From the Guidelines
CoQ10 is not recommended for routine use in patients treated with statins, including for the treatment of numbness in lips as a side effect. According to the 2019 guideline on the management of blood cholesterol by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association task force on clinical practice guidelines 1, CoQ10 supplementation is not advised for patients on statin therapy. This guideline suggests that in patients with statin-associated side effects that are not severe, reassessment and rechallenge with a modified dosing regimen, an alternate statin, or in combination with nonstatin therapy is recommended to achieve maximal LDL-C lowering.
Key points to consider for managing statin side effects include:
- Identifying potential predisposing factors for statin-associated side effects before initiation of treatment
- Reassessing and rechallenging with statin therapy in a modified form if side effects are not severe
- Considering nonstatin therapy for patients with severe or recurrent statin-associated muscle symptoms
- Monitoring for signs of hepatotoxicity and measuring liver transaminases if symptoms suggest hepatotoxicity
It's crucial for patients experiencing numbness in the lips or other side effects while on statin therapy to discuss these symptoms with their doctor. The doctor may recommend adjusting the statin dose, switching to a different statin, or temporarily stopping the statin to assess if symptoms improve. While CoQ10 supplementation may seem like a potential remedy due to its role in energy production and potential impact on statin-induced side effects, the current guideline does not support its routine use for this purpose 1.
From the Research
Statin-Induced Side Effects
- Statins are known to cause various side effects, including myopathy, myalgia, and numbness in lips, among others 2, 3, 4.
- The exact mechanisms behind these side effects are not fully understood, but it is believed that the reduction of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) levels in the body may play a role 3, 4.
CoQ10 Supplementation
- Some studies suggest that CoQ10 supplementation may help alleviate statin-induced myopathy and other muscle-related side effects 2, 5.
- However, the evidence is not conclusive, and other studies have found no significant benefit of CoQ10 supplementation in reducing statin-associated muscle symptoms 6.
- The dosage of CoQ10 supplementation varies across studies, but a daily dose of 30-200 mg has been shown to have beneficial effects on statin myopathy without notable side effects 2, 5.