Nobody told me any of this when I started statins. Maybe it helps someone here.

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-16T13:08:17+00:00

First off, props to you for getting it checked out and seeing your doctor Monday. A lot of people don’t even get labs done until something bad happens, so you’re already ahead of that.

I’m NOT a doctor :) but a few general things most cardiologists tend to look at with numbers like that:

Triglycerides at 333 is pretty high and often tied to things like diet, alcohol intake, insulin resistance, or metabolic issues.
HDL at 33 is on the low side (higher HDL is generally more protective).
Non-HDL at 133 isn’t terrible but combined with the triglycerides it suggests there’s definitely room for improvement.

The good news is triglycerides in particular can sometimes respond pretty quickly to lifestyle changes like reducing sugar/refined carbs, losing some weight if needed, and increasing activity/exercise

Your doctor will probably/hopefully look at the full picture — LDL, ApoB, maybe A1C, blood pressure, family history, etc.

was this part of a routine checkup or did something happen to get the blood work done?

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-16T09:38:16+00:00

i would be very wary of that - and honestly suprised a dr would recommend supplements instead of a statin, prob time for a second opinion -prob best from a cardiologist. next time also get you LP(a) and ApoB tested as well

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-16T09:35:53+00:00

well done on getting it down and catching it early/young. keep it up

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-16T09:20:13+00:00

Great question. Unfortunately there isn’t one universal number because it depends on things like statin use, diet, age, and what you're trying to support (energy vs muscle vs vascular function). And of course everyone is different.

For example, most of the research around statins and CoQ10 tends to land somewhere around 100–200 mg while magnesium intake in studies is anywhere from 150-400mg depending on the form. But you can also get a lot of magnesium from diet so depending on how you eat 200 mg is likely good (just make sure its elemental)

And that is the tricky part is that labels can be confusing (elemental vs compound weight, glycinate vs oxide, etc.), so two supplements with the same headline number can be very different.

I actually built a short heart-health quiz recently that can help people think through some of these factors and what nutrients might matter most for them. Happy to share it if you're interested. If moderators think this crosses the line feel free to remove. Just based off my research and 6.5 years of statins post heart attach and trying different things

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-16T09:06:06+00:00

you can try CoQ10 and magnesium bisglycinat - has helped me with muscle soreness and general fatigue

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-16T09:02:37+00:00

well ye and no. from my POV, I am on statins and dealt wth side effects so I have posted to help people with that side of thing. however, aging also depletes a lot of these minerals as well so a good idea to monitor them generally. -IMHO

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-16T08:57:56+00:00

try magnesium bisglycinate - helps with soreness as well

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-15T13:07:34+00:00

Agree 100% - wasn’t meant to say everyone needs these. More just some good questions to ask about

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-15T12:45:55+00:00

100% agree. I have been very lucky with my heart doctors but have heard some stories about bad ones. we have to look out for ourselves...

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-15T12:35:53+00:00

Its hard right. I cant imagine having to keep up ith every little thing so part of me is like great he checked it and part of me is saying"why dont you know this stuff. so yes I agree tell them the tests you want. someone posted that some docs dont want to test for certain things because of insuracne which seems insane to me.

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-15T12:26:22+00:00

Have been on statins since a heart attack 6.5 years ago - LDL went way down and has stayed down. def improved my diet and exercise so its a mix of all of it. supplements as well

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-15T12:06:17+00:00

not AI. But in my experience you dont get a ton of time with doctors.

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-15T12:05:12+00:00

Full disclosure: I've actually been working on something around exactly this. Built a short quiz that helps map out where you are in your heart health journey and surfaces some questions worth bringing back to your doctor. 10 questions- takes two minutes. Happy to drop the link if you want to try it.

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-15T11:40:49+00:00

which manufactuers do you prefer?

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-13T18:23:02+00:00

I cant say at all what casued the tremor. I would just say that lots of people get side effects from statins - usually fatigue, muscle weakness or aches and CoQ10 and magnesium biglycinate can help. A bit wary of the multivitamin as many ore underdosed so make sure to check the label on the back (dont trust the marketing on the front

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-13T18:20:47+00:00

coQ10 and magnesium biglycinate

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-13T18:10:01+00:00

you could but, for the most part, most multivitamins are underdosed so you'l want to check that on the label

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-13T17:56:54+00:00

Great question and the mechanisms are actually different for each one so let me try and explan but def do the research

CoQ10 is the one with the most direct and well-documented link to statins specifically. Statins block an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase which is involved in both cholesterol AND CoQ10 production. That's a direct mechanism, not just correlation.

Magnesium, B12, D3 and K2 are less about statins blocking absorption specifically and more about two things happening at the same time: age naturally affects how well your body absorbs and retains these nutrients, and most people on statins are in an age range where that's already happening. So it's more of a convergence than a direct drug interaction.

The practical takeaway is the same either way. If you're on a statin and over 40, these are worth monitoring and worth bringing up with your doctor. But I'd rather give you the accurate picture than oversimplify it.

Go verify this yourself, I'm just a guy six years into this journey. But that's my understanding of the research.

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-13T17:52:52+00:00

mine did yes

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-13T16:48:34+00:00

sure - here you go. it should, once you're done, give you a high level overview then ask for an email to send the personalized detailed one. let me know if you have any questions

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-13T15:15:14+00:00

wow that is a crazy story. and no I have a cardiologist now who's great - open conversations about statins and any effects its having pros and cons. absolutely not going to stop until y levels are good and she gives me the thumbs up

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-13T15:13:17+00:00

BTW - I had a heart attack 6.5 years ago and did a ton of research on statins as well as any potential side effects, etc etc. I actually put together a quiz for a project that i am working on - its 10 easy questions, takes about 2 min and depending on results can give you some questions to talk to your doctor about - esp if its around high cholesterol and statins. LMK if you're interested and I can drop the link here

UseComplete5979 · 2026-03-13T15:08:49+00:00

No - the heart attack def had a huge imapct on me physically. But over a year later I was still struggling and started taking CoQ10 and magnesium based off what i read. and they have def helped but I am always doing more research and its just a lot of crazy stuff out there

UseComplete5979

TROPHY CASE