I have been taking a mild dose 5mg/day of Lipitor for the past 4 months to lower my Cholesteral…Was 225 now 150…I have been losing strength and do not seem to be making gains on any front…I do train renegade.
Does anyone have any experience with Lipitor?
BUMP for fNf
F&40, steroidal hormones are made from cholesterol, with testosterone being one of those steroidal hormones. Cholesterol, ideally, runs within a range of about 180 to 200. Below 170 you are at greater risk for hemorrhagic stroke.
Even more important than cholesterol numbers that run slightly above 200 is the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL.
Quoting from one of my sources:
“The risk factors for heart disease are often calculated by dividing total cholesterol by HDL. Assessment of the HDL-total cholesterol ratio is not standardized, but according to Health and Wellness (Sixth Edition), a value of 4.5 places the individual at an average risk; a ratio above 4.5 indicates an increased risk; and a ratio below 4.5 means a decreased likelihood of developing heart disease (Edlin et al. 1999).”
I’d recommend that you discuss your concerns with your doctor. I hope this provides you with the information you need to make a decision.
I’m not sure if it relates to your problem, but statins e.g. lipitor deplete the body of coenzyme Q-10 an important nutrient (do a google search there are a zillion references). There are numerous reports of e.g. muscle cramps as a result of this. I would be guessing at how much coenzyme Q-10 you would need to replace that depleted by lipitor by 50-100 mg might be enough. Coenzyme Q-10 is much better absorped with fat, so either get a product where the coenzyme Q-10 is in a softget with fat, or at a minimum be sure to take it with fat.
F&F,
statin drugs like Lipitor have been shown to cause muscle wasting in some individuals–there is also a serious interference with CoQ10, which can cause general fatigue and an intolerance to exercise
talk to your doctor about your concerns–ask for alternative, non-drug approaches
there are many alternatives for reducing cholesterol levels without drugs (especially eliminating trans fatty acids and reducing saturated fat to less than 10% of fat calories ingested)
also consider increasing fiber intake, either as fibrous veggies (brocolli, asparagus, etc) or with a fiber supplement
good luck
–Bill
F&40: I’ve never used any statin drugs myself but my mother, age 82, has for several years. Symptoms of muscle weakness led us to research the possible side effects of these drugs. It turned out that her problem did not appear to be related to the Lipitor but if you do a Google search you will find that it is possible. The Q-10 situation that has been brought up is valid. In fact I understand that Merck actually considered bringing a statin drug with Q-10 in it to market.
Here a couple of paragraphs from http://www.pharmacynetworkgroup.com/w/lipitor-warnings-precautions.htm
The first would corroborate what T-T said.
“HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors interfere with cholesterol synthesis and theoretically might blunt adrenal and/or gonadal steroid production”
“Uncomplicated myalgia has been reported in atorvastatin-treated patients . Myopathy, defined as muscle aches or muscle weakness in conjunction with increases in creatine phosphokinase (CPK) values >10 times ULN, should be considered in any patient wlth diffuse myalgias, muscle tenderness or weakness, and/or marked elevation of CPK. Patients should be advised to report promptly unexplained muscle pain, tenderness or weakness, particularly if accompanied by malaise or fever. Atorvastatin therapy should be discontinued if markedly elevated CPK levels occur or myopathy is diagnosed or suspected”
Hope this helps.