Scientists looked at men and women ages 65 and older in order to study the relationship between CoQ10 blood levels, and physical activity and capacity in elderly people. The study, which appeared in the journal Antioxidants, reported that high CoQ10 levels were directly associated with less cardiovascular risk.

Furthermore, high CoQ10 levels were found in people with greater physical activity and stronger muscle capacity.

CoQ10 also showed a strong inverse relationship to sedentarism and frailty. Stronger correlations were found in women.

CoQ10 is a vitamin-like molecule that is actually produced in the body. It is made downstream from cholesterol. Therefore, we need an adequate amount of cholesterol in the body in order to manufacture CoQ10.

Drugs that lower cholesterol levels are directly associated with low levels of CoQ10, which is concentrated in the muscles, where it is needed for cell metabolism and energy production.

Specifically, it is found in the mitochondria of cells, which produce energy.

Deficiency of CoQ10 leads to low energy production and fatigue. Statin drugs poison an enzyme called HmG-CoA reductase. When a statin is taken, the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme is poisoned and cholesterol production declines. Downstream metabolites from cholesterol, such as CoQ10, also decline.

As CoQ10 levels fall with statin use, CoQ10 will decline in mitochondria, leading to low energy production and fatigue.

As CoQ10 levels in muscles fall, this will manifest as aching muscles. It should be no surprise that two of the most common side effects from taking statins are fatigue and muscle pain.

Statins lower the risk for nonfatal strokes and heart attacks by about 1 percent for those who have no cardiac history and by approximately 3 percent for patients with a cardiac history. When the side effect profile of statins is reviewed, I simply cannot understand why so many people are taking statin medications.

More information about statins can be found in my book, The Statin Disaster.