The Rockefeller University How the antioxidant glutathione keeps mitochondria healthy Statins lower lipid levels by inhibiting HMG CoA reductase, the rate limiting enzyme in cholesterol synthesis. They're vital for reducing the risk of cardiovascular events like strokes, heart attacks, and peripheral vascular disease. Cholesterol Statin Side Effects & Gut Health: A Holistic Look at the Research Microbiome Plus+ Statins and the vascular endothelial inflammatory response: Trends in Immunology