same molecule as Lovastatin, a prescription statin. However, the amount of Lovastatin in Red Yeast Rice is lower than in the prescription version and usually contains less than 10mg per serving. I am glad you found a natural alternative that is helping you to have a healthy cholesterol level!

But you actually lost substantial weight I'd say

@@RichRich1955 The cholesterol dropped in 6 weeks . The weight loss was gradual.

Congratulations! You are amazing!

Neither Praluent nor Repatha has been shown in studies to be associated with decreased cognitive function. There was a study a few years ago with Repatha that looked into this. However, we should be aware that these medications are fairly new. Additionally, it would be much less likely to be used by someone with normal baseline cholesterol.

@@veena-usa thank you for answering. Sorry. What does that mean when you say that it's less likely used by someone with normal baseline cholesterol? What significance are you alluding to that I missed?

The reason I mentioned that PSK9’s are less likely to be used by someone with normal baseline cholesterol is because they are usually prescribed for a condition called Familial Hypercholesterolemia which is a genetic condition that causes very high levels of LDL (bad cholesterol). This may or may not be important. I mentioned it because I was comparing it to statins, which have only been shown to be associated with dementia in people that have normal baseline cholesterol. At this point, I have no reason to believe that PSK9’s have any association with dementia for anyone.

This is not an easy question to answer, and it will vary widely for individuals. There are 3 different things we could possibly be talking about: 1. Brain fog 2. Mild Cognitive Impairment 3. Dementia Brain fog is a documented side effect of statins and could come on quickly. It is reversible upon stopping the statin (just as muscle pain is reversible) but it may take up to several weeks. Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia are not considered side effects of statins. This is an association found in the study with a specific population and the science has not proven the link. At this time, I can say this: dementia is not reversible -with the exception of uncommon cases (such as vitamin B12 deficiency and a few others). Mild Cognitive Impairment is typically thought of as the step before dementia. It can be a long, subtle and slow process. My most accurate answer would be to say that not only do we not know if statins contribute to it (although it seems they could), but also, we do not know if this could be reversed. I have heard of case studies where it was reversed, but that is a whole topic in itself.

What about PK9 inhibitors? Any link to dementia or cognitive impairment?

Neither Praluent nor Repatha has been shown in studies to be associated with decreased cognitive function. There was a study a few years ago with Repatha that looked into this. However, we should be aware that these medications are fairly new. Additionally, it would be much less likely to be used by someone with normal baseline cholesterol.

Brain fog is a documented side effect of statins and is actually considered different from dementia and it IS reversible upon stopping the statin. I wanted to address the “brain fog” phenomenon in the video but I didn’t want things to get too long and confusing. I am glad you brought it up.

Nexletol (bempedoic acid), is the only non-statin medication that I am aware of that is also FDA approved for primary prevention of cardiovascular events (heart attack...). Without a study, we have no idea if it would or would not be associated with increased risk of dementia or cognitive decline. It is new and expensive but may be ideal for someone that cannot handle a statin and does have both high cholesterol and cardiovascular risk factors. The way it lowers cholesterol is different but be aware that bempedoic acid is a lipophilic molecule.

@@veena-usaThat's wrong. There are pk9 inhibitors too. They work incredibly well and are not a statin. Been proven to greatly reduce heart attacks and strokes.

You are right and I was wrong! What I should have said is that it’s the only non-statin approved for primary prevention. PSK9’s are approved for secondary prevention and familial high cholesterol. I just edited my comment and added “primary.” Thank you!!

@@veena-usa umm, sorry, I don't mean to be rude at all. That's splitting hairs and semantics right there. And PK9 inhibitors are not statins. It's a non-statin. Pk9 is my primary cholesterol medication. Never tried anything else.

I appreciate all questions and clarifications and I’m very glad that you are comfortable asking. When I re-read my comment, I think it could sound like I’m splitting hairs. But what actually happened is that you made me realize I made a mistake in my wording, and I appreciated it. Here is what the difference is: Primary prevention means prescribing the statin to prevent a cardiovascular event (like a heart attack) before anything has ever happened. Secondary prevention means prescribing the statin after a heart attack or other cardiovascular event or heart disease has already happened. It would be to prevent a second one. This is where statins and other medications like PSK9’s have the clearest benefit vs risk. Nexletol and statins are FDA approved for high cholesterol and Primary Prevention. PSK9’s are approved for high cholesterol and Secondary Prevention. It’s interesting because you mention that you are taking a PSK9 and have never taken any other cholesterol medication. This is fine, but since they are so expensive, usually the insurance company wants to make sure you have tried and failed a cheaper medication like a statin before they will pay. Since it sounds like your insurance company does pay for it -that’s great! Just in case you are paying a high copay, you can go to the manufacturer’s website and sign up for a copay card. Most insurance companies (but not Medicare), allow you to use manufacturer coupons to reduce your portion of the cost. I realize you didn’t mention anything about cost -I just added that in case it was costing you a lot.

Statins can but don’t always increase glucose levels. There have now been many studies about this effect and the exact mechanism is not certain. It appears that statins can cause both insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion.

You’re very welcome!

It sounds like you have a great doctor! Yes, it’s the HDL ratio that is important. Statins can deplete Coenzyme Q10 so taking it can be beneficial, and I hope you can keep this doctor forever! I am not sure exactly why that particular tea helped you and other batches did not. Years ago, I looked into many natural products that are used to lower cholesterol and I learned at that time that Red Yeast Rice lowers cholesterol because the fermentation results in naturally occurring statin compounds -one of these is identical to a prescription statin called Lovastatin. I am not sure if this is the case with fermented tea because I have never studied it in depth. I am so glad that you are now doing well with a healthy cholesterol level on a lower dose of rosuvastatin and also taking Coenzyme Q10. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us! It is stories like these that help people. Best of luck to you!

You're very welcome!

I just answered a very similar question, so I will copy and paste the answer here also: Historically, patients were treated according to their cholesterol level: high cholesterol = statin. Several years ago, the guidelines changed. Now, patients are started on a statin if their 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) event risk is 10% or greater and at least one CVD risk factor. One example of an “event” would be a heart attack. Some doctors also prescribe a statin if the event risk is 7.5% or greater. This is regardless of cholesterol number. This has resulted in patients with normal cholesterol to be placed on statins. In fact, the majority of patients with diabetes are placed on statins. In addition, a few patients with elevated cholesterol and no risk factors were taken off statins due to lack of risk factors.

Or if they have had heart bypass surgery

@@ProctorsGamble or have coronary artery disease. Or high blood pressure. Or, as the doctor stated, uncontrolled diabetes or high sugar.

​@@veena-usaA recent meta-analysis also suggested that around 40% of patients currently on statins may not have needed them according to the 2023 version of the guidelines.

​​@@theatreforesightUncontrolled or *undetected* diabetes/pre-diabetes....

Historically, patients were treated according to their cholesterol level: high cholesterol = statin. Several years ago, the guidelines changed. Now, patients are started on a statin if their 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) event risk is 10% or greater and at least one CVD risk factor. One example of an “event” would be a heart attack. Some doctors also prescribe a statin if the event risk is 7.5% or greater. This is regardless of cholesterol number. This has resulted in patients with normal cholesterol to be placed on statins. In fact, the majority of patients with diabetes are placed on statins. In addition, a few patients with elevated cholesterol and no risk factors were taken off statins due to lack of risk factors.

Money

​@veena-usa It may also be worth mentioning that the on-line "risk calculator" many cardiologists use to calculate CVD risk has not yet been updated to reflect the most recent (2023) version of the guidelines that allows clinicians to take into account HbA1C, ZIP code(!), etc.

Doc is a POS. Very common now.

They’re usually not.

You may discuss with your doctor to stay on the 2.5mg for another box (4 weeks). The side effects may go away over time. Best of luck to you!

This is exactly my situation. Like I'm on MyFitnessPal and I know from experience in the past, even without Ozempic I should have lost weight already but I haven't at all and I'm so frustrated

@@Potatowedge31 I’m happy to see from the comment section that I’m not alone. At least I know I’m not insane 😮‍💨 many people have said that I’ll need to stick it out to 1mg or even 2mg. Hopefully by then mounjaro is available in my country

Hang in there! Many folks do not lose weight on 0.5mg Ozempic. Hopefully the cravings will soften when you titrate up. Its not fair to you to eat 1500 calories a day and also be starving all the time. However, this can happen sometimes after someone has lost weight and then gained it back. When we reduce calories, our metabolism can slow down. Unfortunately, if we gain the weight back, our metabolism doesn’t always bounce back and then losing the weight again can be much harder the second time. This was a phenomenon that was seen after filming the TV show “The Biggest Loser.” I am not sure if this is your story -I am just guessing. For anyone that is consuming a small number of calories per day, it is important to consume adequate protein of at least 0.8 grams per kg body weight per day. This can be hard to do unless we are tracking the protein. If we don’t consume enough protein, our body may take the protein it needs from our muscles, and we experience muscle loss. I just want to point this out in case it may apply to you. Push through this and get to the higher doses! I know you can do it because you are already calorie restricted and walking 30 minutes per day. Best of luck to you!

If you are on the starter dose, hang in there! If you live in a country that has Zepbound (aka Mounjaro) available, you can talk to your doctor about switching and may have a better response.

All studies show that they do. Haven't you read any of them?

@@theatreforesightTake a statin if you want to live 3-days longer than someone who doesn’t take them.

@@MyPronounIsGoddess read the studies. You're completely wrong. You sound like a person that doesn't believe the studies and does not believe in science. In that case, nobody can help you.

@@theatreforesight Who sponsored and paid for the ‘studies’? How and where were they conducted? Who does the analysis of the data. In what way and by whom were they reported? So naive. No doubt you still believe ‘the science’ behind mandatory lockdowns, a forced medical procedure and that it’s all ‘proven safe and effective.’

@@theatreforesight The studies? Who sponsored these studies and who was paid by whom in these studies? Who conducted these studies, and how were they conducted? Who analyzed the data presented in these studies, and in which way was that data analyzed and presented? ‘Science’ takes multiple forms, depending upon the agenda. If you didn’t learn at least that much in the past four years, then I feel sorry for you.