Statins exacerbate exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury

This study was published in Metabolism 1997 Oct;46(10):1206-10

 

Study title and authors:

Lovastatin increases exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury.

Thompson PD, Zmuda JM, Domalik LJ, Zimet RJ, Staggers J, Guyton JR.

Division of Cardiology, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9322808

This study investigated the association between statins, exercise and creatine kinase levels (high levels of creatine kinase are a marker for muscle damage) using a double-blind, placebo-controlled design. The study include 59 healthy men aged 18 to 65 years who were assigned to receive lovastatin (40 mg per day) or placebo for 5 weeks. The men completed 45 minutes of treadmill walking after 4 weeks of treatment.

The study found that the creatine kinase levels of the men who received lovastatin were 62% and 77% higher 24 and 48 hours after the treadmill exercise compared to the men who received placebo.

The researchers concluded that statins exacerbate exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury.

Statins impair energy production and promote muscle damage

This study was published in Muscle and Nerve 2011 Jan;43(1):76-81

Study title and authors:
Evaluation of skeletal muscle during calf exercise by 31-phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy in patients on statin medications.

Wu JS, Buettner C, Smithline H, Ngo LH, Greenman RL.
Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. jswu@bidmc.harvard.edu

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21171098

Phosphocreatine is a substance that is fundamental to the ability of the body to produce muscular energy.

Elevated blood levels of creatine kinase are indicative of muscle damage.

The study investigated the association of statin treatment on recovery from exercise. The study included ten patients, (who were subject to a four-week regimen of statin therapy), who had their phosphocreatine and creatine kinase levels measured pre- and post-statin therapy.

The study found:
(a) Phosphocreatine levels took 97% longer to recover from exercise after statin therapy.
(b) Creatine kinase levels rose by 17.7% after statin therapy.

The results of the study suggest that statin therapy may impair energy production and promote muscle damage.