Training and Statins? Anything besides CoQ10 that helps?
Former Member
I train on the fairly intense side (I think) and am averaging 3,600 6 times a week. Eat fairly healthy...no eggs or cheese, lots of nut mixes for snacks, salads 2 nights a week, sushi 2 nights a week. Impossible burgers now and then. You get the idea. And still my cholesterol is through the roof.
I had quit taking it when I began to train hard upon retirement because of the cramping issue, mostly thighs and upper back. So I’m dismayed at having to start again. 4 days in and my back is stiff and borderline “sore.” Warmup is a drag because I’m so cautious about seizing up (in past, I had my back go on both sides simply jumping in to cold pool; soreness and caution kept me out of pool for at least 3 days).
30 minutes or so of googling seems to suggest that CoQ10 is only thing that *might* help (evidence seems mixed). I already take that along with preventives like garlic and psyllium.
So, any of you folks have any dietary or supplement hacks that help abate the large muscle issues that come along with statins? Stretching routines that help? Heat? Cold? Both? How about really ramping up hydration? (I already do a good job here, but maybe still more?) Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.
Parents
Former Member
I used to mork with a medical condcition called Malignant Hyperthermia - a genetic muscular condition that sets off destrucitive hypermetalism in the presence of certain drugs. Our office was one of the first to recognize the existence of what is called "isolated rhabdomyolysis" (wrecked muscles, independent of injury or infection) associated with statins.
My understanding, although early, is extremely shallow. All I know is that it happens, but it is reputed to be extremely rare. When it's bad, it's ugly and life-long.
It's nasty enough that I avoid the statins my doctor recommends. She's a wise doc and is most likely right that I shouldn't avoid the best mortality outcomes for what (for me) seems to be a remote possibility.
OTOH, if I had muscle soreness from the stuff? Even if I had "bacon-clogged-death-at-47" levels of cholesterol, I'd rather go for the clean exit of a heart attack.
I would talk very seriously to your physician about this. The thing about the benefits of statins, which are considerable, is that the effects are extremly well-documented and -far- more quantified than the well-documented effects of exercise.
They can tell you that X dose of statin will give you Y decrease in the odds of a cardiac event in 10 years.
They can't quantify exercise that way. "2500 yards of swimming a weeks give you Y benefit" - but that doesn't mean the benefits of exercise are somehow not as good - or even much better - than the drugs. Just there's no big pharmaceutical company making a statistical model that gives you signficant digits.
So talk to your doc. Get this stuff evaluated - probably by a neurologist.
I used to mork with a medical condcition called Malignant Hyperthermia - a genetic muscular condition that sets off destrucitive hypermetalism in the presence of certain drugs. Our office was one of the first to recognize the existence of what is called "isolated rhabdomyolysis" (wrecked muscles, independent of injury or infection) associated with statins.
My understanding, although early, is extremely shallow. All I know is that it happens, but it is reputed to be extremely rare. When it's bad, it's ugly and life-long.
It's nasty enough that I avoid the statins my doctor recommends. She's a wise doc and is most likely right that I shouldn't avoid the best mortality outcomes for what (for me) seems to be a remote possibility.
OTOH, if I had muscle soreness from the stuff? Even if I had "bacon-clogged-death-at-47" levels of cholesterol, I'd rather go for the clean exit of a heart attack.
I would talk very seriously to your physician about this. The thing about the benefits of statins, which are considerable, is that the effects are extremly well-documented and -far- more quantified than the well-documented effects of exercise.
They can tell you that X dose of statin will give you Y decrease in the odds of a cardiac event in 10 years.
They can't quantify exercise that way. "2500 yards of swimming a weeks give you Y benefit" - but that doesn't mean the benefits of exercise are somehow not as good - or even much better - than the drugs. Just there's no big pharmaceutical company making a statistical model that gives you signficant digits.
So talk to your doc. Get this stuff evaluated - probably by a neurologist.
