Q10 supplementation reduces muscle pain in statin users

Cholesterol-lowering statins, which are among the most widely used medications, not only reduce cholesterol levels but also decrease the body’s synthesis of Q10, a compound that is important for energy metabolism and serves as a key antioxidant. Reduced endogenous Q10 synthesis may lead to various side effects, including muscle pain. However, a Pakistani observational study published in Cureus suggests that Q10 supplementation may reduce muscle pain in patients taking cholesterol-lowering statins. Overall, it appears that Q10 supplementation may help reduce several side effects associated with statin use.

Statins are among the most commonly prescribed medications and are used to treat elevated cholesterol levels. However, it is important to emphasize that cholesterol is also a vital lipid involved in the formation of cell membranes, vitamin D, steroid hormones, and much more.
Most of our cholesterol is produced in the liver in a process that involves coenzyme HMG-CoA, which is also used to produce Q10 and other cholesterol-dependent compounds.
Q10 plays a crucial role in cellular energy production, which takes place in the mitochondria. In addition, Q10 functions as an important antioxidant that protects cells against damage caused by free radicals and oxidative stress.
Because cholesterol-lowering statins work by inhibiting the production of coenzyme HMG-CoA, they also inhibit the production of Q10. This provides a biochemical explanation for why statins are often associated with statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS), including muscle pain, caused by the impaired energy metabolism in muscle cells. For this reason, athletes and other statin users with higher levels of muscle activity are particularly vulnerable to these side effects. The same applies to older adults, since the body’s natural production of Q10 gradually declines with age.

Q10 supplementation reduces muscle pain in several ways

The new Pakistani study aimed to investigate whether Q10 supplementation can reduce statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS) in statin users.
The study was conducted at Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University in Islamabad and included a total of 106 patients diagnosed with statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS). The patients were divided into two equal groups, A and B. Group A received 50 mg of Q10 twice daily, while Group B served as the control group.
During the study, the researchers used, among other tools, a scoring system called the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) to assess participants’ pain intensity. The study lasted six months and showed the following:

• Group A, which received Q10 supplementation, showed a greater reduction in muscle-related pain scores on the VAS compared with Group B.
• Group A also showed a greater reduction in pain frequency compared with Group B.
• The difference between the two groups was statistically significant, indicating that Group A, which received Q10 supplementation, was better able to control statin-associated muscle symptoms.

The researchers therefore conclude that Q10 supplementation (100 mg daily) is associated with an improved ability to reduce various muscle-related side effects resulting from treatment with cholesterol-lowering statins.
The Pakistani study was published in Cureus and is consistent with several other studies previously discussed on this website.
When choosing Q10 for supplementation, it is important to select pharmaceutical-grade products that ensure high bioavailability so that the Q10 reaches the muscle cells and other cells throughout the body.

Statins, Q10, and diabetes

In the following article, you can read more about how Q10 supplementation may also reduce statin users’ risk of developing diabetes. This is another well-known side effect of statins and is referred to as “new-onset diabetes” (NOD).

• Statin users have a lower risk of developing diabetes if they take Q10 supplements

Reference:

Muhammad Zeeshan et al. Association of Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation With Statin-Associated Muscle Symptoms in Long-Term Statin Users. 2025

Xiaorong Han et al. Diabetes Risks of Statin Therapy-Coenzyme Q10 may Help. Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine. 2025