Review finds four statin harms
8h
A meta-analysis of 124,000 participants found that only four of 66 adverse effects listed on statin labels were supported by evidence, suggesting most packaging warnings were overstated.
The real story about statin safety from >122,000 RCT participants with individual level data. They can cause new-onset diabetes and muscle pain/weakness, but other than that they are remarkably safe for 62 outcomes. Rare liver function test abnormalities thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Assessment of adverse effects attributed to statin therapy in product labels: a meta-analysis of double-blind randomised controlled trials
Adverse event data from blinded randomised trials do not support causal relationships
between statin therapy and most of the conditions (including cognitive impairment,
depression, sleep disturbance, ...
thelancet.com
February 6, 2026 at 3:47 PM
The real story about statin safety from >122,000 RCT participants with individual level data. They can cause new-onset diabetes and muscle pain/weakness, but other than that they are remarkably safe for 62 outcomes. Rare liver function test abnormalities thelancet.com/journals/lan...
As with vaccines, I wonder how much of this is motivated reasoning for people who don’t like to think about their vulnerability (or, for vaccines, fear of needles). Easier to express concerns about losing muscle mass than admit to yourself that you’ve got high cholesterol and we will all someday die
Many people who should be taking statins avoid them for fear of side effects. A large new study says most of those side effects don't actually show up. www.statnews.com/2026/02/05/s...
Statins don’t cause most of the side effects on package warnings, study finds
Many people who should be taking statins avoid them for fear of side effects. A large new study says most of those side effects don't actually show up.
www.statnews.com
February 6, 2026 at 2:37 PM
As with vaccines, I wonder how much of this is motivated reasoning for people who don’t like to think about their vulnerability (or, for vaccines, fear of needles). Easier to express concerns about losing muscle mass than admit to yourself that you’ve got high cholesterol and we will all someday die
Reposted by Melissa Sweet
This is a very cool study and, as far as I can tell from a quick read, robust.
Statins probably don't cause most of the side-effects that people think they do.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Statins probably don't cause most of the side-effects that people think they do.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Assessment of adverse effects attributed to statin therapy in product labels: a meta-analysis of double-blind randomised controlled trials
Adverse event data from blinded randomised trials do not support causal relationships
between statin therapy and most of the conditions (including cognitive impairment,
depression, sleep disturbance, ...
www.thelancet.com
February 6, 2026 at 6:00 AM
This is a very cool study and, as far as I can tell from a quick read, robust.
Statins probably don't cause most of the side-effects that people think they do.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Statins probably don't cause most of the side-effects that people think they do.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Reposted by Scott L. Greer
Many people who should be taking statins avoid them for fear of side effects. A large new study says most of those side effects don't actually show up. www.statnews.com/2026/02/05/s...
Statins don’t cause most of the side effects on package warnings, study finds
Many people who should be taking statins avoid them for fear of side effects. A large new study says most of those side effects don't actually show up.
www.statnews.com
February 6, 2026 at 2:35 PM
Many people who should be taking statins avoid them for fear of side effects. A large new study says most of those side effects don't actually show up. www.statnews.com/2026/02/05/s...