How Does CoQ10 Levels Deplete? Does Taking a simvastatin (Zocor) Affect levels of CoQ10?

Question

Last week my docotor said I had high cholesterol. I'm only a 20-year old male. However, I'm overweight at 220 pounds and 5'7. Over the past year or two, I haven't been eating healthy. So I personally attribute my high cholesterol levels to my inactvity + poor diet. My docotor came back with my blood results and prescribed Zocor ( a simvastatin) to help lower my bad cholesterol levels.

I'm supposed to take 40 MG pill daily of this. I took my first pill tonight of 40MG. Doing some further research online, I've found some discomforting information regarding the 'statin' family of drugs. I'm paticullary worried about the depletion of CoQ10 levels, which have been shown to have beneficial effects themselves. After all my research, I've decided I'm not going to go on the meds and just try the more "natural" route and just eat healthier and exercise.

My biggest concern is this: Will the Pill I took of 40MG affect my levels at all? If so, will the levels return to 'normal' considering I'm 100% discontinuing this drug? I'll wait until more information comes out on this drug. Until then, I don't feel safe doing so.

Answer 1

Simvastatin has been around for many years. While any statin has been shown to lower CoQ10 levels, it's interesting that a couple of studies (Sorry, but I don't have the reference handy) have shown that supplementing patients with CoQ10 has no effect on the rate of side effects.

There's a lot of unscientific sites out there (spacedoc.net for one) that rail about the dangers of statins. Given the millions of statin scripts filled annually, there should be a lot more people stopping the drugs if they were as dangerous as some claim.

I've been on high dose simvastatin & niacin for YEARS. No side effects. No muscle weakness, no liver damage, no cognitive changes. Nada.  

Answer 2

Congratulations, you are smarter than 70% of the people on this board and 95% of doctors. Depletion of CoQ10 is the best known side effect of statins. Their effect on CoQ10 is reversible but the effect of low CoQ10 may not be. (If you only took one pill, you are being paranoid) There is a DNA mutation in the midocodria of your muscles. Mutations do not reverse. Do some studying what a natural route might be. It is not what you think. Actually if you do the low fat low cholesterol diet, you will NEVER lower your numbers. You will need to accept that your levels do not need to be as low as your doctor thinks. If you get your total below 250 with a good ratio of HDL to total, you will be fine. If you go on a low carb, high saturated fat, whole foods diet, you will lose weight, increase your HDL, prevent type 2 diabetes, and live longer.

Pharmacist who's life was almost ruined by Lipitor