Can statins cause extreme fatigue?

In a study of more than 1,000 adults, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, found that individuals taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs are more likely than non-users to experience decreased energy, fatigue upon exertion, or both.


Why am I so tired on statins?

Research suggests that statins may cause you to feel tired because they play a role in decreasing the amount of energy provided to the cells in your muscles.

Does cholesterol medication make you tired?

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.


What's one of the serious side effects of statins?

Side Effects of Statins: Risk Versus Benefit

Like all drugs, statins bring the risk of side effects. Muscle pain, liver damage, increased blood sugar, and fuzzy thinking are the most common – which can scare some candidates off.

Do side effects from statins go away?

In most cases, if you're going to have muscle pain from statins, you will notice it soon after you start taking the medication. For many people, however, this side effect is temporary and goes away somewhat quickly.


Study Confirms What Many Patients Taking Statins Have Said for Years | NBC Nightly News



Is it OK to stop statins suddenly?

Is it dangerous to suddenly stop taking your statin? Yes. Suddenly stopping your statin is dangerous. Data shows that the risk of stroke, heart attack, and death within 4 years of stopping a statin is high.

What is the best statin with the least side effects?

According to a research review people who take simvastatin (Zocor) or pravastatin (Pravachol) may experience fewer side effects.

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.


Is there a new drug to replace statins?

PCSK-9 inhibitors thus reduce cholesterol levels by maintaining higher levels of LDL receptors that remove cholesterol from the blood. Currently, PCSK-9 inhibitors are limited in use as they must be administered as shots. Further research into them could expand their use as an alternative to statins.

What can I take instead of statins to lower cholesterol?

7 cholesterol-lowering alternatives to statins
  • Fibrates. Mostly used for lowering triglyceride levels in patients whose levels are very high and could cause pancreatitis. ...
  • Plant stanols and sterols. ...
  • Cholestyramine and other bile acid-binding resins. ...
  • Niacin. ...
  • Policosanol. ...
  • Red yeast rice extract (RYRE) ...
  • Natural products.


What are the neurological side effects of statins?

Statins may also affect neurodegenerative disorders, such as dementia, Parkinson's disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). For instance, some patients taking statins develop ALS or ALS-like conditions with progressive muscle wasting, which sometimes resolve when the patients stop taking the medication.


What is the downside of atorvastatin?

Worsening liver problems and liver failure

Though rare, atorvastatin (Lipitor) can cause serious liver problems that can lead to liver failure. You'll need to get blood tests to check your liver health before and during treatment to make sure their liver is working properly.

When should elderly stop taking statins?

Adults age 75 and older may not need statins.

Many older adults have high cholesterol. Their doctors usually prescribe statins to prevent heart disease. But for older people, there is no clear evidence that high cholesterol leads to heart disease or death.

Does muscle weakness from statins go away?

One of the side effects of these drugs, however, is muscle pain and weakness, a general condition called “myositis.” In the great majority of patients, this side effect goes away when they stop taking the medication.


How long does it take for statins to cause side effects?

It can be a mild tiredness or discomfort, or it can be severe enough to make your daily activities difficult. These side effects usually occur within 4 to 6 weeks of starting a statin, but they can occur even after several years.

Is it better to take statins at night or day?

Some statins have half-lives of less than six hours. These statins are best taken at night. Simvastatin is an example of a statin that works better if taken in the evening. Studies show that when simvastatin is taken at night, there's a greater reduction in LDL cholesterol than when it's taken in the morning.

Why was Lipitor taken off the market?

Type 2 diabetes -- Lipitor may increase your blood sugar, which could lead to the development of type 2 diabetes. Even though the risk is low, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) considered it serious enough to include a warning regarding raised blood sugar and diabetes on all statin medication.


What is a natural substitute for statin drugs?

These natural alternatives to statins include: Exercise.
...
Natural Alternatives to Statins: Foods That Help Lower Cholesterol
  • Foods high in soluble fiber and plant phytosterols, such as legumes, avocados, broccoli and other fruits and vegetables.
  • Whole grains, including oatmeal, quinoa and barley.


What natural thing could be taken instead of statins?

For patients who can't tolerate cholesterol-lowering statins, natural remedies like bergamot, garlic and green tea may be a useful alternative, based on a recent statement published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Can I drink coffee while taking statin?

Background: Adenosine receptor activation is essential for mediating the IS-limiting effects of statins. Caffeine is a nonspecific adenosine receptor blocker, and thus drinking CC may block the myocardial protective effects of statins.


Do statins affect sleep?

Accumulating databases from the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) suggest that statin use is associated with an increased risk of sleep disturbances including insomnia [8]. In other studies hallucinations and nightmares during statin therapy were also observed [6, 7].

Do statins make you gain weight?

Statin use is associated with increased calorie intake and consequent weight gain.

What is the number 1 cholesterol medications?

Statins. Statins are one of the better-known types of cholesterol-lowering drugs. Providers choose these for the majority of people because they work well. Statins decrease cholesterol output by blocking the HMG CoA reductase enzyme that the liver uses to make cholesterol.


Which statin affects the liver the most?

Atorvastatin is the most common cause of clinically significant liver injury among statins with a reported incidence of 1/17 000 users.

Which is safer Lipitor or Crestor?

Despite this, there was no significant difference between the two drugs in how well they decreased the volume of atherosclerotic buildup in the arteries. Both Crestor and Lipitor are generally well tolerated with a similar rate of side effects.