Why do statins make your legs ache?

The researchers suggest that in most people, muscle cells can tolerate this calcium leak. However, in people already susceptible due to their genes or lifestyle, the leak caused by statins may overwhelm the muscle cells, giving rise to muscle pain and weakness.

How do you treat leg pain from statins?

What does leg pain from statins feel like?

Statin-related muscle pain, if it happens at all, usually happens within the first few months after you start the drug or raise the dose. You may feel a constant soreness or weakness in your shoulders, thighs, hips, or calves. If you're like most people, it'll affect both sides of your body equally.

Do muscle aches from statins go away?

Muscle pain usually goes away within 1 to 2 weeks after you stop taking a statin. If the pain doesn't go away, it may have been caused by something else.

Can statins cause leg pain at night?

Muscle pain is the most common side effect of the cholesterol-lowering statins. Although it is usually a constant pain or ache, it may appear as nighttime cramps.

Study: Statins use can lead to muscle pain or weakness

What can I take instead of statins to lower cholesterol?

How do you know if statins are affecting your muscles?

One of the most common complaints of people taking statins is muscle pain. You may feel this pain as a soreness, tiredness or weakness in your muscles. The pain can be a mild discomfort, or it can be severe enough to make your daily activities difficult.

Can you stop taking statins Once you start?

Do not suddenly stop taking your prescribed medication without talking with your doctor first. If you have side effects from the medication, your doctor might adjust your dosage or recommend a different statin or other combination of medications.

Why do doctors push statins?

Statins are the go-to treatment option for lowering cholesterol levels and risk of cardiovascular complications, like heart attack and stroke. Statins work by slowing down cholesterol production and enabling the liver to remove low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or “bad cholesterol,” from the bloodstream.

Why do statins have to be taken at night?

So, why do people take statins at night? Many statins work more effectively when they are taken at night. This is because the enzyme which makes the cholesterol is more active at night. Also, the half-life, or the amount of time it takes for half the dose to leave your body, of some statins is short.

How long does it take for muscle pain to go away after stopping statins?

Often the only way to halt the effects of statins on your muscle cells is to stop taking the medications. Symptoms tend to disappear within 3 months after you stop taking statins, with no permanent damage in most cases. But a 2018 study suggests that in rare cases, some muscle damage isn't reversible.

Where does statin muscle pain occur?

Within a month of starting statin therapy, they may feel aches or weakness in the large muscles of their arms, shoulders, thighs or buttocks on both sides of the body. About 5 to 10% of people who try statins are affected. It's more common in the elderly, in women and in those taking the more potent statins.

What vitamins should not be taken with statins?

In one study, daily supplementation with a combination of antioxidants (800 IU of vitamin E, 1,000 mg of vitamin C, 25 mg of beta-carotene, and 100 mcg of selenium) blocked the beneficial effect of simvastatin-plus-niacin on HDL cholesterol levels.

Can statins cause walking problems?

While statins have been shown to significantly reduce cholesterol levels, they have also been reported to have negative side effects on skeletal muscle. Most statin-induced myopathy manifests in the leg muscles, which can lead to difficulty walking and exercising.

Do statins cause weight gain?

As with many medications, statins may cause side effects, including digestive problems, muscle pain and weakness, and cognitive dysfunction. Another side effect that's been linked to statins is weight gain.

What happens when you stop taking statins cold turkey?

An IS occurs when a buildup of cholesterol in the arteries restricts blood flow to the brain. The study included a total of 45,151 participants. It found that people who quit taking statins 3–6 months after having an IS were 42% more likely to experience a second stroke within 6–18 months.

Is there a natural substitute for statins?

Natural alternatives to statins include soy products like tofu and edamame. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 35 million Americans have high LDL, also known as bad cholesterol. This greatly increases your risk for heart disease and stroke.

What is considered dangerously high cholesterol?

A person is considered at high risk for developing heart disease if their total cholesterol level is higher than 240 mg/dL, LDL levels are higher than 160 mg/dL (190 mg/dL is even higher risk), and if the HDL level is below 40 mg/dL.

Do statins clear the arteries of plaque?

Statins help lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, also known as “bad” cholesterol, in the blood. They draw cholesterol out of plaque and stabilize plaque, Blaha says.

Is 40 mg of atorvastatin a lot?

Conclusions: Atorvastatin in daily dose of 40 mg is a safe and well tolerable medication for the treatment for dyslipidemic disorders in patients of different clinic profile and cardiovascular risk groups in common medical practice.

Can you take a statin every other day?

Background: Statins are generally well tolerated, but some patients discontinue therapy secondary to adverse effects. Dosing a statin (rosuvastatin) every other day (EOD) may provide significant lipoprotein changes while avoiding common adverse effects in this statin-intolerant population.

What happens if you stop taking statins for a few days?

Stopping your statin has been linked to increased risk for cardiovascular events (like heart attack) and death in patients with coronary artery disease.

What is the safest statin to take?

Simvastatin and pravastatin had the best safety profile, according to this review. Overall, the researchers found a 9 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes in people taking statins.

What is the most serious side effect of atorvastatin?

Researchers have linked a particularly severe form of myopathy called rhabdomyolysis to the use of statins. With this potentially life-threatening complication, muscle tissue dies and products of the damaged cells can enter the bloodstream. Some of these products are toxic to the kidneys and may lead to kidney failure.

Do statins cause more harm than good?

Researchers warn that unless a patient is at high risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke, statins may cause more harm than good'.