|  | Conditions Treatments | Cholesterol

High Cholesterol & Joint Pain

High cholesterol has been linked to cardiovascular disease and is generally treated with drugs, like Lipitor, Crestor, and Zocor. However, there are side-effects of statin medications which often go unexplained or are overlooked, such as joint pain and muscle problems.

  1. High Cholesterol

    • Cholesterol is a fatty substance produced in the body and found in foods such as cheese, eggs, meat and shellfish. While the body needs some cholesterol for normal cell and hormone functioning, too much cholesterol can be dangerous due to fatty deposits building up on the inside of artery walls. Once these walls become narrowed, also known as hardening of the arteries, the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke are significantly increased.

    Lifestyle Changes

    • Often prescribed, statin drugs are used for the duration of a patient's life. Therefore, patients are initially encouraged to make lifestyle changes such as stress-reduction, adding daily exercise and cardio workouts, as well as a diet rich in heart-healthy foods. If the patient is unsuccessful in lowering cholesterol to a safe level through these methods, then most physicians move to prescribing a statin.

    Statin Medications

    • Cardiologists and physicians primarily prescribe statin medications to treat high cholesterol after lifestyle changes haven't been successful. The side effects of statins are most commonly, nausea, diarrhea, constipation and joint pain. More seriously, muscle problems and liver damage could also be an issue with the use of statins.

    Joint and Muscle Pain

    • It is not unusual for patients using statins to experience joint and/or muscle pain however, many are unaware of this side-effect or how commonly it occurs. The pain can span from joint tenderness and pain to deep muscle pain and weakness; the latter is more serious and should be reported to the cardiologist or physician immediately.

    coQ10 Enzyme

    • The research on this enzyme is ongoing, but promising. CoQ10 is an enzyme that is naturally produced in the body for cell-producing energy and is found in high concentrations of tissues and organs. The cells in the body can't function without this enzyme and research has shown that taking a statin decreases coQ10 enzyme levels. Theory suggests that lowered coQ10 enzymes lend to lower functioning of tissues and organs leading to muscle and joint pain.

Cholesterol - Related Articles