IF YOU’RE TAKING a statin to lower your cholesterol, you may have wondered whether the medication gives you a little more freedom at the dinner table. After all, if a pill is lowering your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol —the so-called “bad” cholesterol—maybe that means a burger, steak, or plate of fries won’t clog your arteries as much. It’s an idea that guys have discussed online: if a statin is keeping your cholesterol in check, why not eat whatever you want? On Reddit, posts occasionally come up about using statins to intentionally order fast food guilt-free. Have people discovered a junk food loophole?

Surprisingly, docs say they might have a point. When you’re on a statin, you don’t have to stomach a bland plate of grilled chicken and veggies for the rest of your life. The trick is to not go too far.

Juan Carlos Rozo, MD , cardiologist at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital, says the goal isn’t to eliminate the foods you enjoy.…