Statins impair exercise
The trial was called “AIM-HIGH” – Niacin in Patients with Low HDL Cholesterol Levels Receiving Intensive Statin Therapy
and the conclusion went:
‘Among patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and LDL cholesterol levels of less than 70 mg per deciliter (1.81 mmol per liter), there was no incremental clinical benefit from the addition of niacin to statin therapy during a 36-month follow-up period, despite significant improvements in HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. “
And by ‘clinical benefit’ they mean the hard outcomes they were measuring: “death from coronary heart disease, nonfatal myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, hospitalization for an acute coronary syndrome, or symptom-driven coronary or cerebral revascularization.”
… As opposed to many trials that measure ‘soft’ outcomes such as LDL levels and such.
But it is important to realize the trial was using people whose LDL levels were already well controlled. In your wife’s case that may not be true.
And while most cardiologists would agree that you are stuck with statins if you have heart disease, not everybody would. Some believe that diet and exercise can do as much or more than statins — without the side affects….
But, I totally agree with you that no doctor will see the gradual decline that statins may produce and, since those declines are often blamed on aging, the poor person ends up in a nursing home. Actually, for myself, I didn’t even see them… All I knew was that I didn’t seem to have the strength I thought I should have nor the energy — and I looked everywhere, except at the statin, for the cause. But the COQ10 supplement resolved the deficiency and both my strength as my energy returned as soon as I started taking it.
But, to be honest, taking it came from me. NOT my cardiologist, not my endocrinologist and not my wellness doctor. They all said: “Well, you can take it if you want, it won’t hurt you physically, just your wallet…”.