The Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease Side Effects Caused by Statin Drugs with the Supplement, Coenzyme Q10
As the front-running cause of death in the United States and a leader among the most common chronic disorders, cardiovascular disease is a prominent topic in modern disease research. Drug therapies are constantly investigated to alleviate the symptoms and prevent development of these morbidities. The use of statin drugs has surrounded immense amounts of literature on potential therapies for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Statins operate to prevent cholesterol synthesis in the body that contribute to this metabolic syndrome. Subsequently, these drugs reduce the presence of coenzyme Q10, an enzyme that plays a key role in energy synthesis in many major pathways in the body. Coenzyme Q10 has been considered vitamin like as it is oil-soluble and maintains numerous antioxidant-like properties. Though affirmed as a potential treatment, statin drugs produce harmful effects to the muscles and liver, causing many patients to terminate treatment before intended. The lower levels of coenzyme Q10 promote the adverse effects of statin drugs because a deficiency is related to lower muscle energy metabolism, causing muscle disease.
A recent study as a randomized clinical trial aimed to deduce if the proposed mechanism of adverse muscle effects upon statin administration could be protected by coenzyme Q10 supplementation. Statin administration was observed as primary and secondary prevention levels to gauge if the severity of the disease or presence of cardiovascular disease impacted the damage caused by statin drugs. The researchers discovered that muscle pain and ability to conduct standard daily activities was greater in patients who received the statin treatment supplemented with coenzyme Q10 at a rate of 75%. This additional supplementation did not alter liver and muscle enzymes, which sustained at normal levels within the treatment groups.
Though this study found positive results for CoQ10 supplementation in concert with statin therapy for cardiovascular disorders, the mechanism for treatment remains ambiguous. Multiple confounding factors are at play in cardiovascular disorders, and supplementation is not always a straightforward answer. Further research on this supplementation with larger cohorts may draw firmer conclusions. This study was able to reveal that supplementation with coenzyme Q10 alleviates the muscular pain that comes aside statin therapy for cardiovascular disease. This proposed treatment has the potential to provide patients with an easier and less painful adherence to statin therapy, which in turn provides a better quality of life and ability to conduct normal activity levels.
Reference
Skarlovnik, A., Janić, M., Lunder, M., Turk, M., & Šabovič, M. (2014). Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation Decreases Statin-Related Mild-to-Moderate Muscle Symptoms: A Randomized Clinical Study. Medical Science Monitor : International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research, 20, 2183–2188. http://doi.org/10.12659/MSM.890777
