Noncardiac Benefits of Statins Found Lacking

Another shelf-life expired. It is so much better to be fit than sick.

Claims of unintended benefits of statins appear to be largely unsubstantiated and known risks -- including liver and renal problems and myopathy -- confirmed, British researchers concluded based on findings from a large prospective open cohort study.

The study involving more than two million people, "largely confirmed other studies that reported no clear association between statins and risk of cancers," Julia Hippisley-Cox, MD, and Carol Coupland, MD, of the University of Nottingham in England reported online in BMJ.

The sole exception was esophageal cancer, the risk for which appeared to decrease with statin use. Men and women on simvastatin, for instance, had a 31% reduced risk of the disease (95% CI 0.50 to 0.94), and men on atorvastatin had a 27% reduced risk (95% CI 0.55 to 0.96).

On the other hand, they found that statins were associated with an increased risk of moderate or serious liver dysfunction, acute renal failure, moderate or serious myopathy, and cataracts.

To get fit, go here.

Do yourself a favor.