Statin drugs may cause myopathy by lowering vitamin E levels.
Do statins cause myopathy by lowering vitamin E levels?
AI Summary
Key Findings
Abstract
Statins and other lipid lowering drugs have been repeatedly described to decrease blood levels of minor fat soluble components such as vitamin E (as alpha-tocopherol). Clinical consequences of this secondary state of deficiency have not been described so far, but recent biochemical and molecular evidence on homeostatic and molecular responses to vitamin E deficiency in skeletal muscle cells may suggest the hypothesis presented in this paper of a role as risk factor in the development of statin-associated myopathy. This hypothesis that needs to be further investigated, could suggest the need for precautionary measures during lipid lowering therapy, which include timely diagnosis and active prevention of vitamin E deficiency.
Affiliation
Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Applied Biochemistry and Nutritional Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto, 06126 Perugia, Italy.
External References
- PubMed ID:
- 19896775
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