We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. If this happened to you, there are a few things you can ask your healthcare provider about before giving up on statins. People who are statin intolerant are unable to tolerate the lowest dose of two or more statins, due to the adverse effects that they have on the muscles, joints or liver. Within a month of starting statin therapy, they may feel aches or weakness in the large muscles of their arms, shoulders, thighs or buttocks on both sides of the body.
Fortunately, these effects disappear within a month after stopping statin therapy. Sometimes, certain foods or medications prevent the body from eliminating statins at the normal rate, causing statin levels in the body to rise. The most common culprits include:. Most statins are lipophilic, which means they passively diffuse into the muscle. Back to Statins. Like all medicines, statins can cause side effects. But most people tolerate them well and do not have any problems.
You should discuss the benefits and risks of taking statins with your doctor before you start taking the medicine. In fact, rats treated with statins ran twice as far as control rats. The findings challenge previous reports that exercise makes statin side effects worse. The researchers point out that they did not directly show that the cell changes lead to muscle weakness and pain in people, but note that this is likely.
The proposed mechanism may also explain why heart muscle, which has different gatekeeper proteins for calcium release, is protected from any potentially harmful effects of statins. We found that moderate exercise cancelled out the changes in muscle cells caused by statins. We know around 7 in 10 professional athletes can't tolerate statins -- and we know that intense endurance exercise has profound effects on the gatekeeper proteins targeted by statins.
The added effect of statins could push muscles over the edge, leading to symptoms. If you weren't convinced to exercise already, here's another reason. Those who do suffer muscle pain and weakness should always ask their doctor if a different statin or dose might solve the problem. When weighing up whether to take statins, talk to your GP. After assessing your personal risk and advising on lifestyle changes, they will help you make an informed decision that is right for you.
Scientists are still learning about what can help with statin muscle pain. However, some research suggests that the following may prove helpful:. People can also avoid consuming things that may contribute to the pain, such as alcohol, grapefruit, starfruit, and pomegranate. A person who cannot tolerate statins can consult their doctor about trying a different drug. The doctor may recommend one of the following:.
These drugs are not a direct replacement for statins, and each has different uses. A person may need to take more than one of these drugs or take them alongside statins to reduce their cholesterol levels. On rare occasions, statins may also cause a person to develop more serious muscle conditions, such as:. Immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy IMNM is a rare condition that causes cells to die. According to a review , it affects two to three statin users per , There is no known cure, although treatments are available to manage symptoms.
IMNM symptoms include :. Rhabdomyolysis occurs due to rapid muscle tissue death. It is a serious condition that, on average, affects less than one statin user per , The kidneys remove waste produced by damaged muscle cells. If there is too much waste, kidney failure may occur. Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include :. In rare cases, rhabdomyolysis can be fatal. If a person suspects they have rhabdomyolysis, they should seek immediate medical attention.
A person experiencing unexplained muscle pain while taking statins should speak with their doctor. The doctor can help determine whether statins are causing their muscle pain, and discuss treatment options.
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