Your body manufactures cholesterol, which is a type of fat, in your blood. You also get cholesterol from eating foods such as eggs, meat, baked goods and deep-fried food. When you have too much cholesterol in your blood, it can build up in the blood vessels, leading to your heart and causing a heart attack. Drugs and dietary changes can combat high cholesterol, although side effects can occur. Muscle weakness and joint pain is a side effect of a number of cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Statins
Statins work by blocking a material in your body that creates cholesterol. Once cholesterol is built up in your arteries, statins can help that excess break free to be absorbed by your body. Your doctor may prescribe statins if you also have other risk factors for heart attack or stroke, including a family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or peripheral artery disease. In addition to joint pain and muscle weakness, you may experience nausea, constipation or diarrhea that may decrease as your body becomes accustomed to the medication, according to MayoClinic.com. More serious side effects can include pain and tenderness in your muscles and liver damage.
Fibrates
Fibrates affect the genes involved in lipid, or fat metabolism, and are especially useful if you also have diabetes, obesity or metabolic syndrome. According to the U.S Food and Drug Administration, you should not take fibrates to control high cholesterol if you have liver, kidney or gallbladder problems. In addition to muscle pain and weakness in your joints, you also may develop headaches, stomach pain and jaundice.
Combinations
Many cholesterol-reducing medications are made from a combination of drugs, according to the U.S Food and Drug Administration, and could cause joint pain. Tell your doctor if you experience muscle pain or weakness in your joints that do not result from an injury or other known cause. Joint pain is a common side effect of combination drugs taken for high cholesterol. Other side effects can include headaches, dizziness, feeling more tired than usual and stomach pain.
Prevention
You can prevent high cholesterol and the associated side effects you may undergo from taking medications by avoiding high-fat foods in your diet. Saturated and trans fats are particularly harmful if you have high cholesterol already. Weight loss also can improve cholesterol numbers. In addition to lowering your overall cholesterol reading, losing weight takes pressure off your joints and relieves discomfort you may be experiencing.
