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Coenzyme Q10 and Statin Use

Feb 5, 2011 | By Matthew Busse

Coenzyme Q10 is a compound similar to vitamins that is available as a health supplement. Statins refer to a class of cholesterol treatment drugs that require a prescription from a doctor. Emerging evidence suggests that statins and coenzyme Q10 are linked in the body, and taking these two together may cause unintended consequences. As with any health supplement, you should inform your doctor that you are taking coenzyme Q10 when you are given new prescription medications, especially statin drugs.

Decreased Coenzyme Q10

Taking statin medications, which include simvastatin, lovastatin and pravastatin, lowers the levels of coenzyme Q10 circulating in the body. Statins inhibit an enzyme that is involved in synthesizing both cholesterol and coenzyme Q10. While statins are very effective in decreasing cholesterol, they also cause the unintended side effect of decreasing coenzyme Q10, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.

Side Effects of Statins

One common side effect of statins is myopathy, or muscle pain. One of the roles of coenzyme Q10 is regulation of energy production in the mitochondria cells. The energy produced by mitochondria is required for muscles to function correctly, and some researchers theorize that the side effect of muscle pain caused by statins may result from reduced levels of coenzyme Q10 that accompany statin use. However, there is not enough available evidence to prove this hypothesis, explains an article published in the June 2007 issue of the "Journal of the American College of Cardiology."

Effectiveness of Coenzyme Q10

Because coenzyme Q10 is involved in so many biological processes, supplements containing it are used to treat a variety of health conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and Parkinson's disease. In addition to decreasing synthesis of coenzyme Q10 in the body, statins also appear to decrease the effectiveness of coenzyme Q10 supplements in treating these other conditions, according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

Treating Statin Side Effects

The theory that decreased coenzyme Q10 levels caused by statins may be responsible for the side effects of statins has led researchers to question if taking coenzyme Q10 with statins can decrease some of these side effects. Current research has not found conclusive results of the effectiveness of coenzyme Q10 in reducing the side effects of statins, although large, well-controlled studies on this topic still need to be carried out to decisively settle the matter, reports the article in the "Journal of the American College of Cardiology."

References

Article reviewed by Billie Jo Jannen Last updated on: Feb 5, 2011

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