The connection between heart disease and high cholesterol levels has become an alarming issue only in the recent decade, as people became increasingly aware of the risk for heart attacks if high cholesterol levels are not manages properly. Looking back from the 60’s till the new millennium, shows and significant rise in awareness and concern regarding lower cholesterol, as people in the 60’s didn’t seem to put that much importance on the issue of lowering cholesterol and the risk involved.

With the increased awareness to the cholesterol problem, it seems there is also a significant reduction in average cholesterol levels among senior Americans, in particular, according to a research conducted between the years 1960 and 2002.

The research had showed that not only did the total cholesterol reduced from 222mg/dl to 203 mg/dl, LDL cholesterol levels (the low density lipoprotein or the “bad” cholesterol) had dramatically been reduced, especially among people who are older then 50. The research and also showed that men above 60 lowered their cholesterol levels in 12 percent while women had reduced their cholesterol in more than 15 percent.

Lipitor, Zocor, and Pravachol are among the lowering cholesterol drugs called statins, that were first displayed as an option to lower cholesterol in the 1980’s and were the major players in this significant reduction in average cholesterol levels. Statin drugs are especially aimed at lowering the total blood cholesterol (should be below 200mg/dl), dropping the LDL cholesterol (should be below 100mg/dl) while raising the HDL cholesterol (should be above 40mg/dl) also known as the good cholesterol that cleanses the arteries from excess cholesterol, thus helps prevent atherosclerosis.

The risk of statin drugs due to serious side effects is in most cases not worth their effectiveness in lowering cholesterol. Long-term use of statin drugs can cause muscle damage, liver problems, kidney failure and other dangerous health consequences. The best and safest approach for lowering cholesterol is the natural alternative of low fat diet, supplementation, and regular exercise and mediation.