[Fwd: [AntiAgingResearch] Statins Harm Skeletal Muscles]

[Guest guest]

<forwarded>

This was posted to another list and I thought it would be of interest to

a few groups.

Steve

--- [AntiAgingResearch] Statins Harm Skeletal Muscles

Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:19:03 -0400

CC: AntiAgingResearch , Longevity

Statins Harm Skeletal Muscles

Friday, September 26, 2008 9:54 AM

By: Sylvia Booth Hubbard

http://www.newsmax.com/health/Statins_Harm_Muscles/2008/09/26/134673.html

<http://www.newsmax.com/health/Statins_Harm_Muscles/2008/09/26/134673.html>

A new study confirms that cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) have

adverse effects on skeletal muscles, which are the muscles that allow the

body to move. The study, conducted by the University of Alabama at

Birmingham, found that statin drugs cause muscle cramping, fatigue, and

potential myopathy (weakness).

Fatigue is the side effect most often reported, and roughly nine

percent of users also report statin-related pain. Increasing the dosage of

statins can make both symptoms worse.

In an attempt to find whether there exists a definite cause-and-effect

link between these symptoms and statins, the study focused on the effect of

statins on muscle progenitor cells, which are also called satellite cells

(SC). These cells, which are central in skeletal muscle regeneration and

repair, come into play following exercise or injury, at which time they are

stimulated to proliferate.

Research zeroed in on possible antiproliferative effects of statins on

satellite cells, since statins are known to have such an effect on other

types of cells. The study addressed whether statins inhibited the critical

role of SCs and thereby harmed the health of skeletal muscles.

Human SC cultures were exposed to simvastatin (a statin drug marketed

under the trade name " Zocor " ) in order to discover whether it interfered

with the ability of SCs to divide and make new cells, which is what they

must do in order to repair injured muscles. The simvastatin had a definite

slowing effect on division by the cultured cells. By interpolating the

results, the researchers found that taking the equivalent of a 40 milligram

daily dose reduces by 50 percent the capacity of SCs to divide, and

therefore definitely compromises their ability to proliferate.

A member of the research team said, " While these are preliminary data

and more research is necessary, the results indicate serious adverse

effects

of statins that may alter the ability of skeletal muscle to repair and

regenerate due to the anti-proliferative effects of statins. "

Further, the team member expressed special concern for older patients:

" We are very interested in these effects in the older population. It is

possible that older adults may not be able to distinguish between muscle

pain related to a statin effect or an effect of aging and therefore adverse

effects of statins in older adults may be under-reported. Therefore, our

next step is to examine statins among older adults. "

--

Steve - dudescholar4@...

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