More than 60 million people in the US alone are taking statins, a powerful class of cholesterol-reducing drugs that includes atorvastatin (Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor), fluvastatin (Lescol), simvastatin (Zocor) and others.
Statin drugs are generally prescribed for people who have elevated cholesterol levels or a family history of stroke or cardiac disease. Statins work by blocking the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme in the liver, which is responsible for the production of cholesterol.
Elevated cholesterol levels are strongly associated with the development of athereosclerosis, a condition in which plaque forms in the arteries and restricts blood flow. This condition dramatically heightens risk for heart attack and stroke.
Though statin drugs can be very effective in lowering blood cholesterol levels, they can have serious side effects including muscle pain and body aches that may range from mildly uncomfortable to life-disrupting. In rare cases statins can lead to a muscular myopathy called rhabdomyolysis, in which muscles are severely damaged.
The reasons why statins can cause muscle aches are still not completely clear, but new research suggests that part of the problem is that they suppress the body’s ability to produce coenzyme Q10. This concept is supported by studies that show a significant decrease in statin-related muscle pain when supplemental doses of coenzyme Q10 were taken.
In a study reported by the American Journal of Cardiology, patients were randomly assigned in a double-blind test to treatment with either 100 mg a day of coenzyme Q10 or 400 mg per day of vitamin E. Both the degree of muscle pain experienced and the amount that pain interfered with the patients’ daily activities were assessed before and after treatment.
After 30 days, pain severity decreased by 40% in the group taking coenzyme Q10, while no change in pain severity was observed in the group taking vitamin E. In addition, the group taking coemzyme Q10 showed a 38% decrease in pain interference with daily activities. No decrease in pain interference with daily activities was observed in the other group.
Relief from muscle aches is believed by many experts to be only one segment on the coenzyme Q10-statin connection. The coenzyme is essential to the production of energy at the cellular level and is particularly crucial to healthy cardiac function. The fact that statin drugs suppress the body’s natural production of CoQ10 could pose additional risk for cardiac problems.
Do you need more CoQ10? If you’re over 30, chances are the answer is yes. It’s essential for energy, mental alertness, and endurance, and coenzyme Q10 benefits include powerful antioxidant properties as well. Find out more at coenzymeq10benefits.net.
