Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation Decreases Statin-Related Mild-to-Moderate Muscle Symptoms: A Randomized Clinical Study
What this study found
Coenzyme Q10 supplementation significantly reduced statin-related muscle pain and interference with daily activities after 30 days. Pain Severity Score decreased from 3.9±0.4 to 2.9±0.4 (P<0.001); Pain Interference Score decreased from 4.0±0.4 to 2.6±0.4 (P<0.001); placebo showed no significant change. Relative reductions vs placebo: PSS −33.1% and PIS −40.3% (both P<0.05). 75% of patients reported symptom improvement. No significant changes in liver or muscle enzymes or cholesterol levels. Authors conclude that 50 mg twice daily CoQ10 for 30 days reduces statin-associated mild-to-moderate…
- Study & population
- Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial; 50 statin-treated adults (25 per group) aged 40-65 with mild-to-moderate statin-related muscle symptoms; both sexes; statin therapy continued; assessments at Day 0 and Day 30 using Brief Pain Inventory (PSS and PIS).
- Intervention
- Coenzyme Q10 50 mg per dose, taken twice daily (total 100 mg/day) for 30 days; oral tablets.
- Key limitation
- Small, single-center study (n=50) with short duration (30 days); strict inclusion criteria; reliance on subjective pain measures; no mechanistic data or CoQ10 tissue/plasma level assessment; results may not generalize to all statin-associated muscle symptoms.
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Open PDFOriginal abstract
Background Statin use is frequently associated with muscle-related symptoms. Coenzyme Q10 supplementation has yielded conflicting results in decreasing statin myopathy. Herein, we tested whether coenzyme Q10 supplementation could decrease statin-associated muscular pain in a specific group of patients with mild-to-moderate muscle symptoms. Material/Methods Fifty patients treated with statins and reporting muscle pain were recruited. The Q10 group (n=25) received coenzyme Q10 supplementation over a period of 30 days (50 mg twice daily), and the control group (n=25) received placebo. The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) questionnaire was used and blood testing was performed at inclusion in the study and after 30 days of supplementation. Results The intensity of muscle pain, measured as the Pain Severity Score (PSS), in the Q10 group was reduced from 3.9±0.4 to 2.9±0.4 (P<0.001). The Pain Interference Score (PIS) after Q10 supplementation was reduced from 4.0±0.4 to 2.6±0.4 (P<0.001). In the placebo group, PSS and PIS did not change. Coenzyme Q10 supplementation decreased statin-related muscle symptoms in 75% of patients. The relative values of PSS and PIS significantly decreased (−33.1% and −40.3%, respectively) in the Q10 group compared to placebo group (both P<0.05). From baseline, no differences in liver and muscle enzymes or cholesterol values were found. Conclusions The present results show that coenzyme Q10 supplementation (50 mg twice daily) effectively reduced statin-related mild-to-moderate muscular symptoms, causing lower interference of statin-related muscular symptoms with daily activities.