Study: Statins May Be Linked To Fatigue
Study Shows Statin Users More Likely to Report Low Energy or Fatigue During Exercise
June 11, 2012 — Some people who take cholesterol-lowering statins may feel zapped of energy and/or experience fatigue during exercise, a new study shows.
The reasons for that aren’t clear. But “if you are finding it more difficult to sustain exercise or feel more fatigued, and take statins, I think it is worthwhile to tell your doctor,” says researcher Beatrice Golomb, MD, PhD. She is an associate professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.
Golomb’s new study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, included more than 1,000 adults. They took one of two statins at relatively low doses or a placebo. None had heart disease or diabetes. People rated their energy and fatigue with exercise on a five-point scale ranging from “much worse” to “much better.”
People who were taking statin drugs were more likely to experience decreased energy, fatigue upon exertion, or both, when compared with those who were not taking statins. The effects were more pronounced among women.
This fatigue during exercise reported in the study is different than a rare and potentially fatal side effect associated with statins. Rhabdomyolysis can cause severe muscle pain, liver damage, kidney failure, and death. “Fatigue is still quite important in and of itself,” Golomb says.
Other Causes Of High Cholesterol
People are often surprised to find out they have high cholesterol or triglycerides in their blood.High levels of blood fats which include cholesterol and triglycerides can have many causes. These include your lifestyle, genes, age, gender and ethnic background and these can all add up. Here you can take a look at some of the lesser-known causes, which include other health problems and certain medicines. Doctors might call these ‘secondary causes’ of high cholesterol.
Learn about changing your lifestyle to help lower your cholesterol
Heart Attack And Unusual Tiredness
Sudden on-set of extreme fatigue or tiredness is one of the top heart attack symptoms for women. Along with chest discomfort, shortness of breath, and indigestion, abrupt and unexpected fatigue is another symptom that many women experience before they have a heart attack.
The American Heart Association conducted a study in 2003 to learn which symptoms women might have of a heart attack. They looked at 515 women who had had a heart attack and found that many noticed unexplained fatigue and trouble sleeping. Some of the women even experienced these symptoms up to one month before their heart attack. The researchers in the study suggested that these symptoms may serve as an early warning sign.
In the study, 70% of the women experienced unusual tiredness before their heart attack. Also, 48% noticed they had sleep disturbances beforehand. Only 30% of the participants reported feeling chest discomfort, the symptom that most of us think of when we hear heart attack. Whats even more interesting, most didnt report chest pain, but rather chest discomfort like tightness, aching, or pressure. The researchers suggested that recognizing symptoms like unexplained tiredness and difficulties sleeping may help people seek womens health care to potentially help prevent or delay a heart attack.
Read Also: Why Does Shrimp Have High Cholesterol
Overview Of High Cholesterol
No one can actually tell if they have high cholesterol or not. Only after a proper check-up, one becomes aware that he/she has high Cholesterol. There are different types of cholesterol and all such cholesterol levels in the body can be measured through a blood test. According to the Times of India, around 80% of Indians are affected by high cholesterol yearly. Raising the risk of heart attacks and strokes, do you know the difference between a heart attack and stoke? A heart attack occurs when the blood flow gets block, mainly due to blood clot while a stroke happens when there is a halt in the blood flow and oxygen to the brain cells. A stroke can also be regarded as a brain attack. Learn and read to know more high cholesterol and its various effects and symptoms.
Abnormal Looking Toenails & Legs
If your legs and feet are not getting adequate blood flow the results may show in your toenails. Signs include thickening toenails or toenails that grow slower than normal.
Your skin may also change in appearance, becoming shiny and tight looking. If when you hold your leg up it appears white, but when you place it down it turns a purple/red color this indicates your body is diluting blood vessels in order to increase blood flow to your feet. Your feet may also turn pale or bluish when you sit for long periods because youre not getting proper blood circulation.
Also Check: How Much Cholesterol In Canned Tuna
Statins Pills ‘may Cause Fatigue’
Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may cause tiredness, according to The Daily Telegraph. The newspaper said that doctors should consider this possible side effect before prescribing statins, currently taken by millions of patients.
The news is based on a trial testing statins in people with no history of heart disease or diabetes. The doctors behind the well-conducted study said that fatigue has been anecdotally reported as a side effect of statins, so they set out to test this. The study assessed tiredness by asking people about their general energy levels and fatigue when exerting themselves. Its found greater levels of fatigue in people taking statins compared with those taking dummy pills, particularly among women. Although the research found a worsening of fatigue with statins, it did not assess whether this actually equated to a reduction in peoples quality of daily life.
All drugs have side effects and doctors take these into account when prescribing medication. This information on fatigue will help doctors to make better informed decisions when considering prescribing statins.
Does High Cholesterol Cause Tiredness
Actually, cholesterol is not always bad. For example, it is required to help hormones and vitamin D. The problem comes when it increases higher than normal. High cholesterol is dangerous, even could be life-threatening if left untreated. What are the symptoms? Does it cause tiredness, too?
Also Check: Egg Beaters Unhealthy
High Cholesterol And Night Sweats
First of all, what is cholesterol? Cholesterol is a type of fat in your blood. To function at healthy levels, your cells need cholesterol. Your body naturally makes approximately 75% of what you need, but you also get cholesterol from the food you eat. 25% of the cholesterol that your body has comes from animal products in your food.If you have too much cholesterol, it starts to build up in your arteries, the blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. This hardening of the arteries is called atherosclerosis. As your cholesterol levels rise, theres a noticeable link between high cholesterol and night sweats your body reacts to the thickening and hardening of your arteries. Blood flow speed up and your body often starts sweating. Learn more about high cholesterol and night sweats in in this blog.
To help you understand what happens inside your body, think about how a clog forms in the pipe under a kitchen sink. Like the buildup of grease in the pipe, the buildup of cholesterol narrows your arteries and makes it harder for blood to flow through them. It reduces the amount of blood that gets to your body tissues, including your heart. This can lead to serious problems, including heart attack and stroke. Decreased blood flow also means shortness of breath and flushing hence, the high cholesterol and night sweats coinciding.
- High cholesterol is 240mg/dL or above.
- Borderline-high cholesterol is 200 to 239mg/dL.
- Best total cholesterol is less than 200mg/dL.
Discuss Your Heart Disease Risk Factors & What You Can Do To Help Reduce Your Risk For Heart Disease With Our Womens Health Care Team
When it comes to heart disease, women not only may experience different symptoms, but also different risk factors. For example, after menopause, your risk for heart disease increases, likely due to hormone changes. Some pregnancy complications can also be risk factors for heart disease, as well as conditions like endometriosis and polycystic ovary disease.
Some other things that may increase your risk for heart disease include:
- Diabetes
Our womens health care professionals are here to help address your health as a whole. During your appointment, well talk about your history and risk factors and help guide you on things you can do to lower your risk for heart disease. If youre feeling excessively tired, well help you find underlying causes of your symptom. Our providers listen and then help you with individualized treatment plans.
Also Check: Blue Crab Cholesterol
Where Did The Story Come From
The study was carried out by researchers from the University of California and was funded by the university and the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The study was published online in the peer-reviewed journal, Archives of Internal Medicine.
The Daily Telegraph has covered this study appropriately. However, the Daily Mails coverage suggested that 40% of women taking statins were exhausted but the study did not assess exhaustion, only worsening of fatigue, which may not equate to exhaustion. The 40% figure appears to be based on the way the research paper itself reported its results, although the results weren’t very clear.
The Mails coverage also implied that scientists had said people at low risk of cardiovascular problems were better off not taking statins. However, the study did not weigh up the overall balance of benefits and harms of statins, and the authors of this new research actually said their findings merit consideration when prescribing or contemplating use of statins, not that they should not be used at all in individuals with low cardiovascular risk.
What Are The Symptoms Of High Cholesterol
High cholesterol typically doesnt cause any symptoms. In most cases it only causes emergency events. For instance, a heart attack or stroke can result from the damage caused by high cholesterol.
These events typically dont occur until high cholesterol leads to the formation of plaque in your arteries. Plaque can narrow arteries so less blood can pass through. The formation of plaque changes the makeup of your arterial lining. This could lead to serious complications.
A blood test is the only way to know if your cholesterol is too high. This means having a total blood cholesterol level above 240 milligrams per deciliter . Ask your doctor to give you a cholesterol test after you turn 20 years old. Then get your cholesterol rechecked every 4 to 6 years.
Your doctor may also suggest you have your cholesterol checked more frequently if you have a family history of high cholesterol. Or if you demonstrate the following risk factors:
- have high blood pressure
- smoke
Don’t Miss: Is Shrimp Bad For Your Cholesterol
What Were The Basic Results
The researchers found that participants taking the statins showed a greater increase in overall fatigue than those taking placebo. They found that the effect was particularly pronounced in women.
The fatigue scores being compared had two components: general energy levels and fatigue upon exertion. They said that, compared with a placebo, statin use resulted in the equivalent of:
- 4-in-10 treated women reporting having worse energy levels or exertional fatigue and the remaining 6 out of 10 women reporting no change.
- 2-in-10 treated women reporting having worse energy levels and worse exertional fatigue and the remaining 8 out of 10 women reporting no change.
- 2-in-10 treated women reporting being much worse on either energy levels or exertional fatigue and the remaining 6 out of 10 women reporting no change.
- 1-in-10 treated women reporting being much worse on both energy levels and exertional fatigue and the remaining 9 out of 10 women reporting no change.
The researchers used these examples above to explain what the differences seen on the average scores could mean, but did not report which of these scenarios they actually observed in their trial .
Chronically Tired Fatigue May Be A Sign Of Heart Problems
Heart disease is one of the number one killers in the United States. Our womens health care providers are here to help you stay healthy. Thats why were spreading the word about a subtle, but dangerous sign that you could have heart disease: fatigue.
Fatigue can stop you in your tracks and even signal serious problems like heart disease. Feeling abnormally tired? Talk to our womens health care provider.
Many of us mistakenly believe that heart disease is mainly a concern for men. However, women are also at risk for this serious health condition.
Here are some quick facts on heart disease in women:
- Heart disease is responsible for 1 in every 5 female deaths
- 1 in 16 women 20 years old or older have coronary artery disease
Women often experience different symptoms of heart disease than men, which can make it hard to notice early warning signs. If youre experiencing unexplained tiredness and fatigue, come to our womens health clinicto help find the root of the problem.
Recommended Reading: Are Mussels High In Cholesterol
Symptoms Of High Cholesterol
High cholesterol is said to have no specific symptom but there are a few common symptoms that might indicate the risk of high cholesterol. The most basic and trusted method to detect it is to undergo a blood test. Few high cholesterol symptoms are:-
Paleness of skin
If a person is getting signs of skin paleness, there is a high risk of developing high cholesterol. Many times this paleness is wrongly thought to be the signs of jaundice. If youre experiencing such a sign of skin paleness, immediately consult your doctor and take the required care for it.
Frequent leg and hand pain
Experiencing frequent pain in the legs and hands might also lead to high cholesterol. It is advisory to visit your doctor and get a proper health check-up.
Head and neck pain
Another high cholesterol symptom can be that the person is suffering from pain at the backside of the head and neck. To prevent further damage, get your blood test and avoid further damage due to high cholesterol.
Increase in weight
One of the most common signs of high cholesterol is weight gain. People with weight issues are prone to several diseases and high cholesterol is one such disease. Try to maintain your body weight and opt for regular exercises and a healthy diet.
Increase in heartbeat
Irregular drop and rise of heartbeat is a symptom of forming high cholesterol. In such a condition, the person is prone to get a heart attack or stroke.
High Blood Sugar Causes Fatigue
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of high blood sugar. In people with diabetes, it is referred to as diabetes fatigue. Many people with the condition feel tired all the time regardless of how well they sleep, how healthily they eat, or how much they exercise on a regular basis. Research has shown that up to 61% of people who are recently diagnosed with the condition experience fatigue. However, fatigue doesnt just occur in those with diabetes. It can also happen in people with normal or prediabetic blood sugar levels if they experience a sudden spike in their blood sugar.
When the body experiences a spike in blood sugar levels, it goes into overdrive trying to create enough insulin to balance it out. If there isnt enough insulin or the body isnt responding to the insulin as it should, your body will start to pull from fat to create the energy it needs. When this happens, energy is used from the splitting of a molecule known as adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. When ATP expels one of its three phosphates for energy, it turns into another molecule known as adenosine diphosphate, or ADP. If there are no energy sources to pull from, the ATP cannot regain the phosphate it gave away, leading to fatigue.
Read Also: Pork Cholesterol Amount
How Can I Lower My Cholesterol Naturally
For many people, revamping everyday habits can go a long way toward lowering cholesterol without medication. There are a number of lifestyle changes that can be made, and they fall under the categories of diet and exercise, says Dr. Khandwalla.
Eating heart-healthy foods is a great place to start. This means reducing your intake of red meat and full-fat dairy products, both of which contain saturated fats that raise cholesterol. Instead, focus on eating lean proteins chicken, turkey, seafood and adding more soluble fiber to your diet from fruits, vegetables, and oatmeal, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute . Getting aerobic exercise most days of the week can also help lower cholesterol.
Dangers Of Statin Drugs: What You Havent Been Told About Popular Cholesterol
Hypercholesterolemia is the health issue of the 21st century. It is actually an invented disease, a problem that emerged when health professionals learned how to measure cholesterol levels in the blood. High cholesterol exhibits no outward signsunlike other conditions of the blood, such as diabetes or anemia, diseases that manifest telltale symptoms like thirst or weaknesshypercholesterolemia requires the services of a physician to detect its presence. Many people who feel perfectly healthy suffer from high cholesterolin fact, feeling good is actually a symptom of high cholesterol!
Doctors who treat this new disease must first convince their patients that they are sick and need to take one or more expensive drugs for the rest of their lives, drugs that require regular checkups and blood tests. But such doctors do not work in a vacuumtheir efforts to convert healthy people into patients are bolstered by the full weight of the US government, the media and the medical establishment, agencies that have worked in concert to disseminate the cholesterol dogma and convince the population that high cholesterol is the forerunner of heart disease and possibly other diseases as well.
The drugs that doctors use to treat the new disease are called statinssold under a variety of names including Lipitor , Zocor , Mevacor and Pravachol .
You May Like: Baked Potato Cholesterol