Treated

When rats were given free access to an exercise wheel, the statin-related changes to the “gatekeeper proteins” no longer occurred. Researchers also observed that rats treated with statins ran twice as far as control rats.

Professor Metin Avkiran, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Statins are life-savThe ing drugs and most people who take them don’t experience side effects.

“Those who do suffer muscle pain and weakness should always ask their doctor if a different statin or dose might solve the problem.

“Identifying how statins affect muscle cell biology is the first step in preventing muscle side effects – ensuring that people who are susceptible to those side effects do not miss out on the protection afforded by statins.”

The researchers acknowledge they did not directly show that cell changes lead to muscle weakness and pain in people, but note that this is likely.

They said the theory may also explain why heart muscle, which has different gatekeeper proteins for calcium release, is protected from any potentially harmful effects of statins.

The research is published in JACC: Basic to Translational Science.