Can Crestor Cause Loss of Taste?
Crestor (rosuvastatin) is not documented to cause loss of taste in the available evidence, including comprehensive reviews of its safety profile and adverse effects. This side effect is not listed among the commonly reported or rare adverse reactions associated with rosuvastatin.
Evidence from Clinical Trials and Reviews
Multiple comprehensive reviews of rosuvastatin's safety profile spanning thousands of patients do not identify taste disturbances as an adverse effect:
- Most common adverse events with rosuvastatin include myalgia, constipation, asthenia, abdominal pain, and nausea—all typically transient and mild 1
- Serious but rare effects documented include myopathy (<0.1%), elevated CPK levels (0.2-0.4%), proteinuria, and microscopic hematuria 1
- Extensive safety data from clinical trials at doses of 5-40 mg daily show rosuvastatin has a tolerability profile similar to other statins, with no mention of taste alterations 2, 3, 4
Contrast with Other Medications
This absence is notable when compared to other medications where taste disturbances are well-documented:
- Sleep medications like eszopiclone cause unpleasant taste in 7-26% of patients 5, 6
- Nasal sprays such as azelastine (19.7%) and olopatadine (12.8%) commonly cause bitter taste 6
- Acetazolamide causes dysgeusia in approximately 1 in 18 patients 7
Clinical Implications
If a patient on Crestor reports loss of taste, investigate alternative causes:
- Viral infections (particularly COVID-19, which causes taste/smell loss in 59-86% of cases) 8
- Other medications the patient may be taking concurrently
- Underlying medical conditions affecting taste perception
- Temporal relationship: Determine if taste loss truly correlates with rosuvastatin initiation or if coincidental
The documented rare serious adverse reaction of ischemic colitis with rosuvastatin 9 demonstrates that uncommon effects can occur, but taste disturbance has not been established as one of them in the medical literature.