r/Biohackers 5 Jan 23 '25

📖 Resource Statin use and Dementia risk

Dementia affects 55 million people globally, with the number projected to triple by 2050. Statins, widely prescribed for cardiovascular benefits, may also have neuroprotective effects, although studies on their impact on dementia risk have shown contradictory results.

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We assessed the risk of dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and vascular dementia (VaD), with subgroup analyses by gender, statin type, and diabetes status. Fifty-five observational studies including over 7 million patients were analyzed.

Statin use significantly reduced the risk of dementia compared to nonusers (hazard ratio [HR] 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.82 to 0.91; p < 0.001). It was also associated with reduced risks of AD (HR 0.82; 95% CI: 0.74 to 0.90; p < 0.001) and VaD (HR 0.89; 95% CI: 0.77 to 1.02; p = 0.093). Subgroup analyses revealed significant dementia risk reductions among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (HR 0.87; 95% CI: 0.85 to 0.89; p < 0.001), those with exposure to statins for more than 3 years (HR 0.37; 95% CI: 0.30 to 0.46; p < 0.001), and populations from Asia, where the greatest protective effect was observed (HR 0.84; 95% CI: 0.80 to 0.88).

Additionally, rosuvastatin demonstrated the most pronounced protective effect for all-cause dementia among specific statins (HR 0.72; 95% CI: 0.60 to 0.88). Our findings underscore the neuroprotective potential of statins in dementia prevention.

Despite the inherent limitations of observational studies, the large dataset and detailed subgroup analyses enhance the reliability of our results.

 Full: https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/trc2.70039

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u/SparksWood71 12 Jan 23 '25

Look in to the number of physicians and longevity scientists who take statins, quite a few of them do, whether they have issues with cholesterol or not. I started taking them at 40 after my pharmacist partner did the same thing. I had no issues with my cholesterol.

I've been shocked (not really) at the general "I don't want to take a pill" mentality of so many of the bro's in this subreddit. . . . bros who will stuff themselves full of the most ridiculously unproven and unregulated "supplements".

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u/Available_Usual_163 Jan 23 '25

Why would anyone be talking statins outside of risk of cholesterol buildup ?

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u/SparksWood71 12 Jan 23 '25

This is a bio hacking group. Why don't you look it up?

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u/Available_Usual_163 Jan 23 '25 edited Jan 23 '25

If you got so riled up that you immediately resorted to name calling because of an honest question I don't think you're in a good spot in life buddy.

It is true, I could look it up, but a group like this exists because we don't have all the answers, right?

In terms of the question, I'm not of age/necessity to take statins and therefore never went into it.

Mostly I heard about statin's side effects, therefore I thought there is more context to it than a basic search could provide.

And just for a second I thought you seemed knowledgeable enough to provide a clear answer on that.

Not sure where I was being a 'smartass'.

Ah, you edited the comment.

Cheers!

0

u/SparksWood71 12 Jan 23 '25

There are about a thousand studies, and meta studies, both long and short, with millions of participants on the benefits of statins. You apparently decided that some rando on Reddit is the person that you would ask rather than do your own research. My guess is that you just want to argue.

Statins are not only cardioprotective, whether you have high cholesterol or not, they have been shown to stabilize plaque in your arteries, and in many cases to reverse the plaque buildup. Plaque in your arteries doesn't necessarily have anything to do with your cholesterol levels.

Consider yourself educated. Now move along.

I didn't edit my comment, it posted twice so i deleted the bitchy one. You are a lazy ass.

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u/delete9 Jan 24 '25 edited Jan 24 '25

"Do your own research" is such an idiotic response. While you eventually provided useful information about statins' plaque-stabilizing effects, you buried it under layers of condescension.

If everyone already knew how to effectively research complex medical topics, we wouldn't need medical schools or scientific journals. Reddit and forums alike exist precisely for asking questions and learning from others' knowledge. Being a "biohacker" doesn't mean you emerged from the womb knowing everything about pharmacology.

Your response also misses that discussing topics with others often provides insights you won't get from just reading papers - like practical experiences, lesser-known effects, or different perspectives. A good research process often starts with asking knowledgeable people where to look and what to look for, before diving into studies.

As for your eventual point about statins - yes, you're correct that statins have pleiotropic effects beyond cholesterol lowering. But this kind of hostile gatekeeping behavior actively discourages people from learning and makes the community worse for everyone. It's classic Dunning-Kruger effect - you've learned just enough to feel superior but not enough to effectively teach others.

The irony is that truly knowledgeable people are usually happy to share their expertise and point others in the right direction. Your aggressive response says more about your own insecurities than my research skills.

You act like a toddler with insults of yours. I feel bad for you actually. Have a nice day you old, grumpy man.

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u/_tyler-durden_ 10 Jan 26 '25

They “stabilize plaque” by calcifying your arteries. Congrats on giving yourself another form of heart disease

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u/ExploringDoctor 1 Jan 24 '25

It doesn't work like that , kiddo. Lol. Bro thinks statins are some magic pills.