Exercise and Statins….Not a Dream Combination
A new clinical study has shown that statins, a commonly prescribed medication for high cholesterol, could be working to counteract some of the benefits that you could be getting from regular exercise. If you have read some of our previous posts on high cholesterol, then you'll remember that exercise is extremely helpful for people with this medical condition.
Now, health care experts are not trying to advise people to avoid statins altogether, since other high cholesterol studies have shown that they can save people's lives. However, this latest discovery could make things a little more difficult for doctors and their patients. Essentially, the people who stand to get the most benefit from exercise (obese, older, or at risk for heart disease) also happen to be the most likely to be prescribed statins.
Participants Put on a!2 Week Fitness Regimen
For this new clinical study, a team of researchers from the University of Missouri and a host of other institutions enrolled male and female participants that were overweight or led overly sedentary lifestyles (each applicant already presented with the symptoms of a metabolic disorder). While the participants had slightly higher cholesterol levels, most were not in a dangerous range yet.
At the start of the study, all participants had their fitness levels recorded and then all continued on their normal diets. Then, they were started on a supervised 12-week fitness regimen, during which they came into the lab to run on the treadmills five times a week. The research team assigned half of the participants to start taking simvastatin, a particular kind of statin, daily.
(Following the clinical study period, they retested the fitness levels and muscles of the participants.)
What are Statins?
Statins are medications which are designed to help reduce the level of cholesterol in the body, in particular the low-density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol. These drugs are prescribed for people who have been diagnosed with high cholesterol or are at risk for heart disease. Even though they are already one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in the world, some physicians believe more people should take them. On the other hand, exercise has been established as one of the best ways to prevent or treat high cholesterol.
Previous high cholesterol clinical trials have shown just how effective both statins and exercise can be at helping to treat this medical condition. Previous research has shown that statins are capable of reducing the risk of cardiac arrest in patients by as much as 20 percent for every 40 point drop in bad cholesterol levels. Moderate exercise has been shown to lower a person's risk of dying prematurely by as much as 50 percent.
Surprising Results from this First Clinical Study
In theory, it would seem that combining these two established methods of high cholesterol treatment would be the most effective move to make. However, this was the first clinical study to investigate how these two actually interact together. Unfortunately, the initial results have not been anywhere near as positive as many experts were hoping.
The participants that were not given statins during this 12 week period saw a very significant increase in their fitness levels after three months of regular exercise. On average, the patients not taking statin saw a 10 percent increase in fitness levels, while the statin group averaged only a 1 percent increase after the study, with some performing worse after the study than when they had gotten started.
Statins' Hidden Effects on Enzyme Levels
At first, the research team was a little puzzled as to why there could be such a discrepancy between these two groups' fitness levels. That was until they got a chance to look at some biopsied muscle tissue under a microscope. They observed a very notable difference in the levels of an enzyme that is directly linked with the health of the mitochondria, the small part of the cell that produces energy. People tend to have a greater level of mitochondria if they work out regularly. These enzyme levels dropped by about 4.5 percent for participants who took statins, but they increased by as much as 13 percent in the participants that did not take any statins.
The results of this research are being compared to a host of other lab results that support the theory that statins can have a negative impact on the benefits of exercise. For instance, lab rats can't run as far when they are given statins, and triathlon athletes often present with signs of muscle damage after competing while on statins.
So, while statins are still needed by people, especially if they have very dangerous levels of cholesterol or a family history of heart disease, this makes things a bit trickier for other groups. These studies have thrown a bit of a wrench into the risk-benefit calculation involving the usage of statins in certain cases.
Now, health care experts are not trying to advise people to avoid statins altogether, since other high cholesterol studies have shown that they can save people's lives. However, this latest discovery could make things a little more difficult for doctors and their patients. Essentially, the people who stand to get the most benefit from exercise (obese, older, or at risk for heart disease) also happen to be the most likely to be prescribed statins.
Participants Put on a!2 Week Fitness Regimen
For this new clinical study, a team of researchers from the University of Missouri and a host of other institutions enrolled male and female participants that were overweight or led overly sedentary lifestyles (each applicant already presented with the symptoms of a metabolic disorder). While the participants had slightly higher cholesterol levels, most were not in a dangerous range yet.
At the start of the study, all participants had their fitness levels recorded and then all continued on their normal diets. Then, they were started on a supervised 12-week fitness regimen, during which they came into the lab to run on the treadmills five times a week. The research team assigned half of the participants to start taking simvastatin, a particular kind of statin, daily.
(Following the clinical study period, they retested the fitness levels and muscles of the participants.)
What are Statins?
Statins are medications which are designed to help reduce the level of cholesterol in the body, in particular the low-density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol. These drugs are prescribed for people who have been diagnosed with high cholesterol or are at risk for heart disease. Even though they are already one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in the world, some physicians believe more people should take them. On the other hand, exercise has been established as one of the best ways to prevent or treat high cholesterol.
Previous high cholesterol clinical trials have shown just how effective both statins and exercise can be at helping to treat this medical condition. Previous research has shown that statins are capable of reducing the risk of cardiac arrest in patients by as much as 20 percent for every 40 point drop in bad cholesterol levels. Moderate exercise has been shown to lower a person's risk of dying prematurely by as much as 50 percent.
Surprising Results from this First Clinical Study
In theory, it would seem that combining these two established methods of high cholesterol treatment would be the most effective move to make. However, this was the first clinical study to investigate how these two actually interact together. Unfortunately, the initial results have not been anywhere near as positive as many experts were hoping.
The participants that were not given statins during this 12 week period saw a very significant increase in their fitness levels after three months of regular exercise. On average, the patients not taking statin saw a 10 percent increase in fitness levels, while the statin group averaged only a 1 percent increase after the study, with some performing worse after the study than when they had gotten started.
Statins' Hidden Effects on Enzyme Levels
At first, the research team was a little puzzled as to why there could be such a discrepancy between these two groups' fitness levels. That was until they got a chance to look at some biopsied muscle tissue under a microscope. They observed a very notable difference in the levels of an enzyme that is directly linked with the health of the mitochondria, the small part of the cell that produces energy. People tend to have a greater level of mitochondria if they work out regularly. These enzyme levels dropped by about 4.5 percent for participants who took statins, but they increased by as much as 13 percent in the participants that did not take any statins.
The results of this research are being compared to a host of other lab results that support the theory that statins can have a negative impact on the benefits of exercise. For instance, lab rats can't run as far when they are given statins, and triathlon athletes often present with signs of muscle damage after competing while on statins.
So, while statins are still needed by people, especially if they have very dangerous levels of cholesterol or a family history of heart disease, this makes things a bit trickier for other groups. These studies have thrown a bit of a wrench into the risk-benefit calculation involving the usage of statins in certain cases.
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