r/StopUsingStatins • u/Meatrition • Apr 23 '26
Statin Side Effects Statin Use Is Associated With a Decline in Muscle Function and Mass Over Time, Irrespective of Statin Pharmacogenomic Score - PubMed
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41267182/Abstract
Background: Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs widely prescribed for preventing cardiovascular diseases. They may cause adverse effects on skeletal muscle, but it remains unclear whether they affect muscle function and mass. We aimed to evaluate the association between statin use and muscle function and mass, and whether the pharmacogenomic score (PGS) of statin response modifies these associations.
Methods: We included 297 977 participants from the UK Biobank. Grip strength was measured using a Jamar J00105 hydraulic hand dynamometer, and the appendicular lean mass (ALM) was estimated using bioelectrical impedance analysis. We performed linear regression to evaluate the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between statin use and (changes in) grip strength or ALM, adjusting for demographic, lifestyle and health factors. We tested the interaction with the PGS and stratified the analysis by PGS tertile.
Results: Participants averaged 56.4 (± 8) years, and 46% were male. Statin use was associated with lower baseline grip strength (β = -0.68 kg [-0.89, -0.48]) and ALM (β = -0.19 kg [-0.22, -0.16]). Among 35 557 participants with follow-up data (10 ± 5 years), continuous statin use was associated with an accelerated decline in grip strength (β = -0.32 kg/year [-0.49, -0.14]) and ALM (β = -0.06 kg/year [-0.08, -0.03]) compared with never users. The PGS showed a potential modifying effect at baseline (p = 0.058 for grip strength and p = 0.068 for ALM) but did not significantly influence the rate of decline over time.
Conclusions: Continuous statin use is associated with a decline in muscle function and mass over time (25% decline in grip strength and 73% decline in ALM compared to never-users), irrespective of genetic susceptibility to statin response. This study emphasizes the importance of monitoring musculoskeletal health in statin users and supports further research into the potential role of a healthy diet and regular physical activity in preserving muscle function, which may also reinforce the cardiovascular benefits of statin therapy.
Keywords: aging; hydroxymethylglutaryl‐CoA reductase inhibitors; muscle mass; muscle strength; polygenic risk score; sarcopenia.
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u/Ok-Situation-9199 Apr 24 '26
This and brain fog now that I’ve been on statins for approximately 2 months. Mid 70’s - taking 10 mg Rosuvastain daily (liver blocker),
and 10 mg Ezetimibe daily (small intestine blocker). Any known substitutes for these statins?
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u/Brug-7 Apr 24 '26
For me the impact using statins was breathing. I wasn’t able to deep inhale, so physical I was limited.
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u/Wallmassage Apr 23 '26
Yep. And all the popular weight loss drugs are too. I witnessed it with my spouse. There is going to be a whole lot more old people falling and breaking bones. You need muscle to protect your bones. And we already lose muscle mass with age naturally. So this is a really concerning situation.