Millions and millions of people have been
taking statins for at least 3 decades yet we’re still only scratching the
surface of our knowledge about their long-term risks and consequences.
3 interesting reports last week or so about
exactly that.
First, the good news: one report linking
statin use to a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
And a second report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal
confirming previous studies that found a lower risk of pneumonia in statin
users, a finding that could be of major importance to those at particularly
high risk of pneumonia and its complications such as the immune-deficient, the
seriously-ill hospitalized, and the elderly.
Finally, the one that really got my
attention: a report in the New York Times
by reporter Gretchen Reynolds on some work done by French researchers on rats
that had been forced to run, some of whom were given statins, others not.
The rats given statins apparently “ran out
of gas” much more quickly than the rats that hadn’t been given statins, and
when the muscle tissue of the former was biopsied, the tissue showed persistent
signs of injury.
Millions of people use statins and still
try to exercise, as they all should, yet many also complain of muscle pain and
fatigue when working out.
Could the drug be contributing to that
fatigue?
For me, the benefits of statins to the
high-risk person clearly outweigh the potential downsides of the drug.
But to the average-risk person for whom the
benefits of the drug are minimal if present at all, say someone with a slightly
high LDL level who is still eating properly and working out, if the drug is
perhaps making them tired so that they don’t work out as much or don’t enjoy
life as much, the drug may actually not be doing them any good.
Something to think about and discuss with
your doctor, perhaps.
