Statins are chemical molecules frequently used to lower cholesterol levels. Following the use of this type of molecule, many people experience weakness and muscle pain (myalgia).
These muscle problems are quite common and can persist even long after statin use has been discontinued.
Approximately 10-15% of people taking statins report experiencing this myalgia to a greater or lesser extent. A smaller number have much more severe and persistent pain, similar to myopathy.
In one study, researchers took biopsies of leg muscle tissue from 83 people, 44 of whom were taking statins and had persistent severe muscle pain, 19 of whom were taking statins without myalgia, and 20 of whom had never taken statins and had no muscle pain.
Of the 44 patients who had myopathy or myalgia, the results showed that 25 of them had structural damage to the muscles
The most recent statin (rosuvastatin in the cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor) prescribed against cholesterol would be, according to a study of the department of cardiology of the University of Boston published by the American medical journal Circulation in May 2005, the one which presents the most risks of side effects. This is the finding of the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) after one year of sale. It seems that the risk of adverse effects with rosuvastatin is 2.2 to 6.8 times higher than with other types of statins, and the health problems appear very quickly after the start of therapy.
The Lancet medical journal published an editorial in June 2004 calling for the withdrawal of this statin from the market, yet recently the FDA simply asked the laboratory to modify the drug's package insert
Here is another example of the harmfulness of chemical statins. In August 2001, cerivastatin (the molecule in the cholesterol-lowering drug Staltor) was also withdrawn from the market by BAYER laboratories following cases of severe and sometimes fatal rhabdomyolysis (destruction of muscle cells). This cellular destruction releases potassium into the bloodstream, this excess of potassium (hyperkalemia) can itself lead to heart rhythm disorders or even cardiac arrest if the kalemia is really high. This process releases toxins that can also lead to death in the short term. The release of muscle enzymes into the bloodstream can cause kidney failure. In short, any massive muscle destruction, whether caused by statins or any other phenomenon, can have serious health consequences.
These cases of sometimes fatal rhabdomyolysis were observed mainly in the USA between 1999 and 2001, and occurred essentially following the use of gemfibrozil (still widely available today) or cerivastine at high doses or both drugs combined.
However, there are natural solutions such as nutritional supplements based on red yeast rice.