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Cholesterol, Statins, and Mortality: A Skeptical Look

Harriet Hall, M.D., takes Marshall Deutsch, Ph.D., to task for using mixed data from developed countries and undeveloped countries to show that low serum total cholesterol (TC) levels mean higher mortality. (1) In fact, within the four developed countries alone, lower TC was associated with higher death rate; and this was also so in the two undeveloped countries alone. Cholesterol is highly protective against cancer, infection and atherosclerosis. (2)

Hall also made the argument that, for adults, the medical propaganda recommending screening for cholesterol levels proves its value. There was never any scientific basis for such recommendations. (3) Among the elderly the lethal effects of low TC and low LDL were found to be pronounced. In a prospective study on residents of northern Manhattan, NY, 2,277 subjects were followed for 10 years. Subjects were 2/3 female and also about 1/3 each Hispanic, African-American, and white. Subjects were 65-98 years old at baseline, mean 76. The chance of dying was twice as great in the lowest quartile of TC or LDL levels, while HDL and triglyceride levels were not related to all-cause mortality in this age group. Women had higher baseline TC and LDL levels (206 and 124) than men (191 and 117), yet the women lived longer. Men with the same TC and LDL levels as women lived as long. Of the subjects, 1/5 were taking statin drugs to lower TC and LDL. (4) …