Higher cholesterol levels in both men and women are linked to a longer life

This study was published in the Journal of Internal medicineVolume 254, Issue 4, pages 353–362, October 2003

Study title and authors:
Total cholesterol and mortality in the elderly

E. Casiglia, A. Mazza, V. Tikhonoff, R. Scarpa, L. Schiavon, A. C. Pessina

Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Padova, Italy

This study can be accessed at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2796.2003.01200.x/full

The objective of the study was to evaluate whether cholesterol levels are associated with death rates  and to verify whether or not this is true for both genders. The study lasted 12 years and included a total of 3,257 subjects aged 65–95 years.

The study found:
(a) Women with the highest cholesterol levels had a 34% lower death rate than women with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(b) Men with cholesterol levels over 4.66 mmol/L (180 mg/dL) and a Body Mass Index above 25 had a 28% lower death rate than men with cholesterol levels below 4.66 mmol/l (180 mg/dL) and a Body Mass Index above 25.
(c) Men with cholesterol levels over 4.66 mmol/L (180 mg/dL) and a Body Mass Index above 25 had a 38% lower death rate than men with cholesterol levels below 4.66 mmol/l (180 mg/dL) and a Body Mass Index below 25.

The results of the study indicate that higher cholesterol levels in both men and women are linked to a longer life.

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Low vitamin D levels associated with higher rates of cardiovascular and cancer deaths

This study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2011 Dec;94(6):1471-8

 

Study title and authors:

Prospective association of vitamin D concentrations with mortality in postmenopausal women: results from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI).

Eaton CB, Young A, Allison MA, Robinson J, Martin LW, Kuller LH, Johnson KC, Curb JD, Van Horn L, McTiernan A, Liu S, Manson JE.

Center for Primary Care and Prevention, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Pawtucket, RI, USA. charles_eaton@mhri.org

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22030222

25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) is the major circulating form of vitamin D and is currently considered the best indicator of vitamin D levels in the body.

This study aimed to determine whether 25-hydroxyvitamin D (vitamin D) levels were associated with cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality in 2,429 postmenopausal women.

The study found:
(a) Women with the lowest vitamin D levels had a 25% increased death rate compared to women with the highest vitamin D levels.
(b) Women with the lowest vitamin D levels had a 27% increased risk of cardiovascular disease deaths compared to women with the highest vitamin D levels.
(c) Women with the lowest vitamin D levels had a 39% increased risk of cancer deaths compared to women with the highest vitamin D levels.

The results of this study show that low levels of vitamin D are associated with increased rates of deaths from all-causes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Vitamin D is only found in foods from animal sources (University of Bristol). The richest sources include lard, eggs, liver, fish, marine oils, organ meats and butter.

Links to other studies:
Can lard and other fatty foods offer protection from peripheral arterial disease?
High vitamin D levels associated with a 40% reduction in colon cancer - Best sources of vitamin D = High fat foods & sunshine

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Patients hospitalised with a stroke with low cholesterol have a 117% increased risk of death compared to patients with high cholesterol

This study was published in the Journals of Gerontology. Series A Biological Sciencies and Medical Sciencies 2004 Mar;59(3):293-7

Study title and authors:

Low cholesterol levels are associated with short-term mortality in older patients with ischemic stroke.

Zuliani G, Cherubini A, Atti AR, Blè A, Vavalle C, Di Todaro F, Benedetti C, Volpato S, Marinescu MG, Senin U, Fellin R.

2nd Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ferrara, Italy. gzuliani@hotmail.com

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15031316 

The study evaluated the association between cholesterol levels and 30-day death rates in 490 older patients admitted to hospital with ischemic stroke.

The study found that those with the lowest cholesterol levels, under 4.1 mmol/l (158 mg/dL), had a 117% increased risk of death compared with those with the highest cholesterol, over 5.2 mmol/l (201 mg/dL).

Linls to other studies:
Low cholesterol levels lead to a 20.2% increase in death rates in those who have had a stroke
High cholesterol levels are associated with a 22% DECREASE in stroke incidence
A direct association between falling cholesterol levels and mortality in men and women aged between 31 and 65 years old

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Trend of increased kidney cancer risk with statins

This study was published in Expert Opinion on Drug Safety 2012 Apr 16

Study title and authors:
Statin use and the risk of kidney cancer: a population-based case-control study.

Chiu HF, Kuo CC, Kuo HW, Lee IM, Lee CT, Yang CY.
Kaohsiung Medical University, Institute of Pharmacology, College of Medicine , Kaohsiung , Taiwan.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22502740

The objective of the study was to investigate whether the use of statins was associated with kidney cancer risk. The study included 177 kidney cancer cases and 708 controls aged 50 or over.

The study found that those who were prescribed statins had an 8% increased risk of kidney cancer compared to those that did not take statins.

The author of the paper, Professor Hui-Fen Chiu, advises; "there is a trend of increased kidney cancer risk" and "it is prudent to continue monitoring cancer incidence among long-standing statin users".

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Men taking gemfibrozil have a 117% increase in cardiac deaths

This study was published in the Annals of Medicine 1993 Feb;25(1):41-5

Study title and authors:

Efficacy of gemfibrozil in dyslipidaemic subjects with suspected heart disease. An ancillary study in the Helsinki Heart Study frame population.

Frick MH, Heinonen OP, Huttunen JK, Koskinen P, Mänttäri M, Manninen V.

First Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8435186

The study examined the effects of gemfibrozil (a cholesterol lowering drug) on death rates in male patients who had symptoms and signs of possible coronary heart disease. The study included 626 patients, average age 49, who were followed for five years.

The men were given either:
(i) 600 mg gemfibrozil twice daily.
(ii) Placebo.

The study found:
(a) The men taking gemfibrozil lowered their cholesterol levels by 8.5%.
(b) The men taking gemfibrozil had 61% more deaths than the men taking a placebo.
(c) The men taking gemfibrozil had 117% more cardiac deaths than the men taking a placebo.

The results of the study show that taking the cholesterol lowering drug gemfibrozil results in lower cholesterol levels and higher cardiac death rates and higher total death rates.  

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Statins increase the risk of gallstone disease

This study was published in Expert Opinion on Drug Safety 2012 May;11(3):369-74

Study title and authors:
Statin use and the risk of gallstone disease: a population-based case-control study.

Chiu HF, Chen CC, Kuo HW, Lee IM, Wu TN, Yang CY.
Kaohsiung Medical University, Institute of Pharmacology, College of Medicine , Kaohsiung , Taiwan.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22243480

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the use of statins and the risk of gallstone disease. The study included 1014 gallstone disease cases and 1014 controls aged 50 years or older.

The study found that those who were prescribed statins had a 14% increased risk of developing gallstone disease compared to those who did not take statins.

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Statin users have a 14% increased risk of melanoma

This study was published in Cancer 2012 Mar 20

Study title and authors:
Prospective analysis of association between use of statins and melanoma risk in the Women's Health Initiative.

Jagtap D, Rosenberg CA, Martin LW, Pettinger M, Khandekar J, Lane D, Ockene I, Simon MS.
Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22434400

Melanoma is the most lethal form of skin cancer. This study examined the association between statin use and the risk of melanoma. The study consisted of 119,726 postmenopausal white women who were followed for 11.6 years.

The study found that statin users had a 14% increased risk of melanoma compared to nonusers.

A research scientist notes that statins are also associated with a rise in non-melanoma skin cancer and liver cancer. See the article here.

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