(VIDEO) Cholesterol Drugs Linked to Parkinson's Disease People who stop taking fat-soluble cholesterol drugs may be at an increased risk for developing Parkinson's disease, according to a new study.

People who stop taking fat-soluble cholesterol drugs may be at an increased risk for developing Parkinson's disease, according to a new study. Taiwanese researchers found that when people stopped taking fat-soluble statins, like simvastatin and atorvastatin, their risk for Parkinson's disease increased.

“The notion is that fat-soluble statins are able to penetrate the brain because they can cross, what we call, the blood-brain barrier," says Hubert Fernandez, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic. "The blood-brain barrier is our defense mechanism in preventing brain infections or unwanted substances in the brain."

They studied nearly 44,000 people who were taking statins and didn't have Parkinson's disease. After stopping, 58 percent were more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than those who kept taking the drugs.

“We should all be encouraged that there may be a drug that is generally safe and commercially available that can lower the risk for developing Parkinson’s disease," Dr. Fernandez says. "But the warning here is this is just a population-based study. We’re looking at risks, not absolute certainties.” read more...