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