How scientists found medicine to lower bad cholesterol
A historical perspective on the discovery of statins
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Atherosclerosis was first induced in rabbits by feeding them pure cholesterol in 1913—but the discovery was ignored for decades.
This was the first experimental proof that cholesterol causes heart disease, yet it took 30+ years for the medical community to take it seriously.
Practical Takeaways
If you have high cholesterol, especially with a family history, talk to your doctor about whether a statin could help.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Atherosclerosis was first induced in rabbits by feeding them pure cholesterol in 1913—but the discovery was ignored for decades.
This was the first experimental proof that cholesterol causes heart disease, yet it took 30+ years for the medical community to take it seriously.
Practical Takeaways
If you have high cholesterol, especially with a family history, talk to your doctor about whether a statin could help.
Publication
Journal
Proceedings of the Japan Academy. Series B, Physical and Biological Sciences
Year
2010
Authors
A. Endo
Related Content
Claims (3)
Blocking a key enzyme in the body's cholesterol factory can lower cholesterol, even in people with a genetic condition that causes high cholesterol. A natural substance called compactin can do this job very effectively.
If your blood cholesterol is high, you're more likely to have a heart attack — studies following thousands of people for years have found this pattern.
The first statin drug, called compactin, was found in a type of mold and works by strongly blocking a key enzyme our bodies use to make cholesterol — and it does this at super low doses, even in people with a genetic form of high cholesterol.