Cholesterol-lowering medicines are widely used to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Statins are the best-known drugs in this group and have been prescribed for decades.
Newer medicines, including PCSK9 inhibitors, can lower cholesterol in a different way and are often used when people need additional treatment.
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that the body needs to build cells and make hormones. But high levels of LDL cholesterol, often called “bad” cholesterol, can contribute to fatty deposits inside blood vessels. Over time, these deposits can narrow or block arteries and increase the risk of serious heart and blood vessel problems.
Statins lower LDL cholesterol mainly by reducing cholesterol production in the liver. PCSK9 inhibitors help the liver remove more LDL cholesterol from the blood. Both approaches can be highly effective, but researchers are also interested in effects these medicines may have elsewhere in the body.
A study led by researchers at the University of South Australia used genetic information to investigate some of these possible effects.
Rather than following people taking the medicines for many years, the researchers examined genetic differences that can mimic the biological effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs. This approach can offer clues about possible long-term benefits and unwanted effects.
The research suggested that statins could be linked to increased body weight and body fat in some people. The researchers also found evidence suggesting that statin-related biological changes may reduce testosterone levels. Testosterone is present in both men and women and plays roles in muscle, bone, sexual health, and other body functions.
However, the findings were not all negative. The study found evidence suggesting that statin-related changes could be associated with a larger hippocampus. This small area of the brain is important for learning, memory, and emotional regulation, and changes in it have been linked to conditions including dementia and depression.
The researchers also examined PCSK9 inhibitors. Their analysis raised the possibility that the biological pathway targeted by these medicines could affect lung function. The finding does not prove that people taking PCSK9 inhibitors will develop lung problems, but it identifies an area that researchers say deserves further investigation.
These results should be interpreted carefully because the researchers studied genetic patterns rather than simply recording side effects in people taking the medicines.
Genetics can help scientists investigate possible cause-and-effect relationships, but it cannot answer every question about how a drug will affect an individual patient. Clinical studies and continued monitoring are still needed to confirm possible effects.
The findings also do not mean that people should stop taking cholesterol medicine. Statins have strong evidence showing that they can reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular problems in people who need them. Suddenly stopping prescribed medicine can remove those benefits and should not be done without medical advice.
Instead, the research may help scientists understand why the same medicine can have different effects throughout the body. It could eventually help doctors choose treatments more precisely, particularly for patients who have other health conditions or a greater risk of certain side effects.
The study was led by Kitty Pham and colleagues at the University of South Australia and was published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. The research adds to a growing effort to look beyond the main purpose of commonly used medicines and understand their wider effects on the human body.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about Vitamin B9 deficiency linked to higher dementia risk, and flavonoid-rich foods could help prevent dementia.
For more health information, please see recent studies that cranberries could help boost memory, and how alcohol, coffee and tea intake influence cognitive decline.
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