1/5 @realDonaldTrump's Crestor and Ezetimibe have his LDL at 51 mg/dL. It looks good on paper, but is it ? Ultra-low LDL may weaken immunity, raising infection risk. His leg swelling from venous insufficiency is also concerning.
/2 2/5 Are statins harming his heart & arteries instead of helping ? Trump has been on Crestor since 2016, starting at 10 mg, increased to perhaps 20–40 mg in his first term, now back to 10 mg with Ezetimibe. LDL at 51 mg/dL may seem ideal, but low CoQ10 could weaken his heart /3

1/4 Statins & Muscle Pain: Class Effect, Not a Side Effect: Statins are widely prescribed to lower cholesterol, but muscle pain is a class effect due to their mechanism. Statins inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, blocking cholesterol synthesis. This deprives cells of mevalonate, /2 2/4 a critical compound. Mevalonate deprivation isn’t trivial, it can damage cell mitochondria, disrupt muscle membranes, and even cause cell death. This isn’t just a “side effect” unique to one statin; it’s a class effect shared by all statins due to how they work. /3

1/9 Chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, and infections such as periodontal disease (p.gingivalis), & HIV, are associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Patients with these disorders also have an increase in coronary artery /2 2/9 calcium measured by CT & carotid intima media thickness measured by ultrasound. WHY ?? Because inflammation & infections induce a variety of alterations in lipid metabolism that may initially DAMPEN inflammation or fight infection, but if chronic, can contribute to the /3

1/8 One of the vital roles of Vitamin C is to act as an antioxidant to protect cellular components from free radical damage. Vitamin C has been shown to scavenge free radicals directly in the aqueous phases of cells and the circulatory system. /2 2/8 Unlike Statins, Vitamin C has been proven to protect membranes & other hydrophobic compartments from such damage. Human subjects with low Vitamin C levels have been reported to have higher amounts of lipid peroxides in plasma than do subjects with high vitamin C levels. /3

1/5 What benefit ? 🙄 The study linking statins’ calcification effect to mortality benefits relies heavily on correlational data, oversimplifying the role of calcification. It ignores thresholds, trade-offs, and confounders, while neglecting long-term risks and contradictory /2

https://twitter.com/AlexJLeaf/status/1954410838951120924

2/5 evidence like apoptosis or metabolic effects. The conclusion, that statins’ calcification is clearly beneficial, lacks robust support & misrepresents cardiovascular disease complexity. A stronger study would directly test the calcification hypothesis and address /3

1/4 Metabolism is how cells "breathe", We breathe air into our lungs so that oxygen is delivered to our cells for metabolism. Anything that obstructs this process "suffocates cells" and CoQ10 is as essential as oxygen.. Skeletal & heart muscle cells have a very high demand for /2 2/4 CoQ10. Muscle cell damage (myopathy) and muscle cell death (rhabdomyolysis) are the most commonly reported Statin injury. Three years after FDA approval of Lovastatin, Merck decided that statin-blockade of CoQ10 synthesis was causing Statin Myopathy. /3

1/5 Statins are widely prescribed to lower cholesterol, but do doctors truly understand how they work ? Relying on "empirical data" without questioning the mechanism of action is a risky approach for patients. /2 2/6 Statins block the Mevalonate pathway, a vital process in cells. This pathway produces biochemicals essential for cell survival and function. Disrupting it does more harm than good. /3

1/7 Nobel Prize winning Neuroscientist Eric Kandel says "We are who we are because of what we learn and what we remember. Who am I, then, if my memory is
impaired ? People who take Statins very often complain about “brain fog’, inability to think clearly, memory loss, /2 2/7 depression, etc. Even the FDA warns on Statin labels that people have developed memory loss or confusion while taking Statins. Statins are - Thief of memory (here’s how): The basic unit of communication in the nervous system is the nerve cell (neuron). Each nerve cell /3

1/4 “Many of the symptoms displayed during the course of Mustafa’s illness—symptoms that eventually led to a diagnosis of ALS, motor neurone disease—are well documented side effects of statins and are listed in the leaflet that accompanies the tablets. /2 2/4 With such similarities in mind, it seems wise to monitor statin-intolerant patients closely and to weigh up carefully whether the disadvantages of taking these drugs outweigh the benefits for these patients. /3

1/4 Animals will keep eating until they satisfy their protein requirements, so a diet low in protein naturally stimulates overeating. This is why the most effective strategy for reversing Metabolic Syndrome is increasing protein while reducing carbohydrates. /2 2/4 This way of eating tends to stabilize hunger and satiety hormones incredibly well. It also decouples your mitochondria so they become active and eager to burn off energy as heat, increases your lean muscle mass, your metabolism, and your bone density. /3

1/6 Back in 2008 nobody prepared me for what I was about to find out about statins. I was naive, trusting, I believed everything people told me, I am longer that person. Researching statins changed all that. It started when my father was prescribed Atorvastatin post a 2/6 minor stroke. The stroke did little harm, but the medication post stroke destroyed his health. I recall my father telling me he couldn't think any more since he was on these drugs, and he also suffered from muscle damage and acute pancreatitis while on them. /3

1/10 I’m appalled at the response @RLauvray
received from his doctor for refusing statins. Telling him to “get another doctor” is lazy and incurious, ignoring potential harms of statins and using threats to push a drug. This can also happen when doctors are incentivized to /2

https://twitter.com/RLauvray/status/1949984209042276841

2/10 promote cholesterol-lowering meds. Rob, you deserve better. Here’s a thread to help you improve insulin sensitivity naturally.
First, diet is key. Adopt a Low-Carb, High-Fat (LCHF) or Ketogenic diet to stabilize blood sugar. Ditch sugars, fruit juices, sodas, /3

1/8 Statins lower cholesterol by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme in the liver that drives cholesterol synthesis. Statins can raise blood glucose and contribute to insulin resistance. Here's how: The inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase reduces the production of mevalonate, /2 2/8 a key molecule in the cholesterol synthesis pathway. This also lowers levels of downstream molecules called isoprenoids, like geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate which are important for cell signaling. GGPP is critical for prenylation, a process that activates small proteins. /3

1/11 Lp(a) is an acute-phase reactant, meaning its production in the liver is upregulated during inflammation, and infections. Statins can increase Lp)a levels, as can mRNA vaccines which induce a controlled immune response, triggering inflammation /2

https://twitter.com/ken_trails/status/1947742911946494197

2/11 to stimulate antibody production.
This is driven by pro-inflammatory cytokines like interleukin-6 which stimulate hepatocytes to increase Lp(a) synthesis. Infections, especially acute ones (e.g., bacterial or viral), trigger systemic inflammation, elevating acute-phase /3

1/6 Balance is critical. Insulin regulation optimizes cholesterol’s vital functions. Cell structure, hormone production, and brain health,while preventing disease.
Insulin has a profound effect on Cholesterol. It turns up the cholesterol making machinery by turbocharging the /2 2/6 activity of the enzyme that actually controls cholesterol manufacturing in your body. This enzyme is called HMG-CoA Reductase. You can improve your lipid profile by simply lowering your insulin levels. By doing so you avoid all of the serious "side effects" of statin /3

1/8 WHAT THE LDL is going on ? "Because the presence of coronary artery disease can be associated with the proportion of small dense LDL, we analyzed the effect of statins on small dense LDL subfractions in persons without CAD. /2 2/8 Unexpectedly, in that analysis, the proportion of small, dense LDL was significantly HIGHER in patients who were treated with Statins. Moreover, there were no differences in CRP, plasma fibrinogen, HOMA–IR, body mass index, or metabolic syndrome between the Statin and /3

1/5 Coenzyme Q10 is an antioxidant, a membrane stabilizer, and a vital component in the mitochondrial electron transport chain. CoQ10 also regulates gene expression and apoptosis (cell death). It is an essential co-factor of uncoupling proteins and permeability /2 2/5 transition pores, and has anti-inflammatory, redox modulatory, and neuroprotective effects. It is essential to life. It can prevent the oxidation of LDL which, when oxidized, can lead to plaque build up and hardening of the arteries. /3

1/6 Modern medicine is akin to an auto mechanic tuning up the radio to drown out the sound of a failing engine. The practice of medicine has completely lost its way. Remedies that treat symptoms and only offer some relief have replaced the search for cures. No one noticed. /2 2/6 However, the problem is much more pervasive and sinister than that. The first & most basic tenet of medicine is "do no harm". That principle has been so utterly corrupted by the drug industry that it no longer plays into the practice of medicine. Bribes are not . /3

1/10 Chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, & infections such as periodontal disease (p.gingivalis), & HIV, are associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Patients with these disorders also have an increase in coronary artery /2 2/10 calcium measured by CT & carotid intima media thickness measured by ultrasound. WHY ?? Because inflammation & infections induce a variety of alterations in lipid metabolism that may initially DAMPEN inflammation or fight infection, but if chronic, can contribute to the /3

1/14 Picture landing on a planet with intelligent life, and they ask, “How do you treat heart disease on Earth ?” You’d likely mention statins, drugs that lower cholesterol. But when they ask, “What’s the cost to your body ? here’s the answer. /2 2/14 Statins block the mevalonate pathway, cutting cholesterol to reduce heart disease risk. Sounds good ? But cholesterol is a key building block for vital biochemicals. Blocking this pathway depletes critical compounds and causes other issues. Let’s break it down./3

1/7 Let’s cut through the noise and stick to the science. Statins block HMG-CoA reductase, disrupting the mevalonate pathway, which reduces cholesterol but also depletes Coenzyme Q10 and many other vital biochemicals critical for cell survival, particularly in /2 2/7 mitochondria-heavy tissues like the heart. This isn’t a statin “side effect” but a direct consequence of the pathway inhibition, leading to cardiomyocyte dysfunction or apoptosis. The truth about the effects of statins on the cardiovascular system is found in research /3