Cholesterol Medicine Can Cause Fatigue, Especially in Women

A properly designed diet can be very effective in controlling cholesterol without side effects.  Examples of healthy diets include the mediterranean diet (mostly vegetarian diet with some fish and olive oil) or the Ornish or Esseltyn Diet (mostly vegetarian, almost vegan, low fat diet)

High cholesterol affects 30-40% of American adults.  Statin drugs--such as Lipitor, Simvastatin, Atorvastatin--are the most widely prescribed treatment for high cholesterol.  Numerous studies have shown that these drugs are are quite effective at lowering cholesterol; and because these drugs have been around for decades, we now know that they also decrease death or mortality from high cholesterol.  High cholesterol itself does not directly lead to death. However, high cholesterol forms plaques in blood vessels which can block the flow of blood when the plaques get too big and this in turn can lead to a heart attack or a stroke, for example.

A study recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine is the first to prove a side effect that has often been suspected and observed--that statin drugs can cause fatigue, specially in women.  We have known for a long time that statin drugs may cause
liver inflammation and rare forms of muscle disease; several observational studies have also noted that some patients complain of fatigue or difficulty thinking after starting statin drugs.  This new study measured the effect on fatigue.  Two in ten persons taking statins said that their energy was "worse" or "much worse" after starting statin drugs.  However, more women seem to be affected than men.


What's my take-away?  Like most drugs, statins have risks as well as benefits.  This study happens to outline another risk-in this case, a risk (fatigue) that can really affect our quality of life.   Hopefully, this will help motivate people with high cholesterol to whole-hearted pursue a treatment that carries far less risk---diet and lifestyle modification.

• If overweight, weight loss can contribute to decreased cholesterol levels as well as improved blood pressure and blood sugar numbers.  Benefits can be seen in as little as 3-5% weight loss, although 10% may provide superior results if one is overweight. 
• Look into your diet to see if there is anything to be improved.  The most basic things to think about are:  to not over-eat or to not over-eat calories, to eat protein in every meal and decrease intake of simple carbs or sugar, and to aim for 5 servings of vegetables daily.  An intriguing new study shows that a low-glycemic index diet might be better than a low carb diet and definitely better than a low fat diet.
• Exercise regularly--about 20-30 minutes, 4x/week. 
• Do not smoke.  Stopping smoking can increase good cholesterol by up to 30%.