Dear Sirs,
Please accept this letter as a position statement on the growing problem of adverse side effects related to the use of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. The International Coenzyme Q10 Association is a group of scientists and medical professionals with a research focus on coenzyme Q10, which plays a crucial role in cellular ATP production. It has been demonstrated that HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, also known as statins, block the biosynthesis of coenzyme Q10 and of dolichol, besides the well known effect on cholesterol synthesis. Several studies have shown that administration of different kinds of statins can lead to a parallel decrease of coenzyme Q10 and cholesterol in plasma (1- 9, 19). ……
……
Gian Paolo Littarru M.D. Prof. Biochemistry University of Ancona, Italy