Statins & CoQ10. An NUI Galway study* published in the British Medical Journal in 2018 found that almost one third of all Irish adults over 50 were taking statin medications. Almost two thirds of those taking these medications were taking them for prevention of cardiovascular disease as opposed to for treatment. Coenzyme Q10 (“CoQ10”) is an antioxidant molecule that our bodies make naturally. It can also be obtained in small amounts from certain foods such as meat, fish or nuts. Levels of CoQ10 in our bodies naturally decrease from approximately age 40 onwards. In addition to being a powerful antioxidant meaning that CoQ10 can help protect us from cell damage, CoQ10 also plays a vital role in the production of our energy. It is frequently referred to as our “spark plug for energy production”. The mechanism by which statin medications protect us from the damaging effects of high levels of LDL cholesterol is to block an enzyme in our bodies that manufactures cholesterol called HMG Coenzyme A Reductase. Wonderful! The only problem is that this same enzyme that statins block is vital for the production of our natural CoQ10, meaning that less CoQ10 will be made by our bodies while we are taking statins. When coupled with a natural decline of CoQ10 production with age this could be considered a double whammy and can lead to debilitating side effects. The UK NHS lists** common side effects of statins to include headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, digestive, problems, muscle pain, sleep problems and low levels of white blood cells. So if you or a loved one are taking statins you may want to consider adding a CoQ10 supplement to counter potential negative side effects, particularly if you are experiencing muscle soreness or fatigue. Do remember however that certain nutritional supplements can interfere with medications and other supplements so be sure to speak to a nutrition or healthcare professional before starting any new supplement regime. I hope that you found this article useful. If you have any questions or comments or would like personalised support on any of the topics mentioned above, please feel free to get in touch for a free introductory call.
Paul Kinsella,
Registered Nutritional Therapist
BANT Registered Nutritionist
Copyright, 2022.
www.optimal-health.ie
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