High cholesterol is very treatable. Statins are a common group of medicines prescribed by doctors. They block the enzyme present in your liver that makes cholesterol. Statins enable your liver to remove cholesterol from your blood, which lowers your total cholesterol level. More importantly, they also help to reduce your risk of having a stroke or heart attack.
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has released information concerning the possible side effects of statins. These side effects include:
- liver damage
- memory loss or cognitive impairment
- diabetes
- muscle damage
Tasks that were once simple, such as climbing stairs or walking, may now leave you uncomfortable and tired.
Taking CoQ10 supplements can help increase your CoQ10 levels and may reduce statin side effects. Study results of the benefits of CoQ10 for reducing muscle pain associated with statin use are conflicting, however.
For muscle pain
In a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology, researchers indicate that using CoQ10 supplements seemed to decrease the muscle breakdown, pain, and discomfort of people taking statins.
For heart health
CoQ10 supplementation may also function as a natural aid in lowering cholesterol and improving heart health. While there aren’t enough studies to confirm how well it works to do this, it may be possible to combine CoQ10 with statins for better results.
Many studies review the connection between CoQ10 supplement use and heart health. A review published in Circulation: Heart Failure suggests that patients with heart failure who took CoQ10 supplements experienced fewer symptoms and complications than those who took a placebo. Another review, published in Atherosclerosis, suggests that CoQ10 might improve the health of blood vessels in people with or without heart disease.