Statins are the most prescribed cholesterol drug in America, and probably one of the most argued about at dinner tables everywhere. Rally — a self-described squeaker-by of high school biology — breaks down the latest research, the unusual “nocebo effect,” and why your doctor’s opinion still matters more than your neighbor’s. This one’s worth a listen before your next checkup.
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Rally:
Hey there Beautiful People, thanks for stopping by the Silver Beast Podcast!
Rally Preston here. Your 70-year-old podcast host – who has higher than normal cholesterol.
Now it’s not off-the-charts, but up there enough my doctor strongly suggested I take a statin drug to keep it down.
Now, like a lot of older adults I’m sure, I was kind of hesitant.
Statins… I’ve always heard not-so-great things.
But you know, I just took a deep breath, and said OK. I mean, he has a medical degree, right? Me? I barely squeaked by high school biology.
So I’ve been on statins for a couple of years.
Well let me get to the point here…
…so every few months I pick up my script, the statin, at Walgreens, bring them home, and my wife…almost always…gives me that look like: “Are you really gonna keep taking those?” Like they’re strychnine or something.
And you know, she’s not wrong to wonder, honestly.
She’s heard things about statins. We all have, you know.
So I wondered, what does the research actually say about taking statin drugs…not the noise out there…not what your neighbor says, or social media, or even your spouse says.
But before we go there…let’s make sure we’re on the same page.
So statins are the most commonly prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs in America. Some of the most common ones are Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor.
Basically, here’s what they do: they keep your liver from making too much LDL cholesterol — that’s the “bad” kind — the stuff that could build up in your arteries and can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Now here’s an interesting stat I didn’t know: Close to a third of American adults over the age of 40 take a statin. Maybe that explains the long line at my Walgreens.
So statins, are definitely mainstream now. Been around for decades. Pretty sure my dad was on one.
Alright, lets get to the research…
So it seems when it came to older adults, those 75 and up, the research was, I don’t know, a little fuzzy I guess.
Older adults showed up in some of the big studies early on. We’re talking mainly the 1980s to late ‘90s…but they were underrepresented.
And as far as taking statins as primary prevention — meaning, to prevent a first heart attack or stroke in someone who hadn’t already had one — the data on older adults was pretty thin.
The medical guidelines were clear enough for middle-aged adults at this point.
But for the 75+ crowd, not so much. It was up to the doctors to use their best judgment – without a ton of hard evidence yet.
So let’s fast-forward to the latest research…what are they saying now?
Well, looks like good news for us older adults on statins…
A big study published in 2024 — out of the University of Hong Kong and Harvard — looked at over 80,000 older adults who were on statins to prevent heart disease. Huge study.
Here’s what they found:
Adults between 75 and 84 who stayed on their statins reduced their risk of cardiovascular disease by 21%.
And for adults 85 and older? That number jumped to 35%.
And by the way, this came without any increase in serious side effects compared to people not taking statins.
So the skeptics saying “they’re too risky for older people” – well that doesn’t seem to jive with the latest data.
And then in 2025, the National Lipid Association and the American Geriatrics Society released a consensus statement basically saying: the benefits of statin therapy in older adults outweigh the risks.
Of course, this doesn’t mean statins are right for every one over 70. But it does seem to sink the myth that statins are dangerous or useless for older adults — in general. Just going by the numbers.
Okay, good so far…
But what about this: the side effects of statins? That’s what most of us are worried about, right?
Well, the most talked-about one is muscle pain — soreness, achiness, sometimes weakness, usually in the bigger muscles. Arms, thighs, hips, shoulders, and buttocks mainly.
I looked into it…and thought this next thing was interesting.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the actual risk of developing muscle pain from statins is about 5% or less. So that’s five people out of a hundred. Ok.
But get this…surveys of statin takers show something else: around 30% of them report muscle pain.
So…that’s a pretty big jump.
Five percent or less may experience pain says the Mayo clinic.
But 30% of statin takers report pain.
So…what’s going on there?
Well, here’s the explanation from the researchers. They said – and I’ve never heard of this before – the much higher reports of statin-caused pain might be due to the “nocebo effect.”
You’ve heard of the placebo effect, right? That’s where you take a sugar pill, and you feel better only because you expect to feel better.
So the nocebo effect is the exact opposite…
You take a statin, you expect to feel bad from everything you’ve heard, and…guess what? You feel bad.
There was this study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and they say the nocebo effect could account for up to 90% of the muscle pain people report with statins.
That’s a lot. Ninety percent are just imagining the pain? Or the pain could be due to something else not related to statins.
So this is interesting.
Now, look — that doesn’t mean if you’re on statins and hurting, it’s all in your head.
But I guess, if I want to blame my aches and pains on my little pink Pravastatin pill…I should maybe consider I’m 70, and yeah it could be just I’m getting older. Hmmm…maybe.
But here’s the important thing here — if you think your statin is causing you problems? You don’t want to just quietly stop taking it. You should absolutely check with your doctor…and here’s why:
Because there are medical options these days. Like trying a different statin. Maybe you can get your dose lowered, or take it every other day… but don’t play doctor yourself, see a real MD.
So all this talk about statins…the good, the bad, the maybes.
I think the takeaway here points to something bigger.
And that is…not making major health decisions based on secondhand information. Or a scary headline. Or what your neighbor said. Or in my case, getting the side-eye from your spouse.
You know, anybody with a smartphone can hit up Google, or Facebook, or whatever and give you their instant opinion. “I saw it on TikTok, it must be true.”
Yeah, no thanks.
I have a doctor’s checkup coming up soon…and I’m going to ask my doc some questions. I’m going to get my co-pay’s money’s worth this time.
I’m going to ask him: Is this statin still right for me? What are my options here? What are my risk factors? You know, things like that. Most doctors, I think – at least the good ones – want their patients engaged like that. So don’t be afraid to ask questions. That’s why they make the big bucks.
Alright, so with that last bit in mind, here are your Silver Beast action steps for today.
Action Step One: If you’re on a statin and wondering if you should still be taking it — don’t just stop taking it on your own. Get an appointment with your doc. Bring your questions. Be specific. That’s the smart move.
Action Step Two: Like we talked about, if you’re having muscle aches and blaming it on your statin — let your doctor know, but just keep in mind it might not be the statin’s fault. It could be that “nocebo” effect. There’s a lot going on in older adult bodies…let a professional help you sort that out.
Action Step Three: Next time someone tells you statins are bad and you should get off them immediately, just smile and nod. They mean well, I’m sure. But then again, if they don’t have a medical degree hanging on the wall, get a second opinion from a real doc.
Action Step Four: This one’s for the spouses and skeptics. Those of you who have someone you love on a statin, and you have serious doubts, ok — maybe pump the brakes a little on that, will you? The research says these drugs are helping a lot of older adults. Their doctor put them on it for a reason.
Alright, Let’s wrap this up Silver Beasties.
And for this episode, let me be clear… I’m not a doctor, and nothing I say here should take the place of real medical advice from someone who actually went to doctor school — which I definitely did not. Much to my mother’s disappointment.
OK, this is Rally Preston, reminding you that getting older is not for the faint of heart. But with the right info and a good doctor — we’ve got this!
Hey, I’ll see you next time on The Silver Beast Podcast. Take care!