Study title and authors:
Atorvastatin decreases the coenzyme Q10 level in the blood of patients at risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Rundek T, Naini A, Sacco R, Coates K, DiMauro S.
Department of Neurology, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA.
This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15210526
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Rundek notes there have been various adverse effects of statin drugs, including problems commonly affecting
muscle and ranging from muscle pain to the rapid destruction of skeletal muscle which can then cause kidney failure (rhabdomyolysis). These adverse effects may be due to a coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) deficiency because inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis also inhibits the synthesis of CoQ(10).
muscle and ranging from muscle pain to the rapid destruction of skeletal muscle which can then cause kidney failure (rhabdomyolysis). These adverse effects may be due to a coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) deficiency because inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis also inhibits the synthesis of CoQ(10).
The objective of the study was to measure CoQ(10) levels in blood from subjects with high cholesterol levels before and after exposure to atorvastatin at 14 and 30 days.
The study found:
(a) Coenzyme Q(10) levels dropped by 51% after 30 days of statin thearpy.
(b) A significant decrease was already detectable after 14 days of treatment.
To conclude: Even brief exposure to statins causes a marked decrease in blood CoQ(10) concentration. Widespread inhibition of CoQ(10) synthesis could explain the most commonly reported adverse effects of statins, especially exercise intolerance, muscle pain, and rhabdomyolysis.
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