The doctor urged people on statins to be cautious
A BBC doctor has delivered a verdict on a new social media ‘health hack’ that has been growing in popularity. It tells people to stop taking their statins and instead eat 24-month aged garlic to reduce their cholesterol levels.
BBC Morning Live’s Dr Tosin revealed even her own family had started carrying around cloves to eat “every single day wherever they went”. She told BBC viewers the same thing she told her family and delivered her verdict on the ‘hack’.
She said: “If you’ve been prescribed statins by your GP, that’s for a reason. It can prevent cardiovascular events, diseases to your heart and your blood vessels in the future.”
However, she also noted that this garlic trick may have a little bit of science behind it. She said: “This hasn’t come out of nowhere. There have been studies that have looked into how taking garlic can possibly lower high cholesterol levels.
“However the results from these studies have been mixed and the results definitely don’t outweigh the benefits we know statins can provide.” Garlic costs around £0.80 at most high street supermarkets for packs of three or four bulbs.
Dr Tosin noted that while statins have proven benefits, some people want to stop taking the medication because of the side effects they experience. Those on the medication were told to contact their doctor if they spot any of the common side effects.
She said: “Please speak to your doctor because there are lots of options that we can explore.” The NHS also notes that of the five types of statins available in the UK, not all of them are suitable for everyone.
Patients may need to try different types until they find the one that works for them. Common side effects of statins, according to the NHS:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Feeling sick
- Feeling unusually tired or physically weak
- Digestive system problems, such as constipation, diarrhoea, indigestion or farting
- Muscle pain
- Sleep problems
- Low blood platelet count
Statins are a common group of medicines that can help lower cholesterol levels. Having high cholesterol is often referred to as a ‘silent killer’ as it won’t trigger many symptoms on its own but can lead to devastating medical events like heart attacks.
People are usually prescribed statins if they are diagnosed with a cardiovascular disease or have a family history of this and lifestyle changes haven’t reduced their risk of developing it too.
Statins are often taken in tablet form every day, although the exact dose will depend on your own personal circumstances. Most people have to take this medication for life even once their cholesterol levels have come down in order to prevent it from rising again.
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