Short-term cessation of statin therapy does not alter aerobic exercise performance in physically active middle-aged...

Physically active adults may be especially vulnerable to the adverse muscular side effects of statins. We determined if short-term cessation of statin therapy would improve aerobic exercise performance in middle-aged adults engaged in regular aerobic exercise training.

Physically active middle-aged adults on statin therapy ≥6 mo (n = 16; 58 ± 10 y) or not taking lipid-lowering medications (controls) (n = 19; 51 ± 9 y) completed a peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) and time to exhaustion test on a cycle ergometer 2-7 d apart. Tests were repeated following 1 mo of statin cessation or a 1 mo period for controls. Questionnaires were administered to assess exercise history and muscle complaints.

Statin users reported little or no muscle complaints and participation in aerobic exercise was similar between groups (p≥0.13). The lower VO2peak (37.3 ± 9.0 vs. 43.1 ± 4.9 ml/kg/min; p = 0.02) and time to exhaustion (21.9 ± 4.4 vs. 26.0 ± 6.3 min; p = 0.04) in statin users versus controls did not persist after controlling for age (p≥0.08). Aerobic exercise performance did not change with 1 mo of statin cessation (p≥0.54). No changes were observed in controls when tests were repeated 1 mo later (p≥0.38).

Short-term cessation of statin therapy does not alter maximal aerobic capacity or aerobic endurance in physically active middle-aged adults with few or no statin muscle complaints.