Statins reduce Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia: Protecting our heart AND our brain!

For decades, statins have been a cornerstone in preventing cardiovascular events by lowering LDL and ApoB cholesterol while also addressing arterial inflammation. But in recent years, concerns have emerged linking statins to cognitive side effects — including memory loss, brain fog, and even dementia. With headlines warning of potential risks, many patients are left wondering: Could the medication protecting their hearts be harming their brains? Let’s take some time to unpack the evidence.

The Concerns: Do Statins Cause Cognitive Decline?

Some observational studies and anecdotal reports have raised concerns that statins may negatively impact memory or cognitive performance. In 2012, the FDA added a label warning about possible reversible cognitive side effects — like brain fog or confusion — to all statin packaging. These effects, however, were noted to be rare and non-progressive.

Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this concern. Cholesterol is essential for synapse formation and neuronal function; therefore, critics argue that lowering cholesterol too much could impair brain health. Additionally, because lipophilic statins (like simvastatin or atorvastatin) can cross the blood-brain barrier more easily, some hypothesize they may have a greater impact on cognition, whereas other statins such as Rosuvastatin may not.

But do these theories hold up to scrutiny?

The Evidence for Brain Protection

Contrary to popular fears, a growing body of high-quality research suggests that statins may protect brain health rather than harm it — particularly in the long term.

• A large systematic review and meta-analysis of 42 cohort studies (more than 6.3 million participants) published in 2025 in Frontiers of Pharmacology found that statin use is associated with a 21% reduced risk of dementia and a 29% reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The protective effect was significantly strong in individuals under age 70, suggesting age may modify statin-related cognitive benefits. While pooling results by statin dose and duration wasn’t possible due to inconsistent definitions, most studies indicated that higher doses and longer-term use were linked to greater protection. (source: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1473796/full?utm)
• Large cohort studies, such as those using data from the Women’s Health Initiative and the Rotterdam Study, have found either neutral or protective associations between statin use and long-term cognitive outcomes.
• As the Bale Doneen Method has always highlighted, vascular health is a key contributor to brain health. Since statins reduce stroke risk and protect endothelial function, they may also reduce vascular contributions to cognitive decline — a key component of vascular dementia.
• Additionally, statins may have anti-inflammatory or antioxidative properties in the brain, further supporting a neuroprotective role.

What’s the Verdict?

While isolated case reports and early observational studies raised legitimate questions, the vast majority of rigorous evidence available to date does not support a causal link between statins and dementia. On the contrary, by protecting the blood vessels that supply the brain, statins may play a protective role — particularly in individuals at high cardiovascular risk.

That said, not all people are the same. Short-term, reversible brain fog has been reported anecdotally. As always, treatment decisions should be personalized.

Statins remain one of the most evidence-based tools for preventing heart attacks and strokes. Fears of dementia and even mild cognitive decline, while understandable, are not strongly supported by current research — and may even distract from the broader benefits these medications offer. Protecting your heart and brain is our No. 1 goal, and thankfully, they often go hand in hand.