While the number of Americans taking cholesterol-lowering statins continues to escalate, new research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that you may want to think twice before popping the pills. That’s because having low levels of unhealthy LDL cholesterol may actually up your risk for cancer.
The scientists behind the finding, from Tufts University’s school of medicine, analyzed 15 different clinical trials that focused on statin performance in over 51,000 patients for 4 years. While the statins did their job dutifully, for every 10-mg drop in the patients’ LDL, their overall risk for cancer jumped. According to the study’s authors, statins may help trigger a slow-down of your immune’s system surveillance program, which helps detect and fight off cancer-causing inflammation.
While the study’s authors couldn’t pinpoint the blame on the popular medications, ask your doctor about the findings if you’re currently taking a statin.