"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
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In this groundbreaking book, GP Malcolm Kendrick exposes the truth behind
the hype, revealing: high cholesterol levels don't cause heart disease;

Apart from some of the media, I don't think anyone has claimed they do. The
main concern until very recently has been atherosclerosis. High levels of
LDL cholesterol can be shown to increase the risk of atherosclerosis and
atherosclerosis can lead to heart disease, angina and strokes. Therefore,
high cholesterol levels do increase the risk of heart attacks, but cannot be
said to cause them.

A report published last month also shows that statins halve the risk of
heart attacks in people with high levels of a protien called CRP,
irrespective of their cholesterol levels. Stains also help to keep the
artery walls smooth, reducing the risk of atherosclerosis, and to make blood
platelets less sticky, reducing the risk of harmful blood clots if it does
occur.

High cholesterol levels also may be linked to the development of Alzheimer's
disease, although it is too early in the research to decide whether lowwer
cholesterol reduces the risk.

... and, the protection provided by statins is so small as to be not worth
bothering about for most men and all women.

Again, this is quiet a complex subject. The evidence is thaat the amount of
reduction in cholesterol levels may be more important than the final level.
However, with a drop from 4.5 to 2.9, on a fairly moderate dose, I am very
happy with the result of taking them myself.

Statins have many more side affects than has been admitted ...

All drugs have side effects, most being very rare, but few include reducing
autoimmune disease, reducing transplant rejection, improving bone strength,
or reducing the risk of developing diabetes.

Colin Bignell