37/M, 167 lbs (76 kg), otherwise healthy, cholesterol concerns — statin necessary?
Hi all,
I’m a 37/m, 167 pounds (76 kg), and otherwise healthy. My parents are both in their 70s and have slightly elevated cholesterol as well. My maternal grandparents had heart problems.
I had a blood panel done 3 months ago, and my cholesterol was elevated. My doctor recommended I improve my diet, cut back on sweets, and then retest. I followed that advice, switching to the Mediterranean diet (with occasional cheat meals) and significantly reducing sweets. I also drink alcohol occasionally, but mostly on weekends.
After 3 months, my blood test showed slightly improved numbers, though my triglycerides are still high. From what I’ve read, triglycerides can fluctuate a lot, so I'm not sure how worried I should be about this one. My doctor only mentioned the triglycerides after looking at the new numbers and suggested it's probably hereditary. He prescribed Rosuvastatin 10mg.
I exercise about 2 to 3 times a week, doing relatively high-intensity workouts for 35-40 minutes each session. I also just started lifting weights again after a break. I have an office job, so I spend a lot of time sitting otherwise.
My question is: considering the slight improvements in my numbers and my efforts with diet and exercise, is a statin necessary at this stage? Do you think I could manage to bring my cholesterol down further without medication with even more focus on diet and exercise?
Thanks for any insights!