Some people claim that when they take a drug, something changes. But, how can drugs change who we are? According to Beatrice Golomb, a researcher, this change occurs when people take statins.
Statins can change who we are
It is known that psychedelic drugs can affect our mind, but what we do not know is that there are certain medications, such as statins, which can affect our overall health and who we are. Statins are medications used to reduce high levels of cholesterol. According to studies, statins are related to aggression, violent ideation, irritability, suicidal and homicidal thoughts, personal change, and mood swifts. The studies showed that changes occur one day after we take statins. Most of the side effects are mild even though some can be health-hazardous, such as aggressive behavior or suicide.
According to researches, these changes are common, but patients are not aware of them. Most of them even do not think that those changes were caused by the medications they took.
Golomb claims that after years ago she investigated the relationship between statins and personal changes 20 years ago when she found out that patients behaved aggressively after taking their medications.
She found that a low-cholesterol diet makes primates aggressive. The effects of the medications, which reduced cholesterol, also lowered serotonin levels. It also caused changes in mood, behavior, and social behavior, leading to aggression and violence. Serotonin is an essential neurochemical which is related to social behavior and mood changes. Changes in serotonin levels can lead to impulsivity, aggression, even suicide, and murder.
Studies confirm the effects of statins on personal behavior
In 2015, Susan Golomb carried out a study, in which 1000 participants took part. The results of the study found out that statins stimulate aggression in both men and women. If statins affected patients’ brains, it was likely to be a direct cause of their ability to reduce cholesterol.
Since then, more evidence has emerged. Many studies have supported the link between statins and irritability, including a randomized trial led by Golomb.
In 2018, a study reveale the same effects in fish. Giving statins to fish made them more aggressive. Also, it altered serotonin levels in their brains. This suggests that the mechanism that connects violence and cholesterol might have been around for millions of years.
Golomb is convinced that reduced cholesterol and statins can lead to behavioral changes in both men and women, even though the strength of the effects differs from person to person.
Sources:
- https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200108-the-medications-that-change-who-we-are
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5005588/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9499332https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7532867
- https://europepmc.org/article/med/1721619
- https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0124451
