#70 - Rapid Fire Friday: Low Cholesterol & Dementia, REAL Statin Side Effects, and the Truth About Niacin

Can statins cause dementia? Are the side effects really “all in your head”? And could you just take niacin instead?Cholesterol advice online tends to fall into two camps: statins are lifesaving drugs everyone should take, or statins are dangerous drugs everyone should avoid.The truth is a lot more nuanced.For this Rapid-Fire Friday, pharmacist and metabolic health expert Austin Dudzinski is back to answer YOUR cholesterol questions.We dig into:-Statins, cholesterol, and dementia: What does the evidence actually show, and why does how you lower cholesterol matter?-The real side effects of statins: Muscle aches, weakness, fatigue, brain fog and more. What's legitimate, what's overblown, and what should you do if you don't feel right?-Niacin vs. statins: Niacin can make several cholesterol markers look better on paper…but does that actually translate into fewer heart attacks and better health?- Better numbers vs. better outcomes: Why improving a lab value doesn't automatically mean you're healthier.Most importantly, Austin explains why cholesterol treatment shouldn't be reduced to “statins good” or “statins bad.”Your individual cardiovascular risk, symptoms, medications, biomarkers and goals all matter.If you've ever been told you need a statin because you have type 2 diabetes, or you've avoided one because of something you've heard online, this conversation will give you a much better framework for talking with your healthcare team.Austin Dudzinksi is a board-certified clinical pharmacy specialist with interest in nutrition and metabolism and owner of the digital healthcare communications company, Digital Conversation. Connect with Austin on X: https://x.com/ApoDudzLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-dudzinski-pharmd-bcacp-b1635098/Check out Austin’s website: https://digitalconversation.netSend Austin an email: [email protected]. Ready to take control of your health and stop settling for “managed” diabetes?   Grab your earbuds and listen in.Brian & Cory  Diabetes Remission Partners--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------👉 Want help mapping out your diabetes medication exit strategy?    If you’re on meds, “in range,” and still know this isn’t the standard you want — this is the next step.On this free call, we’ll help you:·       Get clear on why your blood sugar is where it is·       Understand what’s realistic for reducing or eliminating medications·       See whether a medication exit strategy makes sense for youBook your Diabetes Medication Exit Strategy Call here:  https://medfreehealthya1c.com/diabetesfreechat--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------🎓 Watch Our Free TrainingThe Diabetes Freedom Masterclass shows you how our clients work toward a healthy A1C with fewer — and sometimes no — medications by addressing insulin resistance at the root.👉 https://medfreehealthya1c.com/--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------📲 Follow Us on InstagramDaily education, encouragement, and straight talk about meds, muscle, and metabolic health:  @diabetesremissionpartners--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------📧 Questions or feedback?Email us anytime:  brianandcory@diabetesremissionpartners.com--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------⭐ Love the podcast?  Leaving a review helps more people find this message and reminds us why this work matters.👉 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/diabetes-remission-roadmap-reverse-type-2-lower-a1c/id1777467082