Study Identifies Possible Cause of Muscle Pain With Statin Use

Results of a recent study shed light on the cause of muscle pain, stiffness, and weakness responsible for poor treatment adherence and lower quality of life among 25% of statin users.

Previous research has linked several adverse drug reactions to the mitochondria, the powerhouse of cells, but the mechanisms behind these reactions are unknown.
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For their recent study, researchers examined the effects of statins in both their acid form (used to treat high cholesterol) and lactone form (which has no therapeutic effect) on mitochondria.

They found that the lactone form of statins—which statin acid can transform into within the body—could unintentionally interfere with mitochondrial pathways, causing lessened production of ATP, a cell’s energy. This effect could be the cause of patients’ muscle pain.

“Interindividual differences in the enzymatic conversion of the acid into the lactone form could be an explanation for the differences between patients in susceptibility for statin-induced muscle pain."

"This research leads to several opportunities to synthesize new classes of cholesterol-lowering drugs without the unwanted muscle effects, as well as the development of new avenues to counteract these effects, both of which we are currently investigating," they concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Schirris TJJ, Renkema GH, Ritschel T, et al. Statin-induced myopathy is associated with mitochondrial complex iii inhibition. Cell Metabolism. 2015;22(3):399-407.