Ask the doctor

What's the connection between statins and coenzyme Q₁₀?

Q. Why don't you ever tell your readers that everyone who takes a statin to lower cholesterol should be taking coenzyme Q₁₀, too?

A. Coenzyme Q₁₀, sometimes called CoQ₁₀, is a vitamin-like substance present in most cells. It helps mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell, turn sugar and other fuels into energy. Taking a statin lowers coenzyme Q₁₀ because it is carried through the bloodstream in LDL. Lowering LDL "" the main job of a statin "" means less coenzyme Q₁₀ in circulation. It has been hypothesized that statins' effects on coenzyme Q₁₀ might account for the muscle aches and pains these drugs sometimes cause. However, statins don't appear to affect coenzyme Q₁₀ inside cells or mitochondria.