The Rebel Alliance: 28 Experts Who Can Help You Break Free from the Statin Trap

The Rebel Alliance Is Real

Statins are the most prescribed drug class in history. Over $1 trillion in global sales. Tens of millions of men over 50 take them every day.

But what if the entire foundation is crumbling?
What if cholesterol isn’t the villain?

In our last issue, we dismantled the core myths:

• That high LDL is a death sentence.

• That statins are a miracle drug.

• That cholesterol is the enemy of your brain and heart.

Now, meet the doctors, scientists, and survivors who saw through the narrative—and paid a price for speaking out. We call them the Rebel Alliance.

These 28 experts defied medical dogma and pharmaceutical pressure. Many were ostracized, censored, or canceled. But they kept going.

Why? Because they care more about truth than reputation.
And because the data doesn’t lie.

This guide brings their insights together. Not just about statins. But about metabolic health, brain function, inflammation, insulin resistance, and real prevention.

We’ve grouped them into themes so you can go deeper where it matters most:

• Statins & Overprescription: Why the most prescribed drugs in history might also be the most misused.

• Cholesterol & LDL Clarity: The truth about fat, LDL, and heart disease.

• Cognitive Decline & Brain Health: What happens when you starve the brain of its most essential fat.

• Metabolic Dysfunction & Insulin Resistance: Why blood sugar and inflammation—not LDL—drive modern disease.

• Big Pharma & Overreach: How industry influence distorts research, guidelines, and care.

At the end, you’ll find a reference section summarizing all 28 members of the Rebel Alliance.

Use this guide to fuel your research, challenge assumptions, and ask better questions—especially in conversations with your physician.

At Argent Alpha, we’re not here to prescribe.

We’re here to equip you to lead.

We don’t follow the herd.
We follow the truth.

Statins & Overprescription

Focus here if: You're currently taking a statin, were told your LDL is “too high,” or your doctor pushed medication without discussing lifestyle, inflammation, or insulin resistance.

For decades, statins have been the first-line answer to high LDL. They’re prescribed to men with no symptoms, no inflammation, no calcified plaque—just “elevated cholesterol.”

But that prescription is often based on outdated risk calculators and flawed assumptions. Especially for men who are lean, strong, and metabolically healthy.

What the Rebels Exposed:

Dr. Malcolm Kendrick
Author of The Great Cholesterol Con. For 20+ years, he’s challenged the LDL hypothesis, calling cholesterol the “firefighter, not the arsonist.” Cites research showing higher LDL in older adults is associated with longer life (BMJ Open, 2015).

Dr. John Abramson
Harvard physician and author of Overdosed America. He exposed how statins for primary prevention extend life by only 3–4 days over 5 years (JAMA Internal Medicine, 2021)—while side effects are grossly underreported.

A Midwestern Doctor
Anonymous MD who analyzed suppressed statin trial data. Found that up to 20% of statin users experience harm, including muscle loss, cognitive decline, or new-onset diabetes. Also revealed that Merck patented a statin + CoQ10 combo—then shelved it, never brought to market.

Dr. Beatrice Golomb
Led NIH-funded studies confirming muscle pain and brain fog from statins. Her work helped prompt the FDA’s 2012 warning about cognitive side effects.

Dr. Barbara H. Roberts
Former head of the Women’s Cardiac Center. She left her role after realizing statins hurt more women than they help—especially by increasing the risk of diabetes and muscle pain.

Dr. Stephen Sinatra
Board-certified cardiologist and co-author of The Great Cholesterol Myth. He was one of the earliest voices warning that statins deplete CoQ10, a critical nutrient for cellular energy, heart function, and cognitive clarity. He urged supplementation to offset statin side effects—and was sidelined by mainstream cardiology for doing so. His work emphasized that statins should be prescribed sparingly and only in the right metabolic context, never as a first-line defense in healthy individuals.

If you're on a statin—or being pushed toward one—ask your doctor:

• Am I actually inflamed or insulin resistant?
  Or are we treating a number (LDL) without context?

• What do my Triglyceride-to-HDL ratio, fasting insulin, and CAC score say about my real risk?
  Not just total cholesterol, but the terrain it operates in.

• Have I experienced new symptoms—like brain fog, muscle weakness, fatigue, or low libido—since starting the statin?
  And if so, are we acknowledging the statin as a possible cause?

• Why haven’t we discussed CoQ10?
  If the drug depletes it, what’s the plan to replenish it?

Should You Take CoQ10?

Statins deplete CoQ10—a critical compound for energy production, mitochondrial health, and heart function. That’s one reason some men experience fatigue, brain fog, muscle pain, and even erectile dysfunction while on these drugs.

Even if you’re not taking a statin, low CoQ10 levels are common after 50—and supplementation may help protect your brain, heart, and energy.

What to Take:

• Form:
  Look for ubiquinol—the more bioavailable, active form of CoQ10 (especially important after age 50).

• Dosage:

  • On a statin: 100–200 mg/day of ubiquinol

  • Not on a statin: 50–100 mg/day for general mitochondrial and cardiovascular support

• Timing:
  Take with a fat-containing meal to boost absorption.

• Trusted Brands:

  • Life Extension Super Ubiquinol

  • Jarrow Formulas Ubiquinol

  • NOW Foods Ubiquinol

• Bonus:
  CoQ10 stacks well with magnesium, PQQ, and carnitine if you’re optimizing mitochondrial health.

👉 Dr. Stephen Sinatra was one of the first cardiologists to sound the alarm on statin-induced CoQ10 depletion—and was shunned for it.
👉 A Midwestern Doctor uncovered that Merck patented a statin + CoQ10 combo—but never released it. Why? It would have validated the side effects they publicly denied.

Dr. Omar Hamada’s CAC Deep Dive

Argent Alpha member Dr. Omar Hamada is more than a physician—he’s a board certified family physician, obstetrician/gynecologist/pelvic surgeon, sports medicine physician, Special Forces Combat Veteran, and health performance strategist for high-level men.

When members in our community get a CAC score between 1–99, they often ask: “Do I need a statin?” Dr. Hamada’s answer? Not without asking better questions first.

Here’s his expert breakdown on what to do next—and in what order—so you can make informed decisions without fear or guesswork.

1. Coronary CT Angiography (CTA)
📍 Next step for most men with CAC 1–99
• Uses contrast dye to show both calcified and soft plaque.
• Identifies location, size, and severity of blockages.
• Gives a clearer picture than CAC alone.
✅ Do this first if you want to see where and what kind of plaque is present.

2. Cleerly Scan (AI-enhanced CTA analysis)
📍 For precision-minded men or unclear CTA results
• Uses AI to analyze your CTA in detail: plaque volume, type, and risk profile.
• Offers personalized plaque reports and progress tracking.
✅ Best for men who want next-level insight—and a clearer decision about medication or lifestyle-only approaches.

3. Stress Testing with Imaging
📍 If symptoms are present or functional data is needed
• Includes nuclear stress, stress echo, or cardiac MRI.
• Measures blood flow under exertion to see if any blockages are restricting oxygen delivery.
✅ Do this if you feel chest tightness, shortness of breath, or have family history of early heart events.

4. FFR-CT (Fractional Flow Reserve – CT-based)
📍 Rarely first—but valuable in gray zones
• Uses advanced modeling to assess blood flow past any narrowing seen on CTA.
• Tells you if the narrowing actually impacts performance—not just if it looks scary.
✅ Useful when facing a medication or stent decision and want more clarity before acting.

5. CPET (Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing)
• Establishes a baseline for myocardial function by looking at VO2 Max, CO2 production, blood pressure, and heart rate response to increasing exertion.
• Can "pre-diagnose" cardiac disease and dysfunction years before the onset of plaque in major surface vessels, as it primarily assesses microvascular circulation efficiency.
• A good baseline test to detect and interrupt disease before symptoms emerge.

Bottom line:
A CAC score between 1 and 99 is a yellow flag—not a red one. These tools help you decide whether to double down on lifestyle, monitor closely, or consider treatment—with confidence, not fear.

Cholesterol & LDL Clarity

Focus here if: You've been told LDL is “bad,” are unsure what ApoB or particle size means, or you’re being judged by total cholesterol alone.

LDL has been cast as the villain for decades. But the science is more nuanced—and the rebels made that clear.

Your body makes 80% of your cholesterol for a reason. It’s essential for hormone production, vitamin D synthesis, brain function, and repairing damaged tissue.

Elevated LDL alone doesn’t mean danger. What matters is context: inflammation, metabolic health, particle size, and plaque.

What the Rebels Exposed

Dr. Uffe Ravnskov
Author of The Cholesterol Myths. He’s published dozens of peer-reviewed articles debunking the LDL hypothesis. In BMJ Open (2015), he showed that higher LDL in older adults correlates with longer life—especially in the absence of metabolic disease.
🔗 Study link

Dr. Stephen Sinatra
Cardiologist and co-author of The Great Cholesterol Myth. He argued that inflammation—not cholesterol—is the spark for heart disease. He emphasized that large, fluffy LDL particles are not harmful—it’s the small, dense ones driven by sugar and insulin resistance that cause damage.

Dr. Nadir Ali
Cardiologist who routinely sees patients with high LDL and zero arterial plaque. He’s a vocal advocate for using Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) scores and metabolic markers instead of outdated total cholesterol targets.

Dr. Paul Saladino
Also known as the Carnivore MD. He highlights that ancestral diets high in animal fats often result in elevated LDL—but with no disease if metabolic health is strong. He argues the body isn’t broken—it’s responding to nutrient-dense inputs.

Dr. Peter Attia
Longevity-focused MD who says ApoB is the most predictive cholesterol marker we have—not LDL alone. But even then, context is everything: inflammation, insulin, CAC score, and lifestyle matter more than any single number.

Bottom line:
LDL isn’t the problem in isolation. It’s the terrain it operates in—your internal environment—that determines risk.

Cognitive Decline & Brain Health

Focus here if: You’ve noticed brain fog, memory loss, or have a family history of Alzheimer’s or dementia—and your doctor says, “just take the statin.”

Let’s apply first-principles thinking:

• Your brain is made of fat and cholesterol.
  Roughly 25% of your body’s cholesterol resides in the brain—for good reason.

• Neurons rely on cholesterol to form synapses, repair myelin, regulate hormones, and maintain cognition.

• Your liver makes 80% of your cholesterol.
  So why suppress something your body works hard to produce—and your brain depends on?

Some statins cross the blood-brain barrier. And when cholesterol is aggressively lowered, especially in older adults, it may impair memory, mood, and cognitive performance.

Yet few doctors connect statins to brain fog, fatigue, or forgetfulness. Even fewer ask whether cognitive decline might be an unintended consequence of starving the brain of what it needs most.

What the Rebels Exposed

Dr. Dale Bredesen
Neuroscientist and author of The End of Alzheimer’s. His research shows that cognitive decline is driven by inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and poor metabolic health—not high LDL. Statins may interfere with the brain’s repair systems by depleting cholesterol.

Dr. Georgia Ede
Psychiatrist who links low cholesterol to higher rates of depression, cognitive dysfunction, and Alzheimer’s. She challenges statin use in patients with psychiatric or cognitive risk factors.

Dr. Duane Graveline
NASA flight surgeon who suffered transient global amnesia after taking Lipitor. He documented dozens of similar cases in his book Lipitor: Thief of Memory, calling for more transparency around neurological risks.

Dr. David Diamond
Neuroscientist who’s studied the cognitive and metabolic consequences of statins. He argues they impair mitochondrial function, reduce testosterone, and contribute to memory loss—especially in older men.

Dr. Beatrice Golomb
NIH-funded researcher whose studies confirmed that statins can cause memory loss, fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction. Her work helped prompt the FDA’s 2012 warning on statin-induced cognitive impairment.

Bottom line:
If you care about long-term cognitive health, don’t let anyone dismiss your symptoms—or ignore the fact that your brain depends on cholesterol to function, repair, and thrive. Statins may be undermining your memory, mood, and mental sharpness.

Metabolic Dysfunction & Insulin Resistance

Focus here if: You’ve been told your “cholesterol is high,” but no one has checked your fasting insulin, triglyceride-to-HDL ratio, or visceral fat. You’re carrying extra weight—or want to stay lean, strong, and in control of your long game.

LDL alone doesn’t cause heart attacks. It’s insulin resistance, inflammation, and metabolic breakdown that set the stage. And those don’t show up clearly in your standard labs—or your doctor’s script pad.

Statins don’t fix those problems. They might even mask them, making you think you’re fine while metabolic chaos simmers underneath.

Here’s the truth:
👉 If you burn fat, build muscle, and reach 15% body fat or less, you restore metabolic function at the cellular level.

You reduce inflammation, improve hormone signaling, and reverse the true root causes of modern chronic disease.

That’s not theory—it’s first principles. Lean, strong men don’t face the same health risks as their overweight peers.

This is where the Rebel Alliance did their best work—exposing the upstream drivers of heart disease, brain fog, diabetes, and early aging.

What the Rebels Exposed

Dr. Ben Bikman
Metabolic scientist and author of Why We Get Sick. He’s clear: insulin resistance—not cholesterol—is the root of modern disease. A poor triglyceride-to-HDL ratio is more predictive than LDL. Sugar and seed oils shrink LDL particle size and spike risk. 🚨 He calls TG:HDL “the single most important early warning sign most doctors miss.”

Dr. Robert Lustig
Endocrinologist and author of Fat Chance. Lustig exposed how sugar—not fat—drives insulin resistance, fatty liver, and vascular disease. His viral 2009 lecture, Sugar: The Bitter Truth, blew the lid off food industry cover-ups—just like Big Tobacco. Statins? They don’t fix what sugar breaks.

Dr. Mark Hyman
Founder of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine. Hyman links most chronic disease—including heart disease—to metabolic dysfunction. His prescription: fix food, stress, sleep, and movement. And yes, test fasting insulin and CAC—not just chase LDL.

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon
Pioneer of muscle-centric medicine. She warns that losing muscle and gaining visceral fat drives nearly every marker of metabolic decline. “Strength is the currency of longevity.” Muscle protects your brain, metabolism, and hormones better than any drug.

Dr. Paul Saladino
The Carnivore MD. Saladino challenges the idea that high LDL is bad if metabolic health is excellent. He points to ancestral patterns—strong, lean men with high LDL and zero heart disease. His core message: fix insulin, inflammation, and micronutrients, and LDL becomes irrelevant.

Dr. Frank Shallenberger
Integrative MD and pioneer in mitochondrial medicine. Shallenberger believes poor mitochondrial energy output drives most chronic disease—including metabolic collapse. His treatments (like ozone and NAD+) focus on restoring energy before symptoms appear. Cholesterol, he says, is often a smoke signal—not the fire.

Dr. Stephen Hussey
Chiropractor, metabolic researcher, and heart attack survivor. He reversed his own health using an ancestral approach. In Understanding the Heart, he connects insulin resistance, processed foods, and nervous system imbalance as the true root of heart disease—not cholesterol.

Dr. Jonny Bowden
Co-author of The Great Cholesterol Myth. Bowden demolished the LDL narrative and emphasized inflammation, insulin resistance, and triglyceride-to-HDL ratio instead. His background bridges both nutrition science and real-world transformation—he’s helped thousands reframe their risk.

Jimmy Moore
Podcaster and author of Cholesterol Clarity. Moore lost 180 pounds and reversed his metabolic labs through keto. He became a vocal critic of the statin narrative and an advocate for self-directed health—especially for men never told insulin resistance was the real problem.

Bottom line:
Chasing cholesterol without fixing metabolic health is like patching a leak while the ship sinks. Want real protection? Focus on body composition, blood sugar regulation, inflammation, and insulin—not just a number on a lab panel.

Big Pharma & Medical Corruption

Focus here if: You’ve ever felt like your doctor was just following a script… or wondered why lifestyle changes are rarely the first recommendation.

The statin empire wasn’t built on breakthrough science—it was built on fear, flawed data, and $1 trillion in revenue.

Rebel doctors didn’t just challenge the science—they exposed how medicine got hijacked by marketing.

What the Rebels Exposed

Dr. John Abramson
Harvard physician and author of Overdosed America. He revealed how pharma-funded research distorted statin data. One bombshell: for men without heart disease (primary prevention), statins extended life by just 3–4 days over 5 years (JAMA Internal Medicine, 2021). Meanwhile, side effects were buried or dismissed.

A Midwestern Doctor
Anonymous whistleblower who uncovered industry-funded trials manipulating endpoints and hiding side effects. Found that Merck once patented a statin + CoQ10 combo—then shelved it to avoid spotlighting statin-induced energy depletion.

Dr. Aseem Malhotra
UK cardiologist who exposed the parallels between statin marketing and the COVID-19 vaccine push. Called out how regulators, journals, and guideline panels are often funded by the same companies whose drugs they promote. Warns that ~20% of statin users suffer side effects.

Dr. Zoe Harcombe
Nutrition researcher who crunched the numbers and blew apart Ancel Keys’ Seven Countries Study. Her work helped reveal how the war on fat and cholesterol was built on cherry-picked data and corporate food industry influence.

Dr. Michel de Lorgeril
French cardiologist who reviewed the original 4S statin trial and found serious flaws. He’s been a dissenting voice since the ‘90s, arguing that statin benefits were exaggerated—and harms underreported.

Maryanne Demasi
Journalist and former ABC science reporter. She was canceled after her documentary questioned statin efficacy. Her deep-dive investigations show how media, government, and medicine often serve Big Pharma—not public health.

Bottom line:
Statins didn’t become the most prescribed drug class in history because they worked wonders. They got there because they made money—and the system was built to push them.

Lead the Rebellion

The 28 experts in this guide risked careers and reputations to bring you the truth. They pushed back against trillion-dollar narratives. And they did it for men like you and me—men who refuse to settle for the default path of decline.

Now it’s your turn.

If your doctor can’t explain the research in this guide, that’s a red flag.
If the only solution offered is a pill, not a plan—ask better questions.
If your blood work shows dysfunction, act now and fix the root causes.

Your health is not their job. It’s yours.

At Argent Alpha, we don’t wait for permission. We train like athletes, lead with data, and stay sharper, leaner, and stronger as we age. This is the future of high-performance aging—and we’re building it together.

🔗 Take Action: Go to ArgentAlpha.com

The Rebel Alliance: Full Roster and Summary

These 28 doctors, researchers, and health renegades stood up against conventional dogma to tell a different story about statins, cholesterol, heart health, and brain function. Each one brings a unique angle to the bigger picture—and their insights will help you make more informed decisions.

Statins & Overprescription

Dr. Malcolm Kendrick – Author of The Great Cholesterol Con. He’s spent two decades challenging the LDL hypothesis, famously calling cholesterol the "firefighter, not the arsonist." His work, including a BMJ Open (2015) study, shows higher LDL in older adults correlates with longer life—especially when metabolic dysfunction is absent.

Dr. John Abramson – Harvard physician and author of Overdosed America. He exposed how statins for primary prevention offer just 3–4 extra days of life over 5 years (JAMA, 2021). A leading critic of pharmaceutical influence on medical guidelines.

A Midwestern Doctor – Anonymous MD and medical researcher who analyzed suppressed statin trial data. He reported up to 20% of users experience harm—muscle loss, cognitive decline, or diabetes. Also highlighted how Merck shelved a CoQ10 + statin product that could've prevented side effects.

Dr. Beatrice Golomb – Led NIH-funded research confirming statin-related muscle pain and brain fog. Her studies helped trigger the FDA's 2012 cognitive side effect warning.

Dr. Barbara H. Roberts – Former head of the Women’s Cardiac Center. She resigned after discovering statins were causing more harm than good in women, especially with increased diabetes and muscle complications.

Cholesterol & LDL Clarity

Dr. Uffe Ravnskov – Author of The Cholesterol Myths and one of the earliest challengers of the LDL hypothesis. His work in BMJ Open (2015) shows that higher LDL is associated with lower all-cause mortality in the elderly.

Dr. Stephen Sinatra – Co-author of The Great Cholesterol Myth. A cardiologist who emphasized inflammation and oxidative stress over LDL. Promoted CoQ10 as essential to counteract statin side effects.

Dr. Nadir Ali – Cardiologist known for treating metabolically healthy patients with high LDL and zero plaque. Advocates for CAC scores and lifestyle-based prevention.

Dr. Paul Saladino – The Carnivore MD. Argues ancestral diets high in animal fat result in high LDL without disease if metabolic health is intact. Challenges the notion that the body is malfunctioning.

Dr. Peter Attia – Focuses on longevity and data-driven medicine. Stresses that ApoB is more predictive than LDL—but must be considered in the context of insulin resistance, inflammation, and CAC.

Cognitive Decline & Brain Health

Dr. Dale Bredesen – Author of The End of Alzheimer’s. Warns that statins lower brain cholesterol critical for neuron repair. His protocol uses lifestyle to reverse early cognitive decline.

Dr. Georgia Ede – Psychiatrist who links low cholesterol to mood disorders and dementia. Advocates for nutrient-dense, animal-based diets to support brain health.

Dr. Duane Graveline – Former NASA flight surgeon who suffered statin-induced amnesia. Wrote Lipitor: Thief of Memory to warn about neurological risks.

Dr. David Diamond – Neuroscientist who found statins increase diabetes risk (Expert Review, 2015) and lower testosterone and cognitive performance. Advocates for full context in lipid interpretation.

Dr. Frank Shallenberger – Integrative MD and ozone therapy pioneer. Challenges mainstream approaches to aging and chronic disease. Believes mitochondrial dysfunction, not cholesterol, drives neurodegeneration.

Metabolic Dysfunction & Insulin Resistance

Dr. Mark Hyman – Functional medicine leader who shifted the narrative from LDL to insulin resistance, inflammation, and lifestyle. Founder of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine.

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon – Muscle-centric medicine pioneer. Argues that lean mass protects metabolic and cardiovascular health better than statins ever could.

Dr. Ben Bikman – PhD and insulin resistance researcher. Author of Why We Get Sick. Calls the triglyceride-to-HDL ratio the best early indicator of risk—far better than LDL.

Dr. Robert Lustig – Endocrinologist and anti-sugar crusader. His work shows sugar—not fat—is the driver of metabolic disease. Took major heat for his 2009 viral lecture "Sugar: The Bitter Truth."

Dr. Cate Shanahan – Author of Deep Nutrition. Blames seed oils and processed foods for heart disease and metabolic dysfunction. Pushed back on low-fat dogma before it was popular.

Dr. Stephen Hussey – Chiropractor and heart attack survivor. Ditched statins and rebuilt his health through ancestral living. Author of Understanding the Heart.

Big Pharma & Medical Corruption

Dr. Aseem Malhotra – UK cardiologist and outspoken critic of Big Pharma. Highlights how industry ties have corrupted research. Recently made headlines linking vaccine and statin overreach.

Zoe Harcombe – PhD nutritionist and data analyst. Dissects flawed dietary guidelines and pharma-sponsored science. Discredited Ancel Keys’ cherry-picked research.

Dr. Jack Wolfson – Known as the Paleo Cardiologist. Left the mainstream system to practice root-cause cardiology. Says true heart health comes from nature, not prescriptions.

Dr. Michel de Lorgeril – French cardiologist who reanalyzed the 4S trial and found major flaws in statin benefit claims. Early advocate of the Mediterranean diet for prevention.

Maryanne Demasi – Former ABC journalist fired after exposing statin and cholesterol myths in a national broadcast. Continues to publish independent investigations.

Dr. Jonny Bowden – Co-author of The Great Cholesterol Myth. Focuses on inflammation, not LDL, as the driver of disease. Has helped thousands rethink their risk.

Jimmy Moore – Host of the Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show. Lost 180 pounds, reversed his labs, and became a leading patient voice pushing back on statin narratives.